CD Odyssey Disc 1686: Dehd

Happy Hallowe’en! Hallowe’en is my all time favourite holiday. Technically it isn’t a holiday, but it should be. I’ve always been an avowed fan of horror, and Hallowe’en is Christmas for us creeps.

Given tonight is the night that spirits walk the earth again with the living, it is appropriate (although still totally random) that tonight’s band being reviewed is called “Dehd”.

Disc 1686 is…Flower of Devotion

Artist: Dehd

Year of Release: 2020

What’s up with the Cover?  The black and white drama of drama masks! This cover does not capture the excitement of the theatre. Maybe local theatre.

How I Came To Know It: I read a couple reviews of this record, both of them favourable. Not that the favourable part matters to me. I’m more interested in what the review says about what I can expect stylistically than whether the critic likes it. I’ll decide that for myself. I encourage you to do the same after you read this review. But only after. I will not be ignored!

How It Stacks Up: I have two Dehd albums and of the two “Flower of Devotion” is best so that makes it…#1. Math!

Rating: 4 stars

Dehd is what would have happened if the eighties died but then came back from the grave with an unearthly energy about them. Like maybe meteor dust reanimated them or something.

The music has all the underpinnings of eighties pop like Echo & the Bunnymen or the Cure. The echoing guitar and the haunting mood pieces that make you think of cold city streets slick with rain, where young people pine about stuff and things.

Infused into this gloom is a strange pervasive energy (presumably the meteor dust) that gives this music a newfound vibrance. There is a restless jump in the arrangements that is part Ally Sheedy, part Molly Ringwald. Let’s call it “Goth princess” or maybe “all night diner club”.

Whatever it is, these tunes cast a spell on you from the opening notes. There is a rolling repetition to the guitar licks that make you feel like you are falling and never landing. The songs only last three or four minutes, but while they’re on time seems to slow and blur. When they end there is no abrupt cessation, but nor is there a cheap fade out. They just kind of complete right when they are supposed to. Before you can figure out how it happened, you are being lifted into the next track.

There is an overly moody feeling to “Flower of Devotion” that in lesser hands would come off as false and maudlin. Dehd dances around their anxiety and despair in a way that makes you feel like you’re at a late-night Goth party, and it is the best time ever. It isn’t all danceable, but it is all sway-able, and sometimes all we need is a good sway.

The record’s best tune is “Loner” principally because of Emily Kempf’s vocal gymnastics which are part angel, part yelping dog, but full of rich and ranging emotion. The guitar on this tune has a big eighties style echo that feels like you’re underwater, or maybe made of smoke. Hopefully not both. That would just be bubbles. Awesome bubbles of sound, but still bubbles. But I digress…

On tunes like “Apart” it made me wonder if this is what it would sound like if Goth kids took up surfing. At night, obviously, but there is a slow chill element that doesn’t stray into sad so much as into deep contemplation.

Lyrically, there isn’t much that approaches the inspirational. The lyrics are basic and feel like fleeting phrases of discarded poems more than fully formed narratives. That’s OK, since it perfectly matches the music. This record is about tone, mood and depth of feeling, not about telling a particular story. The closest I came was on “No Time” a relatively up-tempo number which admonishes, “you only want me when you’re sad.” This isn’t a revelation worth noting but is probably someone you’ve met at some point in your life. Hopefully you did not move in with them but if you did, these things happen. Here’s a song for when you break up.

“Flower of Devotion” is one of my favourite albums of 2020. It didn’t make my top ten list, but it fell just outside of it in the 11-15 range and on any given day could crack the main lineup. I loved every moment of my short time listening, and am sad to be moving on so soon, but I know I’ll have pulled it off my shelf for another listen soon, and for many years to come.

Best tracks: Desire, Loner, Haha, Drip Drop, Month, Letter, No Time, Apart

CD Odyssey Disc 1685: Skye Wallace

Another busy week led to another delay in getting this review to you, dear readers. But I’m back now, and ready to fill you with marvel and delight through a single picture and around 800 words strung together in a particular order.

Disc 1685 is…Terribly Good

Artist: Skye Wallace

Year of Release: 2022

What’s up with the Cover?  Skye Wallace displays a perfectly executed slouch. This slouch looks like it is taking place in the hallway of a cheap apartment complex. Then again, the wall behind her looks unscuffed, so maybe it is the interior of one of the apartments.

