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You searched for ‘Powerful’, which matched 94 songs.
click - person recommending, year, performer, songtitle - to see more recommendations.
Bicho do Mato  performed by Elis Regina
Recommended by PappaWheelie [profile]

Many may already be aware of this samba due to Walter Wanderly's space-age tinged organ instrumental version, but Elis's original vocal version is far more powerful with relentless horn blasts. It also demonstrates her range of emotions put into the performance as she goes from delicate to belting.


available on CD - Samba Soul '70! (Six Degrees)




  ambassador: I believe the original version (by anybody) is on Jorge Ben's "Ben e Samba Bom" on philips from the mid 60s.
THE THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR  performed by RYTHM HERITAGE
Recommended by DJEDGARMARTINEZ [profile]

RYTHM HERITAGE WERE THE COMPOSERS AND PERFORMERS OF THE THEME FROM "SWATT", THE T.V. SERIES.
HEAVY INSTRUMENTATION SPICED WITH LOTS OF FEELING.
THIS THEME IS AT THE SAME TIME POWERFUL AND EASY GOING.






  konsu: Don't forget the "Baretta's theme", which smokes as well. From the album "Discofied".
California Soul  performed by Marlena Shaw
Recommended by lilly747 [profile]

One of the best song intro's ever! Lot of strings and Marlena Shaw's voice at it's most powerful
Fabby supersoulful run-on-the-dancefloor song.

from OUT OF DIFFERENT BAGS/THE SPICE OF LIFE (Chess 1121992)
available on CD - it is!


oh!  performed by sleater-kinney
Recommended by licoricewhipped [profile]

so powerful & inspiring & beautiful.




girl anachronism  performed by the dresden dolls
Recommended by licoricewhipped [profile]

this song is so powerful, it hits you like a ton of bricks. its so frenzied and beautiful. i listened to it like, 5000x in one day.




I Remember  performed by Damien Rice
Recommended by jeni [profile]

This songs starts out so beautifuly mellow then turns into a screaming symphony. So powerful.

from O


Hurt  performed by Johnny Cash
Recommended by eevas86 [profile]

Johnny Cash makes Nine Inch Nails' song Hurt his own. This song is one of my all time greatest. It's just so powerful, beautiful and sad.

"if i could start again
a million miles away
i would keep myself
i would find a way"




Alex English  performed by Dance Gavin Dance
Recommended by Paul299 [profile]

Fast, good clean vocals, powerful song. Techy yet simple.

from Dance Gavin Dance, available on CD (Rise Records)


Threads  performed by This Will Destroy You
Recommended by urbangee [profile]

If you like Explosions in the Sky this band is for you. Beautiful, atmospheric, powerful--a whole journey of emotion.


available on CD - Young Mountain (Magic Bullet)


Fatal Tragedy  performed by Dream Theater
Recommended by Darke Soul [profile]

This is my favorite song of all time. I think it epitomizes Dream Theater's amazing style and musical prowess. If you listen to this song and it doesn't move you, then you may want to check your pulse because you might be dead.

from Metropolis 2: Scenes From A Memory, available on CD


Burden  performed by Opeth
Recommended by Darke Soul [profile]

This is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Opeth's music is powerfully passionate and it shows strongly in this song. Sounds like the kind of song that would be at the ending credits of a sad movie.

from Watershed, available on CD


Biosfear  performed by Circus Maximus
Recommended by Darke Soul [profile]

If you like progressive instrumentals, I urge you to give this song a listen. One of the best, most intense and melodically well-crafted instrumentals I've ever heard. Off their first album, "The 1st Chapter".

from The 1st Chapter, available on CD


Intension  performed by Tool
Recommended by comabytes [profile]

Incredible, powerful, ambient. Late Tool Style

from 10,000 Days


Art is Hard  performed by Cursive
Recommended by DearPrudence [profile]

Great use of the Cello and Tim Kasher doing what he knows best : writing a classy emo song that wont ever end up on Hot Topic.
It's a great song and a powerful one. Probably the best Cursive has ever made.




I Belong To You - Mon CÅ�ur S’ouvre Ã� Ta Voix  performed by Muse
Recommended by wonderlandfalling [profile]

It's an interesting and refreshing track from their latest album; very upbeat and powerful with its array of instrumentation, (piano, oboe, especially)
The lyrics are those of one professing their undying love for another. The band manages to keep up their tradition with providing something new to the table by adding a verse from a popular French opera as well as an oboe solo instead of the usual generic guitar.
It's a great listen :)

from The Resistance


intervention  performed by arcade fire
Recommended by greeniebean14 [profile]

the organ is very powerful and ominous in a good way




See You Soon  performed by Coldplay
Recommended by tartpops [profile]

Definitely one of my favorites by Coldplay. Very calming and emotionally powerful- about love, in general.




Exit Music (For a Film)  performed by Radiohead
Recommended by tartpops [profile]

A powerful, solemn acoustic song by Radiohead. Certainly one of their more somber songs.

from OK Computer


Time Lapse  performed by The Michael Nyman Band
Recommended by Churchill [profile]

A powerful and emotive piece from minimalist composer Michael Nyman. Simply put together, the music drives along developing the same 8-bar phrase until its climax. Really beautiful.
From the film 'A zed & two noughts', but this is almost the kind of track I can imagine suiting any scene of any film!




Willow Tree  performed by Thomas J Speight
Recommended by daniela_por [profile]

This happy love song was produced by Tim Rice-Oxley and Jesse Quinn, two members of Keane. It's really nice. Speight's voice is not powerful, but it's sweet and very well used in this song.

from Willow Tree


Fragil  performed by Jorge Palma
Recommended by daniela_por [profile]

Simple but powerful song. One of the best portuguese songs ever. The only instrument is a piano.




Sail  performed by Awolnation
Recommended by lcampy [profile]

Electronic rock - even if you're not a fan of the genre, I recommend it. I don't tend to listen to electronic rock but this song has a good beat and the vocals have an unusual but interesting quality.




Mother I’m Alive  performed by Hot As Sun
Recommended by lcampy [profile]

Powerful song by relatively unknown band. Empowering. The kind-of song you want to listen to if you're in need of a reminder that things will get better.




Requiem Mass  performed by Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart  1791
Recommended by kaptnunderpnts [profile]

this music is absolutely haunting. it is powerful and heavy, yet has moments of absolute finesse.




Laura  performed by Julie London  1955
Recommended by delicado [profile]

'Laura' has long been my favorite standard. The tune is elegant and haunting, and completely devoid of some of the schmaltzy feel that plagues many popular standards.

Written as an instrumental for the 1944 film of the same name, this was composed as a piano-based number, and so Julie's version is perhaps not the most orthodox recording. However, it's incredibly powerful and atmospheric, and I *think* it's my favorite version.

