as humanity lurches towards extinction, John Denver shows us the way back

In these troubled times I have found solace in the music of John Denver. Not only was he an incredible songwriter and singer but - bear with me here - I think his music and lyrics contain the answers to the existential questions facing the human race right now. 

Like many artists of his generation, John was searching for meaning, but rather than finding it in drugs or religion or politics, it was right in front of him - in love (both romantic and familial), nature, and home. 

It's Up To You seems to me to be an exemplary feminist love song - he doesn't want to own his partner, he wants her to flourish, be free, and choose him for all the right reasons. 

In Annie's Song (surely one of the most romantic songs ever written), he wants to give himself to his partner, but he doesn't demand the same in return.

He's inspired by the fish in the water and the birds in the air to live in the moment and surrender himself to life, wherever it may take him.

He sees himself in nature. He knows that all living beings are part of nature and connected to each other - "I love the life around me/I feel a part of everything I see".

He's "so tired of big cities and so tired of big city ways", because they involve a dislocation of humans from nature.

He writes of mining and air pollution being crimes against something sacred - nature again.

He isn't concerned with material possessions. Yes, he flies off on a jet plane in pursuit of his career, because we're all hypocrites in a world powered by money and fossil fuels, but he is sad about it, and longs to return home to the things that really matter.

He preaches tolerance and acceptance: "Rejoicing in the differences/There's no one just like me/Yet as different as we are, we're still the same."

In short, he seems to embrace some key insights of spiritualism in his music. Despite all this, he is not a hippy. In fact he could be the ultimate voice of white rural America. I wish they would listen to him now.

Sasha Sloan - Runaway

Joe writes: This is probably my most listened to new track of the year so far.

Martin Vogel - Tough (Bruce Springsteen bootleg)

Joe writes: Just discovered this wonderful Springsteen bootleg via Michael Hann's piece about Tougher Than The Rest in the FT here.



Best Springsteen bootleg since Cousin Cole's take on I'm On Fire.

RIP Don Williams

Joe writes: Love I'm Just A Country Boy

mishlawi - all night

Joe writes: I loved this from the opening few seconds.

"My baby used to dance underneath my architecture" - Lana Del Rey

Joe writes: Sometimes, rarely, I feel the need to listen to an album all the way through just to see what the artist is going to say next. I remember doing that with Eminem's debut album and also did it most of the way through Lana Del Rey's Lust For Life. There are 16 tracks on the album which is a shame - she could have made the year's best nine track album, and avoided any danger of slipping into self-parody. But even across 16 tracks she's still a cut above her contemporaries.

13 Beaches is my favourite track on the album:



My favourite Lana song since Video Games isn't on the album, seemingly because it was leaked. I love the lyric to Best American Record. Here's a cover from someone who sounds a lot like Lana:

Alex Adair - Casual

Joe writes: Love this single which came out today. Such a great lyric.

Glen Campbell

Joe writes: RIP Glen Campbell.

Glen featured on the first project I ever managed, and totally stole the show in this video, shot in the Arizona desert near his home:



Here's a playlist of my favourite Glen tracks (minus that one). Glen suggested Rikki & Daz also do a cover of Country Boy, which they did, but it never saw the light of day tragically:

Lorde - Liability

Joe writes: This is my favourite song of recent times. Lorde is a very special artist, a cut above almost all of her contemporaries.

And here's her awesome SNL performance:

David Ford - Stephen

Joe writes: I really believe we need more political songs right now, and this is possibly my favourite. Martin McGuinness just died and he gets a poignant mention in the lyrics.

Story Songs, a Spotify playlist, including 7 Years by Lukas Graham

Joe writes: Everyone loves a song with a lyric that tells a story, so it's surprising how few songwriters write these kinds of songs. One good example is the current no. 1, 7 Years by Lukas Graham, which opens this playlist:


I have another observation about 7 Years. I reckon that until recently, a Danish soul/rap/pop hybrid might have been no. 1 everywhere in mainland Europe but still not broken in the UK. What's changed? Spotify, and their power to influence the charts and so UK radio. It's a huge change and mostly very positive.

Mike Skinner from The Streets did a great BBC 6Music show of his favourite story songs. It doesn't seem to be online anymore but he does talk about story songs here.

The Mother Of All Playlists and what's happened to this blog

Joe writes: I haven't been updating this blog much but I have been spending as much time as ever seeking out great music new and old - it's just that nowadays when I find a great track I tend to just add it to a Spotify playlist.

I'm sure I will post YouTube or Soundcloud links here from time to time, but mostly I will post Spotify playlists here, which are updated regularly.

This is the Mother Of All Playlists, featuring 4000+ songs and growing, including most of my favourites and plenty of new discoveries from all genres.

Paul Simon - The Late Great Johnny Ace

Joe writes: A great song about mourning recently deceased rock 'n' roll stars:

I'm really enjoying Spotify's Discover Weekly playlist

Joe writes: If you're not familiar, every Monday Spotify compile a playlist tailored to each subscriber, I guess consisting of tracks listened to by other people who've listened to tracks you've listened to. It rarely includes anything I just wouldn't be interested in, and I've found some gems through it including this Laurie Anderson tune Let X=X which still sounds futuristic after all these years (it's from 1982).


And here's the playlist:

dvsn - With Me

Joe writes: Can't stop listening to this. Awesome production from Nineteen85 who's best known for his work with The Weeknd. When it comes to the lyrics he seems to have only one thing on his mind.

Tom Waits Ballads - a Spotify playlist

Joe: If I were Adele I wouldn't be too worried about comparisons between Hello and Martha by Tom Waits, but this does give me an excuse to post my Spotify playlist of the best Tom Waits ballads. There isn't a Tom Waits album I really love - I'm not a big fan of the stompy noisy stuff - but I love the first twelve tracks of this playlist. No-one else does a ballad like Tom.

Jason DeRulo - Cheyenne

Joe writes: Another banger from Jason.

D.R.A.M. feat. Donnie Trumpet - $

Joe writes: I wish there were more melodies and melodic hooks in rap records. That’s why I loved Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and why I like Money ($) by D.R.A.M. featuring Donnie Trumpet.

Koreless - TT

Joe writes: So trippy, and so 1994.

Lil Kleine & Ronnie Flex - Drank & Drugs

Joe writes: This Dutch hip hop track has been a massive hit in the Netherlands and Belgium. The lyric is controversial even in the liberal Netherlands, as it features two drug dealers talking about all the MDMA they are selling to kids in the club. But the track is great and the video is very, er, viral.

There are various English language versions in the offing but I actually think it could be a UK hit in this Dutch version. Afterall, everyone understands Drank & Drugs right?