This would make sense, given the unzipped boot situation, implying she’s just getting home, or just getting ready to go out. And I know some of you may be thinking with respect to that latter scenario – she’s going out in public in those pants?

Well, dear reader, I happen to like those pants. I’d wear them myself, except that I prefer a slim fit.

OK, on with the music review…

How I Came To Know It: This summer there was an outdoor festival in Victoria (the Phillip’s Backyarder). I was going mostly to see Lord Huron but as a matter of course I always check out all the other bands ahead of time to see if I would like to see them as well.

Skye Wallace impressed me. Unfortunately, she was on first and the Phillip’s Backyarder does not allow in/out privileges. Not wanting to be there the full six hours or more, I made a judgment call to NOT see her live, which is a bummer because I later heard she was a good show.

However, while I was there, knowing I liked her music (I’d listened to her whole discography in the week leading up) I bought both a t-shirt and this CD. So…here we are.

How It Stacks Up: I am on the lookout for four other Skye Wallace albums, but they have not been easy to find (her CDs are all sold out on Bandcamp), For now, there is no stacking up.

Rating: 4 stars

Sometimes you just want some old-time rock and roll, straight no chaser. For those times, I suggest a shot of what Skye Wallace has to offer will serve you right.

“Terribly Good” is straightforward Canadiana pop/rock. It does not break any new ground, nor should you demand that it do so. Relax, enjoy some 4/4 time and sink into the groove. It will be easy to do all these things, because “Terribly Good” lives up to its name.

This is Wallace’s fifth record and she has perfected her sound. The songs are catchy, and her vocals are confident but not overwrought. Wallace knows she’s got a set of pipes on her, and therefore doesn’t have to do a bunch of American Idol style warbles.

Stylistically she reminded me a lot of the Beaches, which isn’t surprising given both acts got their start in Toronto about ten years ago. That would’ve been a killer double-bill at some seedy club, but sadly I came to both parties late. Wallace also has a bit of a Pat Benatar vibe going on, with that belting raunchy roughness with a youthful pop vibe mixed in, like a sugar coating to help everything go down easier. It’s mostly grit, but you’ll get little yips and squeals (the best of these are on “Phantom Limb”) that remind you that you’re here to have fun.

The production and arrangement on this record are perfect. The sound is rich, separated, and distinct. The arrangements let the guitar riffs and drum beats shine individually, before connecting into a larger sound greater than the sum of its parts. Does Wallace do all those obvious tricks like breaking things down again – isolating little guitar parts and generally try to catch your attention in a new way every few bars? Yes she does, but you will like it.

Standouts on the record show that within this “inside the lines” approach to rock and roll, Wallace still displays a good range. “Phantom Limb” has a good thump and Wallace’s voice peals out as cymbals crash in the background. Immediately following we get “Keeper”, a single echoing guitar and Wallace singing with sweet heartache in her voice. Whether it is “all the stuff” with “Phantom Limb” or just her and a guitar on “Keeper”, the choices are well made.

This record is very short – 8 songs and well under 30 minutes, and over too soon.  Fortunately it has good re-listenability and I didn’t tire of it despite many rounds in the car. You shouldn’t expect this record to challenge you musically – it won’t – just enjoy it on its own terms. You may want to tap your toe, or maybe turn the volume up. These are good instincts. Go with them.

Best tracks: Tooth and Nail, Phantom Limb, Keeper, Tear a Piece (Bite Me)

CD Odyssey Disc 1684: In This Moment

Apologies for my lengthy absence, gentle readers. Much of last week I was travelling for work, and this slowed down my creative output considerably.

I’m back now and here’s the record that’s been kicking around in my head since last we connected.

Disc 1684 is…Blood

Artist: In This Moment

Year of Release: 2012

What’s up with the Cover?  The picture above is not the picture on my album. While mine is also a special edition (re-issue and bonus tracks included) it has the original album cover, which is far racier. That cover features lead singer Maria Brink, crowned and sitting on a throne surrounded by eight naked women wearing expressionless white porcelain masks. A murder of crows flies in the background.

If you are thinking “whoa – that sounds incredible” you’d be right, but it is also a bit racy, so for those of you who aren’t comfortable with a whole lot of nudity in your art, I’ve instead posted this alternative cover.

This alternative cover is also pretty dope, featuring just a single crow perched on the same crown, minus Queen Maria and all the nude women. If you decide you want to see the original (having been forewarned), here’s the Wiki page.