The entire track lasts just 1 minute and 40 seconds. The first verse is sung as a solo voice without any accompaniment other than the spooky reverberation effect. When the music does come in, it's provided by a small jazz trio led by Barney Kessel. Kessel's delicate jazz chords and picking complement Julie's voice beautifully.

from Julie is her name, available on CD (Liberty)



Exodus  performed by Tielman Brothers  1965
Recommended by eleki-san [profile]

Vocal version of the classic 'Exodus' Theme. Reverberated deep 60s stereophonic sound, Andy Tielman's voice, the powerful background choir and the reverberated guitars make this version a true masterpiece.
(there's an incredible story on the listener reviews at Amazon about this band)




Stop  performed by Julie Grant  1965
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

A powerful, emotional, sophisticated song, the kind that Brit-girl Julie does the best. Without resorting to mawkish affectation, the sheer hush and force of her voice can make tears well up. This was her final single for the Pye label, and a fitting tribute to one of the most consistantly good careers of all the 60's UK female singers.

from the single Stop (Pye 7N.15884)
available on CD - Count On Me! (RPM)



The Witch  performed by The Sonics  1965
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

"The Witch" was the Sonics' debut single, released on Etiquette, the Tacoma, WA-based label owned and operated by local hero Buck Ormsby, member of garage rock pioneers the Wailers, who are known for unearthing the obscure R&B song "Louie, Louie." Reworking the tunes of Little Richard and Bo Diddley, the Sonics worked the local teen-hop circuit as a rock & roll cover band until eventually coming up with some original material with "The Witch" and what would become the flip side to the single, "Psycho." After revamping the lineup, taking on various members of the Searchers, Gerry Roslie commandeered the vocal duties with a bracing blues shouter style that would become the group's trademark. "The Witch," roughly recorded in mono, is a brooding rocker based around a revved-up blues progression with quivering guitar and a basic sax line holding down a simple riff, drums kicking away in the background. Roslie belts his cautionary tale, sagely advising all to steer clear of "evil chicks," with vocal-chord-shredding wails: "So you know the little girl/Who's new in town/Well you better watch out now/Or she'll put you down/'Cause she's an evil chick/Say, she's the witch, oww!" The band barrels on, lacking any semblance of finesse, stomping into a tempo shift and doubling the speed as Roslie howls, "Well she walks around/Late at night/Most other people sleepin' tight/If you hear her knockin' on your door/You better say get away/Wha whoo!" Guitarist Andy Parypa lets loose a note-stumbling guitar solo in a style similar to Dave Davies of the the Kinks. "The Witch" would become a regional hit, receiving extensive airplay on the powerful Seattle AM station KJR, but the Sonics would never break nationally, most of the country not yet ready for the extremely aggressive attach of the group's rough-and-tumble music.
(AMG)

from Here Are the Sonics (Norton 000903)
available on CD - Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 (Rhino)



  blackthorne80: I like this!
Dressed In Black  performed by The Shangri-Las  1966
Recommended by m.ace [profile]

"Dressed in black, he walks alone, a shadow in the night." The Shangri-Las death trip reached a powerful climax in this eerie song of loss and lingering. Funereal piano chords balanced by surging choruses and a closing spoken section that leaves you as weak as the sadly wounded narrator. If this one doesn't get to you, you ain't got a heart.

from the single Dressed In Black (Red Bird)
available on CD - The Best Of The Shangri-Las (Mercury)



You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me  performed by Dusty Springfield  1966
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

One of Dusty's best tracks ever. There isn't much that she isn't willing to endure just to hold on to the one she loves. Dusty's perfect voice is wonderfully supported by great orchestration and powerful backing chorus that bring out the emotions and make this one of the most outstanding performances of the twentieth century!

from You Don't Have To Say You Love Me (Philips PHS 600 210)
available on CD - the Dusty Springfield Anthology (Box Set) (Mercury 314 553 501)


Alfie  performed by Cilla Black  1966
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

My personal favorite version of this song. Cilla Black has a very rich and powerful voice that is just right! She sings it with much more feeling than Dionne Warwick's more popular version a year later. Burt Bacharach originally wanted to use this recording on the soundtrack to the film 'Alfie', but Ms. Black declined.

from Capital Single #5674 (Capital 5674)
available on CD - the Look Of Love: the Burt Bacharach Collection (Box Set) (Rhino R2 75339)



  Mister C: Cilla's version of this knocks spots off anyone elses, especially as Burt Bacharach conducted the orchestra at the recording session, he made Cilla do 19 takes of this, before George Martin chose take 4! Dionnes version suited the USA market more.
  Flippet: I agree with all of the sentiments above. Fans of Ms Warwicke are generally scathing of Cilla's Bacharach/David recordings - but I have to say that I find Cilla's interpretations generally have lusher backings and definitely have more heart. The 2 artistes voices are in fact very similar. But for me - Cilla's recordings of "Alfie" and "Anyone Who Had A Heart" are the definitive!!
I Put A Spell On You  performed by Alan Price  1966
Recommended by Swinging London [profile]

Alan Price left The Animals in 1965 and began his career as as the lead singer of The Alan Price Set in 1966.

Their first single was a flop. This, their second, made the Top Ten, in England.

It's my personal favourite rendition of this much covered, Screamin' Jay Hawkins song. The most famous version is probably by Nina Simone, which I also rate very highly.

Alan's version is tremendously powerful, helped by his skilful, echoey use of the Hammond Organ.

Price never 'made it' in the USA as a solo performer. He was terrified of flying, so the necessary promotion of his work, stateside, suffered. He also gave this as his reason for leaving the Animals, who needed to spend a lot of time in the USA, as they had a huge following there.

He's one of my favourite British artists, solo & otherwise, of the '60's & I think this is my favourite of his songs.

from The Price To Play (Repetoire)
available on CD - yes



Surfs Up  performed by The Beach Boys  1966
Recommended by Ganesha [profile]

Possibly the most beautiful and complex pop song ever written. This is the apex of Brians foray into modular music. Loved by Bernstein and McCartney. This song will take you years to sink in. Perfect. I have heard some amazing versions he has done of this equally as powerful.

from Surfs Up


Pandora’s Golden Heebie Jeebies  performed by The Association  1967
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This track sounds better to me every time I hear it. Ironically, I had a copy of The Association's Renaissance LP for years, but for some odd reason didn't get as far as listening to this song until recently.

It's a very accessible but powerful late 60s pop song with a psychedelic edge. It can't have taken long to write, but the production is excellent, with a nice effect on the vocals, and a wonderful use of early 70s Beach Boys-style swelling vocal harmonies over the vocal phrase 'and all that's left for me to do...is cry'.

