Art is the music we make from the bewildered cry of being alive. ~Maria Popova
29 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: flyte, over and out
Flyte: “Over and Out” (2013)
Infectious but hard to categorize, Flyte certainly have a bit of 80’s New Wave in them–but the good kind. A little Cars mixed with a little Talking Heads perhaps.
Still unsigned, the London band’s self-released debut EP is due September 16.
26 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: sitting in the midday sun, the kinks
The Kinks: “Sitting in the Midday Sun” (1973)
Ray Davies’ charmingly unambitious vignette (taken from Preservation, his most ambitious musical project).
Who needs a job when it’s sunny?
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2015/02/27/songs-you-may-have-missed-524/
26 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: a little green park, sonoride
Sonoride: “A Little Green Park” (2009)
Stockholm, Sweden’s Sonoride have digested the sounds of ELO and the Beatles circa 1967 and what they’ve regurgitated in the form of the semi-psychedelic Multi Colour Dream mostly sounds like a synthesis of the two.
All except “A Little Green Park”, which is more of a straight-ahead pop song than most of the album, a celebration of the simple joys of a trip to a favorite park–a place where “the sun never seems to be off duty…and some soothing scent is always somehow present.”
23 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: flying machines, stay
Flying Machines: “Stay” (2009)
One might hear echoes of melodramatic symphonic pop of yesteryear in the sound of New York’s Flying Machines. I don’t throw out Freddie Mercury comparisons lightly, but there may be basis for it here.
“Stay” is from their consistently melodic and enjoyable debut.
21 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: jazz name, pat donohue
Pat Donohue: “Jazz Name” (2005)
Pat Donohue is not only a master of acoustic fingerstyle guitar, but his songwriting is pretty spectacular too. The winning “Jazz Name” throws a witty series of internal rhyme rabbit punches at you until you surrender with a smile.
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2013/02/02/songs-you-may-have-missed-317/
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2012/11/08/songs-you-may-have-missed-215/
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2026/01/11/recommended-albums-105/
16 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: heartland, moon safari
Moon Safari: “Heartland” (2010)
From the band that currently have me held firmly in the clutches of heavy–no, damn near continuous–rotation. This particular song has the tightest grip of all.
Moon Safari represents an astounding juxtaposition of seemingly incompatible musical components: the surprise-around-every-corner complexity of prog rock alongside an almost boy-bandesque propensity for catchy pop hooks, and a five-part harmony vocal sound simply unmatched in their genre.
At its absolute best prog rock is a triumph of possibility over musical triteness and cliché. It stretches the envelope. But it doesn’t need to tear the seams–to sound so “original” that it challenges more than pleases.
And that’s what Moon Safari seem to understand: ultimately music–even relatively complex music–is meant to be enjoyed. Melodic and instrumental hooks abound here. But like the best prog, it’ll take you many repeated listens to assimilate the song entirely–to be able to sing every lyric on cue and hit every correct note of the solo on air guitar or synth.
And long before you do–assuming you have a musical sweet tooth for the sunny, uplifting sounds typical of Swedish prog–you’ll be blaring it from a car window or hitting the repeat button on your device to enjoy another rapturous six-minute fix.
Ornate, yet entirely accessible. A treat for fans of complex music, but a great bridge into the genre for fans of more mainstream bands (Styx come to mind). This might be the perfect prog song.
Open all of your windows, can’t you hear the boys are calling
Step outside for the night, y’know it’s summertime, they’ll all be there
And they’re playing memories on the radio
Got your back pretty one, I know that you’ve got mine
Oh my love, there is trouble in the heartland
You and me, as we walk the square of possibility
Caught up in a love that could not be
I remember she used to refer to you as sweet, sweet prince
Though she’s always known that you’re nothing but a working man’s son
Your ambition was always to high for one of us
Surely you would go on, oh baby, to do what we can’t dream
Oh my love, there is trouble in the heartland
One last dance, save your worries for another rainy day
You wouldn’t want it any other way
But darling it’s time to say our goodbyes to summer romance
By the fall, all will be gone and then we’ll walk our separate ways
We’ll let this night be our last big mistake
From the heroes of yesteryear
The only one, still left standing
Tuned in to life’s radio
A blue song from long ago
Oh my love, there is trouble in the heartland
You and me, as we walk the square of possibility
Caught up in a love that could not be
But darling can’t you see?
We’re still soldiers of the heartland,
even now I still see you like I did when I could dream
of a place where we’d be known as king & queen
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2013/08/04/recommended-albums-52/
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2025/08/31/songs-you-may-have-missed-789/
Every Moment Has A Song 