How I Came To Know It: My coworker was asking me for music recommendations for his niece. I said I’d be glad to help but to make sure I was in the ballpark, could he tell me what she currently listens to. The answer was “In this Moment”.  In checking them out I realized, “hey, this niece is on to something!”

I can’t remember what I recommended in return. I think probably Creepshow and Poppy’s 2020 album, “I Disagree”.

How It Stacks Up: I have my eye out for one or two more In This Moment albums, but as of now “Blood” lives alone in my collection, and thus cannot stack up.

Rating: 3 stars

“In This Moment” is not for everyone. There is a visceral quality to their industrial metal sound that is invigorating, but they also sing about edgy topics, and that “industrial” moniker routinely steps over the line into “nu metal” territory. So, as with the cover, consider yourself warned before you investigate further.

The first thing you’ll note about “Blood” is that lead singer Maria Brink feels her feelings very deeply. When you are singing about this “tear your insides out” kind of stuff, it is important to be believable and Brink sounds every bit emotionally disturbed as the subject matter requires. She is equal parts vulnerable and dangerous best summed up with a warning of “careful, she bites”. If that sounds a bit animalistic well, so do a lot of the songs.

The album had three singles released, which also happen to be the best the record has to offer. The title track features a chorus that will want you to mosh until you throw your neck out. As my neck was already out this week, I refrained but it wasn’t easy. “Blood” is like a lot of In This Moment songs, feels triumphant and energetic, but a deeper dive into the lyrics reveals a dysfunctional relationship. Maybe a father, maybe a boyfriend, but definitely a jerk.

“Whore” is the album’s best song, challenging society’s judgment on dangerous girls with hearty sexual appetites. How the narrator conducts herself is her own business, and is under no obligation to explain herself, although the song’s refrain does a fine job of twisting the knife, with:

“But let me tell you something baby
You love me for everything you hate me for”

Musically this song has a great structure as well, slowly building behind the dull but insistent drum thud, the song crunch’s out loud and proud, raw with feeling. Some will find the tune a bit overblown, but I would counter that this is entirely the point. Like I noted in the lede, it’s not for everyone.

That is not to say there are not moments where In This Moment crosses the line into annoying screaming. It does. “You’re Gonna Listen To Me” doubles down on the overwrought singing and crunchy “loud” production in the hopes it can hide the boring melody and grating arrangement. It does not succeed.

“Adrenalize” is cool, but mostly because I think equating desire with someone getting chest-stabbed with an adrenaline needle is, er…novel? The production here is a bit busy, but the metaphor is edgy.

Near the end of the record we are treated to the album’s third standout. “Comanche” is an anthem that will have you fist pumping in the air. If you are a fan of In This Moment, “Comanche” is your call to arms, half affirmation of the music, and half rejection of the haters. I imagine this is a favourite at live shows.

Unfortunately, there are also a lot of forgettable tunes on “Blood”. I’d talk about them but I’m having a hard time remembering them. The high points are easily worth the journey, but an honest assessment of the overall record is it is good, but not great.

Best tracks: Blood, Whore, Comanche

CD Odyssey Disc 1683: Amyl and the Sniffers

At the end of my work week I was feeling tired and overwhelmed, but music was there to save the day again. In this case, it was a concert by a band called Boy Golden. I don’t have a Boy Golden album review today (I just bought it last night from the merch table) but I will say that if you get a chance to see them in concert, do it. The show was solid from beginning to end, with great musicianship, great songwriting and a natural stage presence.

Disc 1683 is…Self-Titled

Artist: Amyl and the Sniffers

Year of Release: 2019

What’s up with the Cover?  Amy Taylor’s disembodied head screams with wild abandon, her band members arrayed around her. Two thirds of the band are shirtless; three-quarters if you count the cherub. There is no knowing whether Taylor is wearing a shirt. Her head is unadorned.

How I Came To Know It: After my friend Nick introduced me to the band I purchased Amyl and the Sniffer’s 2021 album, “Comfort to Me” (reviewed back at Disc 1628). I loved it, and shortly after reviewing it went out and bought their self-titled debut.

How It Stacks Up: This is a good record, but “Comfort to Me” is in a class of its own. As a result, the self-titled effort can only manage #2.

Rating: 4 stars

Amyl and the Sniffers is an angry band, but it is a joyous and glorious anger that feels very freeing, particularly at high volumes. I’m not sure you can even listen to these raunchy Australian punks at low volumes and in any event, I didn’t attempt it.