Musically, it's an upbeat track with a slightly claustrophobic arrangement. But it's cool - that's all part of the effect! As well as drums, vocals and upbeat guitars, they employ the koto, which adds an unusual edge to the sound.

from Renaissance, available on CD (Valiant)




  konsu: Again, one of the most underrated of US pop bands. Confined to "Oldies" FM radio forever, except for the occasional DJ who is tempted by the album "filler" which is where their real gems lie. This album is almost never mentioned, even though this tune charted in the top 40. And it being overshadowed by their more popular Curt Boettcher produced LP "And Along Comes...". A great tune, and a record that deserves more attention indeed!
Si Manda  performed by Jorge Ben  1967
Recommended by DJ Markinho [profile]

This song is on one of Jorge Bens best records: O Bidu (Silencio No Brooklin) from 1967. This Brooklin is a district in the city of São Paulo, not New Yorks neighbourhood. In this period of his career Jorge Ben had moved from Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo. He was the first to use the electric guitar in samba. His previous records were all recorded with a acoustic guitar and had a more classical Bossa Nova and Samba sound. "Si manda" is a great up-tempo Samba Rock track with a powerful beat and electric rhythm guitar. This record and this song in particluar must have had a big influence on the Tropicalia movement and a band like Os Mutantes.

from O Bidu (Silencio No Brooklin)


Deep Down  performed by Christy  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I'm surprised to find I haven't recommended this song before. An enchanting piece of futuristic pop written by Ennio Morricone, this great tune was part of the score for the wonderfully stylish Mario Bava movie 'Danger: Diabolik'. Christy, who also sung on some Piero Piccioni scores, was (is?) a heartfelt 'belter', and here she sings the italian lyrics, which are peppered with English phrases, especially passionately. There is a cool echoey effect on her voice, giving the whole affair an other-worldly, underwater feel. Musically, it's a very catchy psych-pop track, with a twangy, rocky guitar. It's quite short, but extremely powerful.

from the single Deep Down
available on CD - Canto Morricone Vol. 1 (Bear Family)




  leonthedog: This "Canto Morricone" volume sent me on a frantic chase for so many things; most rewarding was the "Danger: Diabolik" soundtrack. (The movie is a hoot and quite a bargain, too.) Mina... Spaak... Miranda Martino... Rita Monico... and what about Ken Colman? "Trio Junior"??? This CD will infect you, so you'd better just go get it!
  delicado: I realize it has been almost 10 years since I wrote this - but just to throw it out there - this track really is absolutely amazing!
Darlin  performed by Paper Dolls  1968
Recommended by Ashley [profile]

Brian Wilson given the full-on 60s Brit-Girl treatment. It has wonderfully uplifting brass and some powerful vocals. The Paper Dolls had a couple of decent soulful easy hits in the UK in 1968. The CD is well worth checking out.

from Paper Dolls House, available on CD


Splash (sung by Peter Bloom)  performed by Ennio Morricone  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This bizarre Morricone pop tune sounds as if it came from a parallel universe. With an instrumental mix of guitar, harpsichord, bass and drums, it achieves the same kind of spooky, melancholic atmosphere as 'Deep Down', another Morricone film song from the same year. But in contrast to Christy's passionate vocal in 'Deep Down', Peter Bloom's delivery is light-hearted and much more low-key. Both tracks feature classic Morricone wordless vocal effects and some truly ridiculous lyrics. I haven't seen Partner, but I'd be interested to see how this song fits in to the story:

"I want to be your dazzling white knight
I'll splash you sizzling cool with bright light

I'll kiss your cleanliness
...Your soft, silkiness
Oh what happiness:
It's biological...

SPLASH
DASH
FLASH"

Ridiculous words, but the arrangement makes the track genuinely powerful. Shame Ennio didn't bring this one out for the crowd at the Royal Albert Hall last year.

from Partner OST (Cam)
available on CD - Morricone a Go-Go




  bobbyspacetroup: I love this song! I haven't seen Partner either but have heard it's pretty awful.
  eftimihn: It's absolutely superb, that harpsicord sound is especially lovely and the lyrics are really weird throughout with Peter singing something with "my super-duper-baby/ we're goin' whoops-a-daisy" in the bridge part of the song...
  megaphonerecords: i can't beleive it!!!!!!!! i first heard this song while i was living in australia. it shot right into my being & resonated hard. since i've been back in the states i've been trying to find this song with no luck. it's been 5 years now & this is the first time i've seen a sign that this song really exists & wasn't just a magical dream i had. maybe i'll be fortunate enough to actually hear this song again before i die!
  dominb: I saw "Partner" at a revival at a cinema in Madrid and although Morricone does the whole s/track this song is the only pop number so it really stands out,the scene which accompanies it features the main character played by Pierre Clementi romping with his girlfriend in soap suds pouring out of a washing machine,he then jams her head in the washer's door and kills her!...Partner is a pretty pretentious film but it's odd enough to be enjoyable.When I saw it,this song was the high point for me,even though it only lasts a few mins....Where did you get this from?
  dominb: ah..."morricone a go go"...I'll look out for it,must be a million morricone compilations,finding new morricone music is a hobby of mine!
  delicado: To see the film clip with the music (dominb\'s description above is pretty accurate), visit http://youtu.be/ftueIAmdwBw
Run To The Sun  performed by The Owl  1968
Recommended by Swinging London [profile]

This is an absolutely tremendous track.

Very much of its era and an absolute flop, saleswise.

This was, I believe, the only single released by the group,The Owl.
The 'B' side, 'Shades Of Blue & Green Waterfly' is equally as majestic.

Tremendous full orchestra. Very, very powerful vocals by J. Vincent Edwards. Strong melody.

I personally think it's right up there with' Whiter Shade Of Pale' as a classic late '60's, British single, in terms of power and performance.

Beautifully produced and arranged.

Edwards has the kind of voice that was very popular in Britain circa 1968, (sounds just like the lead singer from Plastic Penny).

This should have been massive.

from Pierre's Plastic Dream
available on CD - yes (Market Square)



The Riviera Affair  performed by Neil Richardson  1969
Recommended by nighteye [profile]

Amazing song from the 1960's blending powerful luscious strings with a fast paced catchy melody. One might think that you have landed in the middle of a international crime affair in the French Riviera. Would work amazingly good as a theme-song for a TV-series (maybe it has been used that way already?)


available on CD - The Sound Gallery (Scamp)



roses in the snow  performed by Nico  1969
Recommended by belphegor [profile]

wow, i mean: wow... i've been an avid nico lover for years, having acquired a deep appreciation of her via some claimed proto-goth associations. obscure subcultural praise and all that velvet underground hoop-la aside, her amazing "desertshore" was proof enough that nico was and is a uniquely powerful force in life and art. but this "roses in the snow" diddy just floored me on a first listen. the revolving, minimalist tune of her harmonium must be the loneliest, most disillusioned harmony ever played since "gloomy sunday," and the cryptically profound words the closest thing rock'n'roll ever got to the "book of job." what does this piece really mean to say? not sure really: but somehow, i think it might be something like re-reading a long-departed lover's suicide note on a warm, languid autumn day...

from the marble index, available on CD


Aquarius  performed by Cilla Black  1969
Recommended by Mister C [profile]

This is a great version of the song from 'Hair', when I first bought the Cilla album from which this came, this for me was intially the stand-out track. Its a very powerful version and Cilla really does justice to it.

from Surround Yourself With Cilla (Parlophone)
available on CD - The Essential Cilla Black 1963-78 (EMI)


Coração de pedra  performed by Os Jovens  196?
Recommended by DJ Markinho [profile]

Os Jovens were a duo from Rio de Janeiro in the mid 60s. "Coração de pedra" (heart of stone) is an powerful sixties garage track. With an over-the-top organ sound, fuzz guitar and a tight beat, this song shows that Brazilian musical history has a lot more to offer then Samba, Bossa Nova and MPB. The Jovem Guarda scene, which was concentrated in Rio and São Paulo, hosted some great musicians like Roberto Carlos, Erasmo Carlos, Wanderlea, The Beat Boys and Brazilian Bitles.




