Van Morisson - I'll Be You Love Too

I'll be your lover two appears on Van Morisson's album His Band and the Street Choir, released in 1970.  The song is minimalist ballad with barely any instrumentation but acoustic guitars and some brushed drumming. The songs true power is in Van's unique voice, delivered emotional and soulful as ever.  With nothing to hide behind Van Morrisson shows why he is revered as a vocalist throughout his career. Morrison unusual voice can be heard crystal clear on this song, when he sang in the upper area of his throat.  Recently he commented that he now sings from lower down [the diaphragm] to prevent damage to his vocal cords. This lyrics of the song suggests it should be on everyone's wedding list.  A powerful and perfect ballad as good as any.

"I'll be your man
I'll understand
Do my best to take good care a you
Yes I will

You'll be my queen
I'll be your king
And I'll be your lover, too
Yes, I will

Derry down green
Color of my dream
A dream that's daily coming true

I'll tell ya
When day is through
I will come to you
And tell you of your many charms

And you'll look at me
With eyes that see
And melt into each other's arms

And so I come
To be the one
Who's always standing next to you

Umm, reach out for me
So I can be alright
The one who's always reaching out for you
Yes I will, yes I will

You'll be my queen
I'll be your king
And I'll be your lover, too."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Pandora's Box

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's Pandora's Box was inspired by silent film actress Louise Brooks and is named after the 1928 film Pandora's Box which she starred in. The song was came off their 1991 album Sugar Tax. It was the second release off the album and hit #7 in the UK and was a mini dance hit in the US in it's remixed versions. OMD's direction never really shifted from the 80s, probably taking on more dance beats into synth pop sound.  Pandora's Box is an addictive slice of synthy dance pop with melodic and emotive singing from from Andy McCluskey. The music is typical OMD melodic keybaords, dark interspaced reverbed bass and programmed beats. The mood of the music of the early of the early 90s was dark, shoegazing, britpop and grunge were competing for space and finding their niche. Sugary synth pop had not place. This song may as well be forgotten, however good songs stand the test of time. OMD's music may sound dated to modern music fans however they have their place in influencing a host of electronic and dance musicians to come along in the 90s and 00s. Pandora's Box is one of the last of the many great tracks produced by them. It is certainly not remembered as much as Enola Gay, So In Love or Dreaming, but should be just as much as those songs.

Morrissey - Late Night, Maudlin Street

Morrissey's lyrical masterpiece Late Night, Maudlin Street off his first solo album Viva Hate is certainly one of this longer songs outside of Southpaw and The Teachers Are Afraid Of The Pupils off Southpaw Grammar. It runs at 7 minutes 30 plus seconds. It is a confusingly epic tale of self pity, adolescent love, family death and moving house.  The title is an amalgamation of a book of short stories by Bill Naughton called "Late Night on Watling Street" and the name of the school in Carry On Teacher, "Maudlin Street Secondary".  It does however present Morrissey at his lyrical best. 

"The last night on Maudlin Street
Goodbye house, goodbye stairs
I was born here
I was raised here, and
...I took some stick here"

Fans normally believe to be Morrissey is telling his life stories in his songs. This is partially debatable as he sometimes tells of stories he has imagined or conjured up from people around him, books and movies. Here he sings of leaving the depressing house where he grew up and also got some lashes.

"Love at first sight
It may sound trite
But it's true, you know
I could list the details
Of everything you ever wore
Or said, or how you stood that day
And as we spend the last night
On Maudlin Street, I say
"goodbye house-forever!"
I never stole a happy hour
Around here"

Here the narrator tells of possible infatuated love and and remembrance of the times spent at the house. He is saying goodbye to a home where no happiness was felt.

"Where the world's ugliest boy
Became what you see
Here I am - the ugliest man
Its the last night on Maudlin Street
And truly I do love you
Oh, truly I do love you"

He refers to himself becoming the world's ugliest man at this house on the metaphorical Maudlin Street. 