Amyl and the Sniffers are punk in its purest form. Here on their self-titled debut they don’t have the same production values as “Comfort to Me” but for most fans of punk “great production” is not what you’re looking for.

What most fans of punk want is a raw and honest experience with a whole lot of guitar and a minimum of melody. If that sounds right, then this album is for you. From the opening notes, the whole record hits you like a high-speed car crash. Amy Taylor has punk rock in her bones, with a vocal style similar to Poly Styrene. It isn’t accurate to say Taylor pays homage to that tradition, so much as she’s mainlining it; a direct tap into the river of fury that is traditional punk rock.

Song topics are what you might expect from this sound, with plenty of visceral shouting and song titles like “Gacked on Anger” and “GFY” that are about exactly what you’d expect. The former being that quivering rage we all feel when we are pressed for time, money or both. The latter being directing that anger outward at the world’s idiots and assholes.

There are some traditional blues riffs mixed in (“Monsoon Rock” being a good example) but mostly this is just straight ahead no frills/no chaser rock and roll. And while it would be easy to be sloppy with this kind of music, the band is tight to the cause. Yes they are leaning hard into the corners, and yes you can feel the front tire of these tunes wobbling a bit under the strain of the tempo, but the band are all synced up, and the chopper never topples.

They also play together as a band well, and while the production is very low-fi, the instruments are even in the mix. Yes, Taylor’s vocals are the star of the show, but she isn’t over-amped, she’s just part of the overall wall of sound coming at you.

As years pass it gets harder and harder to tap into the joyous rebellion of youth. That’s OK – I am comfortable with being a responsible member of my community. But every now and then you’ve got to let that inner beast out to roam around and snarl a little. Listening to Amyl and the Sniffers shout out loud will give you exactly what you need. Just remember to turn it up for best effect.

Best tracks: Gacked on Anger, GFY, Angel, Monsoon Rock, Control

CD Odyssey Disc 1682: Mr. Lif

Welcome back to the CD Odyssey where, to the surprise of exactly no one, another music review awaits you.

Disc 1682 is…Mo’ Mega

Artist: Mr. Lif

Year of Release: 2006

What’s up with the Cover?  Giant Head Cover alert! Mr. Lif looks very thoughtful and composed here, like a professor of English Literature maybe. Would I listen to the words of this man? Reader, I would.

How I Came To Know It: My friend Ross put me on to Mr. Lif, and even bought me one of his albums (2002’s “I Phantom” reviewed back at Disc 1232). Needless to say I liked what I heard and have expanded my collection since.

How It Stacks Up: It wasn’t a massive expansion, and I now have two Mr. Lif albums. Of the two, “Mo’ Mega” is the superior record, so #1!

Rating: 5 stars

At the risk of sounding out of touch with the kids – possibly even being labelled grumpy – I must confess that the majority of modern rap does not agree with me. There is just too much of that ever-present style that is akin to a descending mumble, ending predictably at the bar over and over again. Like someone’s talking in their sleep while dreaming of how they can’t find their home room.

Coming out in 2006, “Mo’ Mega” isn’t exactly the era of concern for me, but it is nudging up against it. Fortunately, there was nothing to worry about this time. Mr. Lif is a revelation, with a flow that floats across the top of a beat like Muhammad Ali’s butterfly, stinging you with thoughtful rhymes and insightful commentary.

There is a nasally tone to Mr. Lif’s vocals that aren’t usually in my rap wheelhouse, but the way he floats that high flow across the beat is inspired. He has a Rakim-like quality of knowing when to drop a rhyme on the end of a line and went to let it artfully flow over a little, like a taste of champagne after you’ve fired the cork.

The rhymes, sometimes internal, sometimes couplets, sometimes three or four in a row skipping one on top of another are too artful to quote (it would be a crime minus the beats) leaving your brain in a state of eager wakefulness. You know something great has happened and feel a little bad that you’re not quick-witted enough to sing along. I didn’t find myself keeping up with Mr. Lif, I felt pulled along.

There is nothing playful about these tracks, and even seemingly lighthearted metaphors like “The Fries” quickly goes from observations on fast food into dark explorations of disposable culture writ-large.

And while I would’ve been perfectly happy with just Mr. Lif’s rhyming talents on this record, you get so much more on the arrogant (but aptly named) “Mo’ Mega”. The samples and beats on this record are both a throwback to a golden age and also the cutting edge of production. On “Murs Iz My Manager” we’ve got the funkiest bassline since EPMD was housin’, combined with some well-placed trumpet licks. This shit drops hard and oh, yeah – Mr. Lif is every bit up to it with a flow so furious Big Daddy Kane’d be proud.