I Don�t Know How To Love Him  performed by Shirley Bassey  1971
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Thanks to robert[o] for bringing this song to my mind. This is my favorite of all of Shirley Bassey's recordings. Her powerful voice is perfectly suited for this deeply emotional track from the hit musical "Jesus Christ Superstar". Backed by lush orchestrations, Shirley hits the notes perfectly and her fabulous vibrato captures the feelings of the song.

from And I Love You So (United Artists UAS 5643)


Sagittarius Black  performed by Timothy McNealy  1972
Recommended by mr_klenster [profile]

This song has been getting a lot of well-deserved attention lately as a re-issue. This is a pants-wetting monster, with a tough, stunning, and powerful sound that really defies description. It's richly soulful funk, slow, psychedelic, pensive, viscous, and extremely affecting. A great variety of sounds in the instrumentation, rhodes, flute, baritone sax, sax, congas, bass, guitar, drums, with no single instrument dominating the track. All the instruments shine together however, in a very spare and sensible arrangement. We should all be thankful that this was found and once again given some proper spotlight.





King Heroin  performed by James Brown  1972
Recommended by mr_klenster [profile]

This song is stone-cold, ultra-serious, odd, and mesmerizing. It's James Brown recounting a strange, anecdotal poem about a dream, in which he experiences the personification of heroin delivering a sermon. He rhymes accompanied by a subdued and melancholy backing band, playing lingering horn drags, and slow, lazy bass and drums. This is not your typical James Brown material, but it has an powerfully surreal and painful effect.

from There It Is


The Magician’s Birthday  performed by Uriah Heep  1972
Recommended by Darke Soul [profile]

Title and final track from the awesome 1972 album. Very imaginative music. I think the song makes the biggest impact being heard after the rest of the album!

from The Magician's Birthday, available on CD


Satan  performed by Jon Lucien  1973
Recommended by pleasepleaseme [profile]

Another fine "Scat" vocal track & there are others on this powerful record. All songs are by Jon Lucien. Outstanding voice & lyrics plus strong arranging & conducing by Lucien and Dave Grusin. SoulJazz at its best!

from Rashida, available on CD


Keep Yourself Alive  performed by Queen  1973
Recommended by Ozmala [profile]

The first song on their first CD, and a great one it is. It's hard to listen to it without feeling happy and � energized. And not in a superficial way, either. It's just so happy, and so powerful, and SO HAPPY. Honestly *happy*, too, not just cheerful. It's wonderful.

from Queen (Hollywood Records)


The March of the Black Queen  performed by Queen  1974
Recommended by Ozmala [profile]

This is an amazing song. Even if you hate it, it's amazing. It sounds evil, and glorious, scary, and ecstatic, all so quickly and powerfully. I don't know how to describe how it sounds, other than a tad insane. And beautiful.

from Queen II (Hollywood Records)


Life on Mars  performed by Barbara Streisand  1974
Recommended by robert[o] [profile]

This is so wrong; it ends up being right somehow. On paper, this cover is a car wreck. Barbara takes on Bowie�s brilliant, epic ballad of camp surrealism � his homage to big, theatrical female belters like Judy Garland, Shirley Bassey and�Streisand, herself � and the song escapes her utterly. Her delivery sound like she learned the lyrics phonetically. (She might as well be singing in Cantonese.) And Jon Peters� production/Tom Scott�s arrangements bring to mind the cool, �L.A.-sound� of Joni Mitchell�s �Court and Spark� LP � minus all the clever bits Joni brought to the table. Yet it spite of all of these faults � this version works. The song is just too good, and Babs� charisma is just too powerful. It�s a [Space] oddity you�ve got to hear to believe.

from Butterfly (Columbia)


The Detectives  performed by Alan Tew  1974
Recommended by nighteye [profile]

Another "detective themed" song that sounds like the backside of the theme from 'The Streets of San Fransisco'. Heavy basses, powerful percussion, trumpets and a cool melody to top it off. Run before they catch you!


available on CD - The Sound Gallery (Scamp)




  n-jeff: This is a variation of one of the tracks off the "Hanged man" Soundtrack. There is also a third version I believe on a library record soemwhere. Anyway, its well worth tracking the Hanged Man down, its been re-issued by DC recordings and on bootleg (vinyl and cd). The original on contour can be expensive. I think moviegrooves have the re-issues.
  nighteye: You're right n-jeff there are a variation of it on the 'Hanged Man' soundtrack avaiable at Moviegroovies.co.uk. I also recognize the track 'Smokey Joe the Dreamer', not sure from where - but it might have been on one of the 'Dusty Fingers' compilations?
  n-jeff: Tew was one of many UK composers who also did shedloads of Library music, so it could have been anywhere, TV, Film, another LP.
For lots of information on the UK Lounge/ Library/ Collecting thing have a look around www.vinylvulture.co.uk.

  nighteye: There are a shitload of variations and other builds on the same theme on a De Wolfe compilation called "Alan Tew - Drama Suite Part 1". I think that's the library record you are thinking of n-jeff.
Icarus - Bourne on Wings of Steel  performed by Kansas  1975
Recommended by JimBarry [profile]

An over-the top introduction to Kansas. This was the song that hooked most Kansas fans.

It showcases the band members individual talents:
Dave Hope's excellent bass
Robbie Steinhart's violin and vocals
Rich William's guitar work, often harmonizing nicely with Robbie's violin
Steve Walsh on keyboards and vocals
Kerry Livgren's Lead guitar, and hopeful, powerful lyrics.

from Masque (Kirshner / Sony)
available on CD - Best of Kansas


Julie With...  performed by Brian Eno  1977
Recommended by bugbarbecue [profile]

Picture yourself in a boat on a river.

Actually, in this case it happens to be the middle of the ocean. Just drifting any direction. No land in sight, nothing else on the water, not even any clouds. No distractions. Just you, the boat, and the water.

Oh, and Julie -- she's there -- with her open blouse, gazing up into the empty sky.