"When I sleep with that picture of
You framed beside my bed
Oh, it's childish and it's silly
But I think it's you in my room
By the bed (...yes, I told you it was silly...)"

This speaks of his teenage love and possible obsession.

"And I know
I took strange pills
But I never meant to hurt you
Oh, truly I love you
Came home late one night
Everyone had gone to bed
But, you know
No-one stays up for you
I had sixteen stitches
All around my head"

Morrissey in an interview indicated he tried ecstasy, now whether the story of the song relates to himself or someone else is unclear as many of his songs are. However the narrator here speaks of takings "strange pills" and  hurting someone they love. They return home late with everyone asleep one night and feeling the after effects of those "strange pills". 

"Oh, the last bus I missed to maudlin street
So he drove me home in the van
Complaining, "women only like me for my mind..."
Don’t leave your torch behind
A powercut ahead; 1972, you know"

The last bus was missed and "he" drove him home.  This "he" we assume is his love interest. The genius line Complaining, women only like me for my mind...", makes this narration fit but rather confusing. The "he" complains that "women only like him for his mind", which we may be led to believe is that this "he" is interested in women. The narrator can then be in love with someone who maybe a friend who does not return the love. If we now assume that the narrator is the one who is complaining, we are to assume that the narrator is interested in women and the "he" is just an anonymous third person.  Morrissey's true genius in constructing lyrics goes on further in this section of the song where he sings "Don't leave your torch behind, A powercut ahead; 1972, you know" . If we were to take "torch" in the sense of "holding a torch" where the love is unrequited. After the hearing the line "Complaining, women only like me for my mind" from "he", the narrator must be in love with this "he". The "torch" is felt at this point as the complaint brings on a metaphoric powercut. In using "1972,  you know" Morriseey tries to hide the true meaning of torch and powercut as in those times electricity supply was poor.

Late Night, Maudlin Street was written by Morrissey and Viva Hate producer Stephen Street. It is a slow multilayered number with typically odd Vini Reilly arrangements and guitar effects. The music behind this masterpiece is acoustic guitars, splashes of piano and odd drumming that can't be only described as lashing the drums. Morrissey voice is excellent as usual.  

The Housemartins - Flag Day

If you have heard this song before, didn't you get the feeling that it turns out differently from how it starts. The Housemartins were that group from the 1980s featuring Fatboy Slim  and Paul Heaton. They were a bunch who embraced vocal harmonies, crooning and witty lyrics. Their odd jazzy soul pop music is still refreshing to this day. They managed to put out 9 singles from their two albums. Flag Day off London 0 Hull 4,  was set in Thatcher's Britain and laments the plight of the comon man. It is a classic anthem you may occasionally get on the jukebox at british pubs all around the world. The soaring sing along chorus is too catchy to not singalong to. Two major versions of the song exists, one features jazzy soul pianos instead of guitars strums. The original album version which features guitars is linked below. Unfortunately they broke up after two albums. Paul Heaton went to form a similar sounding band in Beutiful South.

Sounds Like: The Smiths, Beautiful South, Orange Juice, Bronski Beat, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, The Syle Council, James

Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks

Two Weeks is one of the melodic indie masterpieces released in recent times. Two Weeks is featured on Grizzly Bear's album Veckatimist.Thankfully modern day singers have embraced the harmonizing techniques of singers of the 50s and 60s.  It is song which sucks you in and finds you wanting to listen to it over and over. The song features brilliant backing vocals from Victoria Legrand, singer and organist for Beach House. Laced with beautiful haunting vocal harmonies, falsettos and a thick slice of melodic perfection. A simple song with simple music, delicate arrangements and amazing vocals. In fact the instrument which truly shines on this song is the human voice.

Sounds Like: The Everly Brothers, Simon and Garfunkel, Pink Floyd, Deerhunter, Department of Eagles, Animal Collective, Beach House