One of the record’s secret weapons is the production of El-P (of Run the Jewels fame). El-P would go on to become one half of one of rap’s greatest duos, but in 2006 he was busy taking records like this to a whole other level. Even the album’s lyrically weak tunes (booty-call “Long Distance” comes to mind) is still held together with great production and sample decisions.  

The sheer range on the record also impresses. Lyrically we have everything from sex tunes to social justice, while the beats range through Latin rhythms, Jazz licks, RnB, and everything in between. Mr. Lif wants you to listen to ALL the styles, and then shows you how they can be combined and made better through inspired metamorphosis.

My biggest complaint about this record is that it is only 40 minutes long, and after every listen I felt a momentary frustration knowing it was over, but even then there is a solution. Just set this one on repeat and kick back, baby. You’re welcome.

Best tracks: All tracks

CD Odyssey Disc 1681: The Lone Bellow

Greeting, gentle readers! I am just home from Seattle and was hoping I’d be adding a review of the Dessa concert I saw there. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled an hour before it was scheduled to start, so no show happened. Sheila and I had a lovely time hanging out in Seattle anyway.

Disc 1681 is…Love Songs for Losers

Artist: The Lone Bellow

Year of Release: 2022

What’s up with the Cover?  The band engages in a slouching competition. These are all the Grade A slouches you would expect from professional musicians enjoying some down time, but I give the victory to Kanene Pipkin. Not only is her slouch deep into “you’ll throw out your back” territory, she hasn’t even bothered to change out of her fancy clothes. That’s the kind of don’t give a damn attitude that brings slouching to another level.

How I Came To Know It: Earlier this year I did a run through artists in my collection to see if I’d missed any good records they’d put out in the last few years. I am discovering new bands all the time, and in the process I sometimes forget to take the time to catch up on bands I already know.

Turns out the Lone Bellow had released this record in 2022 and so, here we are.

How It Stacks Up: I have three Lone Bellow albums. This one is average at best, and I’ll say it is…third.

Rating: 2 stars

I’m not sure why I keep coming back to the Lone Bellow, but here I am again, willingly buying their records. Yes, I’m obsessed with the wonderful “Time’s Always Leaving” but that tune came out six years ago, and even that record is just OK.

There is nothing to get angry at with the Lone Bellow. They are talented musicians, with beautiful voices that they employ to good effect both individually and in harmony. The tunes are inoffensive and catchy, and they go down easy on a drive or a walk.

Maybe this is the problem. This band is a bit too easy. It takes the indie folk/country sound and polishes it too much. That style of music needs some sharp edges, or at least some emotional depth. The Lone Bellow is too “car commercial” perfect.

The production doesn’t help. It is so smooth and perfectly balanced that I found myself restlessly looking for something to catch my attention. But there is nothing to get your hands on. The vocals are smooth, the guitar is rounded, and the bass is nice and even and there to move the 4/4 time along seamlessly and unobtrusively. It started to annoy me that nothing was sufficiently annoying me.

Lyrically, the choices are predictable. Not bad, and often the simple truths that are exactly what your ears want after a long and complicated day at the office. It made me realize that even when my mind is weary, I’m still happier when it is being challenged with something.

There is one side-step. “Cost of Living” is a bluesy lounge tune that fits oddly on the record. Principally it shows off Pipkin’s vocals, which are sweet and pure as all get-out. But just like that expression, they are also nothing you’ve not heard before.

There is a child-like quality to some of the songs. “Wherever Your Heart Is” sounds like something that ingenues would sing on American Idol for Disney night. They’d no doubt sing it beautifully, but I’m sure I’d talk over the performance halfway through rather than be enraptured.

This is even worse on “Unicorn” which takes things from the level of saccharine Disney message and descends into after-school special or maybe some wholesome programming your kids watch on Saturday morning TV after their over-protective parents banned them from enjoying Coyote and the Road Runner.

And yet, ere the end, the Lone Bellow redeem themselves somewhat with a couple of late-breaking tunes that elevate the overall record.