What's so powerful about Eno's "Julie With..." (and this is perhaps representative of his entire career) is that he gives you an experience in perfect detail, as if reading a book.

Even if you discount the lyrics, which, although not exactly Shakespearian, are clear and unambiguous, there is no escaping the image that Eno is presenting.

Casting aside any overanalysis, what we're left with is an outstanding bit of relaxing, but emotionally evocative chillout music. Completely beatles, the instrumentation is typical Eno: pad synthesizers, minimoog and guitar with heavy chorus. Not something you'd throw on at an afterparty, but great for a sunset in solitude.

from Before And After Science, available on CD


Intermission Riff  performed by Bert Kaempfert  1978
Recommended by lenny [profile]

Wonderful (nearly) instrumental Big Band arrangement, short but with a dynamic plot with gently humming singers and powerful horns. In my opinion a great and swinging piece of art, it makes me think of the gone era of great gala shows.

from Vol 4.: Swing



Insight  performed by Joy Division  1979
Recommended by Genza [profile]

Prior to Ian Curtis' death and the infamous but less interesting second album Closer, Joy Division released a whole bunch of fantastic songs. Atmosphere, She's Lost Control and Transmission (recently superbly covered by US minimalists Low) are all rightly loved - but the fragile wonder of Insight is almost always forgotten.

The song starts with sound of a lift going down - and the overall feel is lonely, desolate and claustrophobic. Insight stirs the soul and breaks your heart my friend. Mighty powerful stuff.

from Unknown Pleasures (Factory)




  delicado: It's an incredibly intense and affecting track, one of my favorites, alongside 'disorder' and 'decades'. And 'no love lost', obviously.
High Hopes  performed by Pink Floyd  1982
Recommended by Vagina Man [profile]

Pink Floyd is very well established so I won't go into how amazing they are, but what I will do is tell you that all the songs you hear on the radio don't compare to this one. Okay I might have jumped the gun, but all this song takes is one time and bang you will find yourself singing it for days. I would just sit have a drink and put this song on repeat. It sooths the soul and quenches the mind. It is so relaxing that I farted while listen to it. In all honesty the first time I heard it it gave me goos bumps it was that powerful. So if you like Floyd and don't know this song, go get it.

from Division Bells



  Mike: One of the things I am always concerned about when deciding what music to listen to is how much it will tend to make me fart (and then of course there is the issue of the precise type of fart which will tend to result).
  Mike: Oh, and it's from The Division Bell, released in 1994. I just sold my copy...made me fart too much
Standing In The Rain  performed by Hambi and the Dance  1982
Recommended by john_l [profile]

This is the final track off their 1982 LP "Heartache", which is the Most Underrated LP Of All Time, and one of the three or four best of the 1980s!! The song actually sounds quite a bit like David Bowie's "Let's Dance" (which it preceded by about 18 months, in case anybody wants to raise plagiarism issues), only serious instead of stupid.
It's one of the more subdued tracks on the LP, which I would characterize as being most like the livelier end of Simple Minds (say "Sparkle In The Rain" or "Once Upon A Time"-era), but with a powerful lead singer who is probably closest to Jay Black of '60s hitmakers Jay and the Americans, or maybe Gary Puckett of the Union Gap (I am not knocking Jim Kerr's vocals by the way).

The full track listing for this wonderful LP: Time After Time, Living In A Heartache, Madelaine, L'Image Craquee, Spirits; The World, Dancing Inside You, Major Major, Too Late To Fly The Flag, Standing In The Rain. Produced by Mick Glossop.

from Heartache (Virgin)


Pale Shelter  performed by Paul Young  1983
Recommended by geezer [profile]

Another hidden gem ,unreleased and gathering dust untill the age of "Deluxe Editions".A well known song from Tears for Fears covered by the then "hot"Paul Young within a matter of weeks of the original release.Stripped down to acoustic guitar and demo piano and some blokey backing vocals ,Youngs powerful voice cuts through the originals somewhat fey vocal style and reveals the songs muscle and sinew and another example of a song from a supposed synthetic era being as good as their organic rivals.

from No Parlez(expanded), available on CD


Back Door  performed by Clan of Xymox  1986
Recommended by john_l [profile]

This is surely one of the most powerful, windswept songs ever, relying on the synths (and the lyrics) to create a strong aura of desolation. The verses have minimal backing but it all comes pouring in when the choruses arrive. Not too far off "Black Celebration" era Depeche Mode, which is by far my favourite LP by that band ...

from Medusa, available on CD




  kohl: !! great song.
Swamp Thing  performed by Chameleons  1986
Recommended by lil_ze [profile]

Johnny Marr once said that he wanted to write a song with an unforgettable guitar intro, like Eric Clapton's "Layla". He was, at the time, talking about the penning of the Smiths' "How Soon is Now?" The Chameleons' "Swamp Thing" does everything still that "How Soon is Now?" did for me when I was 16. Difference is, I haven't popped in a Smiths mixtape since I was 20.

There's somthing very romantic about this song. I've never really paid too much attention to the lyrics of this particular Chameleons track, although Mark Burgess' oddly peotic songwriting skills on other tracks have haunted my mind years after I had heard them. This tune is led and driven by the chord structure more than just the delayed, jangly guitar, or the powerfully precise drumming. Midway into the tune, the song goes from minor chord structure to major chord structure, even though the lyrics remain as bleak as a Manchester weather report.

Whenever I hear this song, one word always pops into my head, "pretty". That's what this song is. Pretty.

from Strange Times, available on CD



  kohl: yes. excellent.
Where did you all go  performed by Thirteen moons  1987
Recommended by moondog [profile]

One of these songs that i never tire of, that sounds as fresh and moving as the first day i heard it twenty years ago. Thirteen moons were like no other swedish band i have heard before or after.A haunting melancholy sound that in lesser musical hands would have sounded unbearably pretencious. If scott walker were to sing the swedish books of psalms in a folkjazz setting you are close but nah. This track though is instrumental and have one of the most powerful stringarrangemnts i have ever encountered.

from Origins (Wire)
available on CD - origins/little dreaming boy


Ripple  performed by The Church  1990
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

The lead single from one of the Church's all time highs, the dark, powerful Priest Aura, "Ripple" was much like the album it came from - lengthy, with an emphasis on artistic impact rather than radio-friendly ease, charged with a feeling of impending, unnerving threat. The initial guitar chime and Steve Kilbey's singing may provide a familiar feeling for long-time listeners, but the edge of spite and conflict in the words carries through in the performance - Kilbey's not so much blending into the mix as suddenly slicing through it. The full arrangement almost has a touch of film noir threat to it, but not as much as the amazing chorus. Starting with a soft, almost sighed overdubbed vocal part like a mysterious signal, it literally does ripple up in the mix, sneaking up on the listener instead of turning into any kind of a singalong. It's the same approach as with "Under the Milky Way," but the air here is less elegant melancholia and more unsettling electric charge, extra guitar feedback carving arcs through the arrangement, instrumental breaks providing only short, temporary relief.
(AMG)

from Priest=Aura, available on CD


Albatross  performed by Slowdive  1991
Recommended by Genza [profile]

