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Earworms of the Week

“Autophilia” – The Bluetones

Although they sort of slipped into the edges of Britpop and had a respectable number of hits, the Bluetones have continued their career almost without anyone noticing. They’re a great band and I really need to listen to them more often. Always a good gig, too. I used to work in HMV in York with a guy who was the original bassist in the band. He was a lovely guy, and he confirmed that the band are all top blokes too. Speaking of York, someone randomly mentioned to me that they are a MASSIVE Shed 7 fan, and I was able to tell them my much worn (and not very interesting) anecdote about the fact that I used to drink in the same pub as them when I lived in York. Hmmmmm. Yes. It seems that Shed 7 still command an obsessive following. I was slightly surprised too, although they had their moments too.

“Beat It” – Michael Jackson

The concept of Michael Jackson as a tough-nut always makes me laugh (gangs! Having a dance off in the subway!) but I do love the rocking guitar solo on this, courtesy of Eddie van Halen, the man who didn’t think Spinal Tap was funny. At all. Now that’s rock.

“The Zephyr Song” / “Can’t Stop” – Red Hot Chili Peppers

The appearance of “Dosed” on playlist when I was out running the other day inspired me to dig out “By The Way” and give it a listen. I grew up listening to the RHCP, and for a long time “Blood Sugar Sex Magick” was in my all-time top 10 favourite albums. It has to be said, though, that they were a band at their absolute peak when they released “By The Way”. That basic funk/rock/metal thing is still there… although it is much finessed in a song like “Can’t Stop”. They’ve come an awfully long way from “Special Secret Song Inside” though…. But the thing that really stands out on this album is the lovely, almost Beach Boys-like harmonies on nearly every song. Anthony Keidis sounds great, but the band definitely lost something important when John Frusciante left the band for the last time. Lovely record.

“Woman” – The Young Knives

For bespectacled tweedy types, the Young Knives do sexy surprisingly well. Bring sexy back… to Loughborough.

“Seven Nation Army” – White Stripes
“Another Way to Die” – Alicia Keys & Jack White

You know you’ve come up with a winner when, many years after its original release, the fans in the football stadiums of Poland and the Ukraine are loudly singing the riff from your song. Still sounds amazing too (although not so much on the Euro 2012 official goal mix). Compare and contrast with the theme tune that White wrote for “Quantum of Solace”, which was on telly the other day. How unmemorable is that song? It’s like an anti-earworm, White knows his way around a tune, but somehow he seems to be neutered by all the David Arnold “Bond” orchestration. It’s a shit film, to boot. Let’s hope “Skyfall” is better… although what I really want to see is a period Bond set in the 1950s.

“Hips and Lips” – Maximo Park

New album isn’t a massive break from the familiar Maximo Park template, but it is a good record nonetheless. I love it when you can hear a singer’s accent when they sing… and Paul Smith’s geordie seems to work particularly well. (Great video, incidentally)

“Rosanna” – Toto

I love a bit of MOR, me.. and it doesn’t get much finer than this. Well, apart from “Africa”, obviously. When you’re running, nobody knows what awful shite you’re listening to… well, unless you’re singing out loud, as I caught myself doing today..

“Rockaway Beach” – The Ramones

Rock, rock. Rockaway beach. Great song. Great name for a beach too. I can imagine that Slash has a changing hut there.

“Career Opportunities” – The Clash

…ah, the song that I was singing out loud when out running today. This is just a fucking great song: great riff, sharp lyrics… the works. What a band the Clash were. If someone did hear me belting this out as I ran along the canal towpath at lunchtime, then I really don’t care.

That’s it. I’m done. Have a good weekend y’all.