“Homesick” is a pretty little country tune that had a zippy boom-chuck guitar strum that I’m a sucker for. The lyrics are as saccharine as ever, with lines like:

“If you're homesick
It's your heart telling your mind that you love somebody
If you got regrets
There's a possibility that you got something to check off your list
It's a long walk home and a short life to live”

About as basic as it gets, but a nice message all the same. It could also have been the pretty mandolin playing from Jason Pipkin (it is nice). Maybe at this point of the record I was finally content to let the Lone Bellow sing their simple truths to me. Maybe my brain had relaxed enough to just enjoy the mental rest. In any event, the song made me feel good.

The final track, “The Great Divide” is the most heartfelt on the record. Zach Williams’ lead vocals are at their best and it felt believable. I felt the awe of the great divide, and the uncertainty and inspiration we feel about life as we stare deeply into nature’s grandeur or our own souls.

But while I liked a couple of songs, it was too little too late for me to likely be playing this record often into the future. I shall be parting with it and hope it finds a home that will love it more than mine.

Best tracks: Homesick, Great Divide

CD Odyssey Disc 1680: Alphaville

I was so convinced I’d already reviewed this album I’d already removed it from my Walkman. I guess I’ve just known it for so long now it feels familiar. In any case, I got it re-loaded and finding myself with an extra day off, gave it a couple of listens today.

Disc 1680 is…Forever Young

Artist: Alphaville

Year of Release: 1984

What’s up with the Cover?  Giant Head alert! In this case the giant head appears to have encountered Medusa.

How I Came To Know It: This was a record in my wife’s music collection when we met. She’s known it dating all the way back when it was first released, when she bought it on vinyl after hearing a few of the songs on an American radio station. When we met, she introduced it to me on CD and it has been our home rotation ever since.

Only last month she gave the vinyl copy away to our friend, Chris. So her gift of this band just keeps on giving!

How It Stacks Up: This is our only Alphaville record, so it can’t stack up.

Rating: 4 stars

Eighties synth-pop is not usually my thing, but there is no denying greatness and on “Forever Young” that is exactly what Alphaville deliver.

This music is driven by beat, bass and synthesizer which makes for a lot of bops, beeps and thumps. I was bracing for this to feel clunky and emotionally disconnected but that is not at all what happened. Alphaville use these tools like master craftsmen, weaving it all together to create fascinating syncopation delivered concurrently with compelling pop melodies.

Are there weird percussion sounds banging away here and there? Fake handclaps and faux horn sections? You bet there are, and plenty of it. There are even some real string instruments that left me guessing what was false and what was real (I liked it both ways). Regardless of how they make the notes, every beat, bang and artificial bit of brass fits intricately together to make beautiful music.

The record begins with the ultra-Gothic “A Victory of Love” an initially moody piece of music that slowly increases in tempo and intensity. The tune is perfectly paces, building its intensity until finally, at the melody’s highest point, it ends. It made me want a cigarette.

Later the band twirls its techno-groove around from the very beginning. “Big in Japan” has a structure that just makes you want to prance and spin in the lights of a big city. Currents of Japanese musical structures collide with German New Wave to create something that is both mysterious and eminently danceable. The song has a darkness about the lyrics, but there is a wild celebration of dark excess laced through it. It is a song for partying a bit too late, but making sure you’re home before the sun rises, to ensure the mystery of it all is maintained under cover of night.

“Fallen Angel” has the band returning to a Gothic element. With David Bowie style vocals, and well-timed hand claps the song has a “devil-may-care” quality. This makes sense, since the lyrics imply the song’s subject is either a vampire, a succubus or maybe that Scarlett Johansson sex alien from that “Under the Skin” movie.

The album’s clear hit is the title track, which feels like one of those songs everyone knows, but no one knows who does the original. Well, it is Alphaville, and the song is brilliant. Filled with a poignant call for youth and the way its promise can hold back a dark and uncertain world. Against it all, this song finds time to explore the fears of nuclear disaster:

“Let's dance in style, let's dance for a while
Heaven can wait, we're only watching the skies
Hoping for the best but expecting the worst
Are you gonna drop the bomb or not?”

A German band in 1984 would have the most “ground zero” perspective of this experience, and Alphaville nail it; a combination of dread and the willingness to look past that dread and find a flicker of hope at two minutes to midnight. Inspiration and despair in equal measure.

In short, “Forever Young” was a welcome way to spend the middle part of my day, looking out at the rainy world and enjoying unfamiliar and artificial sounds, made human and beautiful through art.

Best tracks: A Victory of Love, Big in Japan, Forever Young, Fallen Angel, The Jet Set