Hell, I could have picked almost anything from the back catalogue of this band. Albatross is the stand-out track of an outstanding 4 track EP (entitled Holding our Breath) from early ’90s shoegazers Slowdive. Bemoaned, decried and hated by Britain’s Britpop-loving press, Slowdive’s beautiful multi-layered sound has latterly found a kindred spirit in much lauded post-rockers Sigur Ros. So maybe they were right after all…

Back to Reading – and there is no stronger example of the Thames Valley sound than Albatross. Layer upon layer of minor chords – almost symphonic in their beauty – Albatross swells to a powerful crescendo of highly processed guitars. Non-believers should check out double A-sides Catch the Breeze and Shine. The fourth track on the rather grand EP is a cover of Syd Barrett's (former lead singer of Pink Floyd) Golden Hair. Utterly remarkable.

from Holding our Breath EP (Creation CRE 112)



Creep  performed by Stone Temple Pilots  1992
Recommended by falicon [profile]

Reminds me of my college days where I first heard of STP while watching MTV at about 4am instead of sleeping or studing...the video I saw was actually for Sex Type Thing, but after getting the CD, I found Creep to be one of my favorite. I actually like most of the items on this CD however. This song's got a pretty mellow sound to it, with a very strong and powerful set of lyrics that blend quite nicely.

from CORE, available on CD


In my dreams  performed by The Earls of Suave  1994
Recommended by delicado [profile]

An indescribably brilliant 50s-style rock'n'roll ballad, with vocals by the inimitable Marquis de suave. The musical setting is breathtakingly authentic, and the emotions are raw and powerful, as the vocals screech 'in my dreams...../I dreamed you didn't want me...' It's extremely hammed up and over the top, but quite wonderful all the same. Most of this band went on to form the excellent Flaming Stars.

from the single In my dreams (Vinyl Japan)




  phil: I was just searching for the earls of suave on the internet, and google returned this entry - and I just had to agree with mr Delicado here. A truly stupendous piece of work that everyone involved should be very proud of - sounds like it was recorded on 10 pints and is all the better for it. I've done a bit of research into this, and as far as I can tell, the Marquis de Suave now works in advertising.
  headcoat: this song appears in the punk film "Shooting at the Moon" watchable here: http://cuntyscoundrel.com/films.html
Surrender to Me  performed by Boston  1994
Recommended by CinnaBeatle [profile]

This is a hard rock power ballad, close to heavy metal at points, from Boston's fourth album. It's extremely overlooked, especially since it compares with some of their biggest hits.

from Walk On


Not A Pretty Girl  performed by Ani Difranco  1995
Recommended by hopefully86 [profile]

I notice a few of her songs are on here, appropriately, because she is an amazing singer/songwriter/musician. Her lyrics are quirky and edgy, but also catchy. "Not a Pretty Girl" is basically saying 'hey, i don't need to be rescued, so get lost little boy".


available on CD - Not a Pretty Girl


The Way of the World  performed by Justin Hayward  1996
Recommended by elfslut [profile]

As a huge Moody Blues fan, I'm always excited to hear a new track by the frontman, Justin Hayward. This track from his 96 solo album is one worth listening to.

Somewhere between 91 and 96, Justin learned to handle his guitar like George Harrison. You'll notice this if you listen to the Moody Blues' 99 offering Strange Times, but that's not the point. On this particular song, you get the Harrison-like guitar-riff along with the haunting vocals that Hayward is famous for. Combined the two are a powerful mix. This song and all the others on the CD are worth taking a listen too.


available on CD - The View From the Hill


O Verona (Reprise)  performed by unknown  1996
Recommended by cryofthecelt [profile]

After the prologue of Baz Luhrmann's controversial, modern retelling of William Shakespeare's tragedy "Romeo and Juliet," the audience is blasted away by a hoard of harmonious voices chanting a loud, haunting song to the beat of an angry drum. This song, in which a narrator begins "Two households, both alike in dignity...", is called "O Verona," the song which Baz Luhrmann himself calls "an almighty orchestral chord." Its sister song, "O Verona (Reprise)" is uninterrupted by the narrator, and the listener is able to appreciate its musical quality in a fuller fashion. Personally, I couldn't decide whether to recommend "O Verona" or "O Verona (Reprise)" to you. They are both extraordinary recordings on what is, I believe, one of the greatest musical scores to a motion picture ever produced.

from William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet Volume 2, available on CD


Declaration of Love  performed by Celine Dion  1996
Recommended by ajhorse21 [profile]

Fantastic vocals, as usual for Celine Dion. Powerful, with almost a gospel feel.


available on CD - Falling Into You


King of the Carrot Flowers Prt. 1,2 & 3.  performed by Neutral Milk Hotel  1997
Recommended by two-headed boy [profile]

A perfect segue into a perfect album, King of the Carrot Flowers is a masterpiece. This is the way songs should be written, performed, and produced. Jeff Mangum strums the catchiest 3 chords on his acoustic guitar while his piercing vocals spill lyrics of psychedelic sophistication. I can still remember the first time I heard him sing the lyric - 'and your mom would drink until she was no longer speaking, and dad would dream of all the different ways to die, each one a little more than he would dare to try' - in a rising climax. The energy and power is then sustained into a C drone from an organ, followed by an amped acoustic guitar being plucked clumsily. And like a street preacher we again hear Jeff, he belts 'I love you Jesus Christ' while the rest of the band hit fuzzed-out power chords F and C until a storm swells with cymbals, horn, bass, guitar, Jeff's voice and another rising movement to yet another climax. Propelled by an electric frequency that chops like a helicopter blade inches over-head we are lead into Part 3, often referred to as 'Up and Over'. This last part explodes into fuzz rock in all it's garage-roots glory with lyrics like - 'I will shout until they know what I mean, I mean the marriage of a dead dog sing, in a synthetic flying machine'. As the fuzz is sustained heavily the song ends with 1 last climax; the one-note piano brings us to a close.

