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14 Mar 2024

George Michael - Freedom! '90

Song Rating: 3/5

Last Known Listen: Two days ago

Source: 60 Songs That Explain The 90's Podcast, The Breeze radio station at work.

Note: Went through a big phase with this George Michael and this song after it was on 60 Songs podcast earlier in the year. Inspired a playlist of tunes that groove on the 5/4/1 progression. Mean bass lines.

[likestrayvoltage]

10 Mar 2024

Billy Joel - Turn The Lights Back On

Song Rating: 4/5

Last Known Listen: Two weeks ago

Source: Spotify Playlist

Note: Had a nice dream that I asked my Dad if he had heard the new Billy Joel song and he had and liked it. Unfortunately most elements of this dream are not realistic. Lovely new song though.

[likestrayvoltage]

08 Mar 2024

Rhianna - Umbrella

Song Rating: 3/5

Last Known Listen: Yesterday

Source: Spotify Playlist

Note: I introduced this to George recently and he has quickly become a big fan, thus high-rotation, thus morning earworm.

[likestrayvoltage]

02 Mar 24

Bad English - When I See You Smile

Song Rating: 2/5

Last Known Listen: Unknown, could be decades ago

Source: Unknown

Note: I really am not all that familiar with this song - I don't recall it being a particular favourite when I was a kid or anything like that - it is just the chorus that played in my head. But oh what a chorus. They should have got Dan Huff to play the guitar solo.

[likestrayvoltage]

29 Feb 2024

Robbie Williams - Feel

Song Rating: 3/5

Last Known Listen: Unknown

Source: Unknown, but most likely The Breeze radio station at work.

Note: I love Robbie but this song always left me a little cold. I don't think the key change into the chorus clicks with me. There's also some clever cheeky lyrics in there but then you get to the slightly embarrassing "there's a hole in my soul, you can see it in my face, it's a real big place...".

[likestrayvoltage]

25 Feb 2024

Sheryl Crow - Strong Enough

Song Rating: 3/5

Last Known Listen: Unknown

Source: Unknown

Note: I dreamed of Boygenius, but woke up with this in my head. Kind of makes sense for some reason.

[likestrayvoltage]

18 Feb 2024

The Finn Brothers - Won't Give In

Song Rating: 5/5

Last Known Listen: Unknown

Source: Pure subconscious

Note: This song jumping in my head coincided with visiting my parents - the "once in a while I return to the fold" line always resonates with me in that context. For obvious reasons. A wonderful Kiwi album full of that rich Finn family goodness. Made for a nice listen on the way home - along with "Pop pop" below.

[likestrayvoltage]

17 Feb 2024

Coldplay - Higher Power

Song Rating: 2/5

Last Known Listen: Two days ago

Source: Spotify Playlist

Note: Another current favourite of George's and a key tool in the toolkit to help him cope with a trip to my parents on the weekend that took over 9 hours. Must have listened to it 20+times as we were delayed by roadworks after roadworks. Was a 2/5 for me even before the brutal repetition though - even though a Max Martin joint - I find it pretty soulless. George call's it "Pop pop" because of the little vocal hook at the start.

[likestrayvoltage]

09 Feb 2024

Fleetwood Mac - Landslide

Song Rating: 3/5

Last Known Listen: Unknown

Source: Unknown consciously, though most likely The Breeze radio station at work again

Note: I love Fleetwood Mac, and I especially love Stevie Nicks, and while this isn't my favourite tune of either, it is a lovely whimsical little thing.

[likestrayvoltage]

08 Feb 2024

Night Traveller - Burn

Song Rating: 4/5

Last Known Listen: Two days ago

Source: Spotify playlist

Note: Another current favourite of George's, I was also introduced to these guys via friend's playlists last year. Fantastic lush 80's strat and synth tones.

[likestrayvoltage]

26 Jan 2024

Coldplay - Politik

Song Rating: 4/5. Possibly should be a 5.

Last Known Listen: Not in recent memory

Source: Unknown

Note: The "open up your eyes" hook was playing in my head. Brilliant song from an album full of brilliant songs. From a band that were pushing themselves to prove their massive first album wasn't a fluke.

[likestrayvoltage]

24 Jan 2024

Pharrell Williams - Happy + Van Halen - Panama

Song Rating: 3/5 each

Last Known Listen: Yesterday + Three days ago

Source: Spotify Playlist (George) + Car radio on the weekend

Note: Happy is currently George's favourite song so we are listening to it a fair bit. Like a lot. And for some reason my brain did a mashup of it with Panama where the chorus of Panama kicked in over the bridge of Happy. In hindsight, with the benefit of a fully-awake consciousness, it is quite hard to mentally replicate how this crossover worked.

[likestrayvoltage]

20 Jan 2024

Miley Cyrus - Flowers

Song Rating: 3/5

Last Known Listen: Yesterday

Source: Colleagues singing at work

Note: It's no Wrecking Ball, but it's okay. I like how the timing feels slightly odd when the chorus comes in. And the bass.

[likestrayvoltage]

18 Jan 2024

Ronan Keating - If Tomorrow Never Comes

Song Rating: 2/5

Last Known Listen: Within past two days

Source: Most likely The Breeze radio station that is on all day at work.

Note: The first morning earworm in the list that I really don't like. Not too many redeeming qualitites to this insipid schmaltz. Catchy I suppose.

[likestrayvoltage]

16 Jan 2024

Ed Sheeran - Overpass Graffiti

Song Rating: 3/5

Last Known Listen: Two days ago

Source: A Spotify playlist

Note: I usually find Ed Sheeran's music a little too light and blah for my taste, but enjoy this tune. Has a kind of Boys Of Summer vibe, though without Mike Campbell's chops or Henley's voice obviously.

[likestrayvoltage]

15 Jan 2024

The Warratahs - Hands Of My Heart

Song Rating: 3/5

Last Known Listen: Two weeks ago

Source: RNZ - an interview with Barry Saunders over the summer break

Note: I remember hearing this song, and St Peter's Rendezvous, on the radio when I was kid and loving them. I think Uncle Barry might have had it on cassette when I used to play radio dj on his hifi system too. Haven't heard it in years, huge nostalgia when I heard this interview on RNZ and cool that it came back as a shower song a couple of weeks later.

[likestrayvoltage]

13 Jan 2024

Cass Elliot - Make Your Own Kind Of Music

Song Rating: 3/5

Last Known Listen: Two days ago

Source: Switched On Pop podcast "The case of the missing vocals, and other listener questions" episode

Note: A beautiful, soaring, but kind of sad, old song.