King of the Carrot Flowers Part 1 introduces the theme of 'loss of innocence'. The narrator, addressing his lover nostalgically, compares the emotional deterioration of the older parents with the emotional and sexual discovery of their youth - 'your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder, and dad would throw the garbage all across the floor, as we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for.' This motive returns later in the album, as does his 'Jesus Christ' theme. Jeff Mangum alerts the listener in his lyric sheet that he believes what he sings, and that this 'Christ' theme is but the spiritual light he finds within everything. The album further treats themes like the Holocaust, death of loved ones, visions of ghosts, and all the horrors of man with this light. It is a beautiful and terrifying experience unlike any rock record to date. Personally, my favorite song of all time.

from In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (Elephant 6)


River Deep Mountain High  performed by Celine Dion  1997
Recommended by ajhorse21 [profile]

Powerful vocals... the verses have a strange and different tune- they sound almost like Celine's making it up as she goes along, but in a good way. Even if this isn't her most heartfelt song, it is very good and fun to listen to.


available on CD - VH1 Divas Live



  delicado: Celine Dion recommendations are like buses - you wait 5 years and then two come along at once!
  n-jeff: You should listen to the Ike and Tina Turner version, produced by Mr Spector P himself.
Mighty doesn't do it justice: it sounds like it's sung from the top of a mountain with the forcefulness to carry it clean across the ocean.

  konsu: I'm a digger of Harry Nilsson's version myself... But I agree with n-jeff, the Ike & Tina version is definative. I haven't heard the Celine version, but I imagine it being housed-up... ick.
  n-jeff: Harry Nilsson, eh? Interesting choice of cover for him, being something of a non-bombast type. I'll have to find that. Thanks konsu!
  konsu: Well... I wouldn't call his version bombastic, but it picks up nicely on the energy of the original without leaving it in their court. It appears on his debut "Pandemonium Shadow Show".I would have to say his earlier work just contains more verve in general. I would also recommend his "A Little Schmilsson in the Night" LP to any Celine fan. His range as a vocalist cannot be underestimated.
Sweetest Thing  performed by U2  1998
Recommended by falicon [profile]

Makes me think about love and how powerful it can be over you, plus the really annoying background music gets into your head and you just can't get it out until you start to think, "hey, I actually like this song"...even if you don't!

from U2 The best of 1980-1990, available on CD



Iris  performed by Goo Goo Dolls  1998
Recommended by Carrie [profile]

You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be,
And I don't want to go home right now..


This song always leaves me feeling emotionally shaken, but in a good way. The lyrics are really powerful.

The sound is amazing; the guitar sounds great.
One of the other instruments used is a mandolin.

Definately one of my favourite songs.

from Dizzy Up The Girl
available on CD - City of Angels Soundtrack



  CaitlinSpelledWrong: I always wondered exactly what was the instrument in that song that I loved. I thought maybe it was a violin but it must be a mandolin. It's so beautiful and it just adds to the beauty of the lyrics
My Weakness  performed by Moby  1999
Recommended by lionson76 [profile]

Instruments are piano and strings (I think). The music is hypnotic; it overwhelms me with a profound sadness yet simultaneously instills a sense of complete joy and satisfaction. The track is entirely too short, which justifies the execution of Moby for such an act of cruelty.

from Play, available on CD




  javaviolet: I love this song. Though I could never explain to anyone to what full extent. The music speaks volumes to me, and makes my heart just melt away.
Cold Water  performed by Tom Waits  1999
Recommended by StAgGeR [profile]

This is a great song to listen to on days when nothing seems to be going right. In my case: when driving my blind sister around in a delapidated taxi, with broken windows, and a gas meter on empty. The best line in my opinion is: "Blind or crippled, Sharp or dull. I'm reading the Bible by a 40 watt bulb. What price freedom. Dirt is my rug.
Well I sleep like a baby with the snakes and the bugs". I love this track! Keith Richards played lead guitar and sings backing vox on this one. Their voices/styles mesh together very well. It's one of the more bluesy tracks on the record, but it's done very well...not like a lame neo-white boy blues revival thing. It's actually believable...after all, IT'S TOM WAITS FOR CHRIST SAKE! I think this is one of the more powerful songs on the record. Well...maybe a toss-up between this one and "Chocolate Jesus"...or "Hold on"...or "Get Behind the Mule" (you can't beat the lyric: "Punctuated birds on the power line. In a Studebaker with the Birdie Joe Joaks. I'm diggin all the way to China with a silver spoon, while the hangman fumbles with the noose..."). Hell...it's just a damn good record.

from Mule Variations (Epitaph Records)
available on CD - yes (yes)


The River(live)  performed by Bruce Springsteen  2000
Recommended by giant [profile]

Ok, Ok, cut it out, we all know Bruce went ultra commercial and slightly "rock n roll artificial" there in the eighties but what the mainstream listener doesn't know, is that Springsteen has some very powerful songs tucked under his belt. Similar to the Beach Boys, Bruce is widely known on the weight of his biggest commercial succeses, ie. "Born in The USA", however he has written some incredibly moving songs, most of them acoustic on such albums as "Nebraska" and "The Ghost of Tom Joad." Here is Bruce in the vein of our great American folk singers like Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash(who has covered a Springsteen Song)in one of the most tender and haunting songs, sung live, Harmonica by bruce as well, and it is called "The River" This concert was also televised, and the tear I noticed in his eyes as he performed this lovely and sad song further shows how much he brings and to what depth he is able to express.

from live in New York City
available on CD - live in New York City



  phil: Hm - a very good friend of mine is really into Bruce Springsteen, and out of the respect I hold him in I have tried listening to the Boss' stuff. And I really began to like this one - I have a live version of this from Barcelona which is really very moving, in which Bruce talks about failing his medical for the Vietnam draft.

It always strikes me as - er - outdoor music, quite different from the hair-splitting, neurotic, urban stuff I usually listen to. Definitely worth a listen if you have previously sniffed at the springsteen but are willing to have another go - as giant says, it's real great american folk singer stuff.

Incidentally, while recording my band's last demo, the rest of the band described a solo I played as 'sounding like bruce springsteen'. A small chill ran down my spine.

The Lament Of Pretty Baby  performed by Cursive  2000
Recommended by malpt [profile]

This is a powerful and deep song. I love it. It moves me. Every time I listen to it, it moves me.

from Domestica, available on CD


Sleep  performed by Godspeed You! Black Emperor  2000
Recommended by mardikas [profile]

A long track (23 min) with orchestral sound. About the album: "Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven is unusual in being structurally and conceptually closer to a symphony than a conventional pop or rock album. The four tracks are composed of internal movements, with different sub-titles, that fade into each other. The whole album is instrumental, except for sampled voice inserts, and starts with an almost orchestral crescendo somewhat reminiscent of Ravel's Bolero." (http://en.wikipedia.org/) <- basically the same goes for the track.

I like it because of the dark and powerful feeling it conveys.

from Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven


The Drapery Falls  performed by Opeth  2000
Recommended by Metalvangelist76 [profile]

Lyrics:

Please remedy my confusion
And thrust me back to the day
The silence of your seclusion
Brings night into all you say

Pull me down again
And guide me into pain

I'm counting nocturnal hours
Drowned visions in haunted sleep
Faint flickering of your power
Leaks out to show what you keep

Pull me down again
And guide me into...

There is failure inside
This test I can't persist
Kept back by the enigma
No criteria demanded here

Deadly patterns made my wreath
Prosperous in your ways
Pale ghost in the corner
Pouring a caress on your shoulder

Puzzled by shrewd innocence
Runs a thick tide beneath
Ushered into inner graves
Nails bleeding from the struggle

It is the end for the weak at heart always the same
A lullaby for the ones who've lost all reeling inside
My gleaming eye in your necklace reflects stare of primal regrets
You turn your back and you walk away never again

Spiraling to the ground below
Like Autumn leaves left in the wake to fade away
Waking up to your sound again
And lapse into the ways of misery.

This song is the embodiment of Opeth's sound, and one of the most powerful to me from an emotional perspective in the entire catalog.

from Blackwater Park, available on CD


Shine  performed by Cyndi Lauper  2002
Recommended by BucketDog [profile]

Powerful and expressive, this title track from her latest EP shows that Cyndi's voice is stronger than ever. This 80s icon deserves recognition in this new era.

from Shine EP


Times Like These (Acoustic)  performed by Foo Fighters  2002
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

The original song is amazing, but the acoustic version is better. Dave Grohl's voice is put to a great use here. The song is stripped down, made quieter and more powerful in acoustic form. Very very beautiful.





Redemption Song  performed by Johnny Cash and Joe Strummer  2003
Recommended by Ganesha [profile]

Yes i think this is the most powerful version of the song, even better than Marley's. People go on about Hurt and with good cause, however i believe this is just as wonderful. Again he brings a different interpretation to the lyrics, given the past of both these men. I think you need to be older to capture this song, since we dont have Bob around i suggest you hear this.

from Unearthed (American Recordings)



  n-jeff: I used to close my pub DJ sets with this, perfect if you want to see big scary men cry. Someone cherry picked the boxed set for a vinyl bootleg "The devils right hand". Which naturally has this (first track side one IIRC) as well as a nice rheumy picture of JC on the cover. 3 dead men.
Portland, Oregon  performed by Loretta Lynn featuring Jack White  2004
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

Incredible. Loretta Lynn's incredible and powerful voice carries over the fuzzy distortion and wailing guitars in a song that is sexy, mysterious and gorgeous. Jack White once again proves his brilliance as a guitarist, while his vocals sound perfect when put up against Loretta's. An amazing duet.

from Van Lear Rose (Interscope)



The Angel’s Share  performed by Ted Leo & the Pharmacists  2004
Recommended by snoodlededoogans [profile]

relentlessly catchy powerful guitar-based stomping number. critical of the unelected regime in Washington USA without being didactic in ANY WAY! this is a 'get up, get moving' kinda song. very bouncy. impossible not to move when listening to it. i cannot get enough of this track... (album comes out October 2004)

from Shake the Sheets (Lookout Records)


Best of You  performed by Foo Fighters  2005
Recommended by CaitlinSpelledWrong [profile]

This has to be one of my top favorite Foo Fighters songs. I think that the band put a lot of emotion and energy into the song all together. It's a very powerful song that anyone can enjoy.

"Has someone taken your faith?
Its real, the pain you feel
The life, the love
You'd die to heal
The hope that start
The broken hearts
Your trust, you must
Confess"


available on CD - In Your Honor (RCA)


What Sarah Said  performed by Death Cab for Cutie  2005
Recommended by nospmohtetak [profile]

This song is a very sad revelation of what it means to truly love someone. Gibbard is telling a story of what it's like to be awaiting bad news in a hospital. The piano reflects the sad realization that at some point, the person you love will die, and if you're really going to be there for them, you have to watch them. The best lyric is "but I'm thinking of what Sarah said: 'love is watching someone die.'" It's a very well written, thought-provoking song.

from Plans (Atlantic Records)


dry drunk emperor  performed by TV on the Radio  2005
Recommended by stoneworks [profile]

This song makes me want to be a proud american. It's definitely the finest antiwar song I've ever heard. It perfectly sums up my feelings about the bush administration and it conjures up the revolutionary spirit that must have been swirling around before the birth of our country.
That being said, I'm not usually that drawn towards protest songs per se. But this one grabs my attention with its drumcorps-like rhythm and its chanted vocal delivery with many layered voices. The guitar work is incredibly moving dynamic and textural. The meandering flute soloing echoes the lyrical call to "grab your fife and drum!" and then carries the song off into the sunset.
Of course, the lyrics are the most mind-blowing element when you pick them apart. After two poetically scathing verses describing the idiocy of empire, the third verse imagines the unapologetic uprising of the people. I highly recommend downloading the lyrics and getting familiar on that level. Powerful song!!!!

from released as single (Interscope)


Your ex-lover is dead  performed by Stars  2005
Recommended by herby22 [profile]

This song just has a great sound and the real feeling that seems to be between the two singers is great. I love the lyrics and it is just really powerful.

from Set Yourself on Fire (Arts and Crafts)


Swallowed in the Sea  performed by Coldplay  2007
Recommended by lockhart_philitup [profile]

Sound is suttle in the beginning- (a mute organ is playing)and rises gradually. Voice is insanely calming.
The song has so much meaning and it just makes you think about what's out there and it'ss my fav song write now. It's kind of a love-song- but it makes me think more?

from X & Y
available on CD - X&Y


Lights In The Sky  performed by Nine Inch Nails  2008
Recommended by SamHall [profile]

You can't go wrong with NIN, and you certainly can't go wrong with NIN and a piano.

The soft piano element and Trent Reznor's voice make for a beautiful combination, underscoring a melancholy contemplation of self. The song, like much of the album, is a very reflective examination of Reznor in his older years. I think it's powerful stuff, especially when the song trails off into the rhythmless void of "Corona Radiata."

from The Slip, available on CD


Threshold Of Transformation  performed by Isis  2009
Recommended by SamHall [profile]

The 9:52 long track immediately blasts you off your feet with a ethereally heavy series of riffs and Aaron Turner's rough vocals. Keeping it interesting, the structure continues to evolve, and drifts downward into a more dreamy movement which stays dense and builds the tension for the following verses. About halfway in, the song reaches the first climax that (I think) embodies the "Threshold" in the song title. After which, it moves into a more contemplative section, smoothing out the turmoil and tension brought on by the first half, while building its own. Beautifully, it succeeds in building yet another crescendo, only to end in free fall, with guitar and bass fantastically accenting the mood. The bass in this song is truly something to behold, wavering and powerful in its tone.

What I like about this song reflects on why I like Isis' music in general: it's complex, atmospheric, emotional, intricate, and smart. It truly is "thinking man's metal." Isis is all about themes and atmospheres, emotions and vibes, rather than clear ideas and lyrics. It's visceral, raw, and transcendent. And in some ways, I think this song embodies everything that makes them great.

from Wavering Radiant, available on CD


Fever Dreams  performed by Circa Survive  2010
Recommended by Kalaier [profile]

latin influenced, amazing vocals, opening guitar line is fantastic, lyrics are beautifully written, This song is just really powerful!

from Blue Sky Noise, available on CD


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