Happily Imperfect

What’s the last song you discovered and loved instantly? I tend to find new songs and instantly gorge myself on them. From unheard to on heavy repeat, I’ve always enjoyed that journey from ‘hey that’s interesting’ to ‘man this is catchy’ to ‘I love this track’. This track first appeared a couple of weeks ago, and it reminds of many songs, with a hint of Joanna Newsom in there, Pinegrove, Wolf Alice, and a few others. The soothingly soft guitars, her voice is hypnotic, the quiet/loud(ish)…

A genuine question for you, dear reader, have you been reading the daily music-based posts? The ones with a track and artist as the title, you do realise it’s not just me reviewing the track itself? In fact it’s almost NEVER a review of the track, it’s an exploration of me. I’m asking because I’m finding writing them hugely cathartic and wondered if that came across. In the past I’ve turned to various prompts and methods to cajole thoughts from the deeper recesses of my brain, with the School…

What’s a lyric that resonates deeply with you and why? "But there isn’t words yet for the comfort I get From the gentle lunette at the top of the nape of the neck that I wake to" Two songs in one, and a rich seam of lyrics to be mined. Guy Garvey is, without doubt, my favourite lyricist/song writer. This song was already known to me, but the person it belonged wasn’t. I met her a couple of years later, and luckily still feel that frission of wonder and love when I wake next to her. I can…

Cue dramatic opening music, sweeping camera shots, a host appears… I don’t watch much “live” TV. The Great British Bake Off if the exception. Becca has said she is going to watch the upcoming Celebrity Traitors (largely for the ‘water cooler’ chat at her work). I will not be watching. Don’t get me wrong I like the idea behind the show, and there will be some people I’ve actually heard of as well —when is a celebrity, not a celebrity?— it’s just the format of these shows I don’t enjoy. Now, I…

If your life were a movie, what would its theme song be? I use the word melancholy fairly often when describing my moods. I don’t see it as a negative thing at all, it’s just how I’ve always been. I’m not overly pessimistic, but definitely not the most optimistic person. The moment I saw this prompt, this is the song that popped into my head. I know it was used at the beginning of the weirdly wonderful movie Vanilla Sky, but surely there was more to my subconscious thinking? Indeed there was. I…

A song from a genre you didn’t think you’d like—what changed? Growing up, and through my time at Hospital Radio Lennox, there was one genre I just didn’t get. I begrudgingly would admit I enjoyed specific tracks but, the genre on a whole just wasn’t for me. It sounded like music for old people, those looking to a nostalgic past whereas I —young, vibrant, and very alive for the future— was plunging head long into grunge, electronica, dance, hip hop, and the other subgenres that exploded through…

I appear to have misplaced my mojo. I’ve not lost it completely. I mean I know roughly what it looks like, and it can’t be far cos I had it up until recently. I just can’t be bothered looking for it. I know I know, it’ll be the last place I left it. Thing is, it isn’t. I checked. I looked back a few weeks in my journal and there it is, right where I expected it to be. Except now, it isn’t. I can’t think of why it’s disappeared — I’d make a rubbish detective — and don’t think there is anything…

How do you discover new music, and what’s the latest gem you’ve found? I have two sources. Pitchfork (American skewed), and 6Music. I’m listening to the later at the moment, as I do most workdays when I can. 6Music, a digital radio station from the BBC, has been a source of new music for a while now. Their remit is to play "a wide range of alternative music, from established and emerging artists and bands." and I am smack bang in their catchment audience. Pitchfork widens my musical view to…

What is a song that feels like home to you? Physically, home to me is the house I grew up in, the place of my childhood. Emotionally, right now, home to me is sitting in the chair opposite me drinking coffee. This one is for her. “Northern Sky” by Nick Drake Listen on Apple Music Your browser does not support the audio element. Listen to Gordon McLean's Apple Music playlist View original post on Crucial Tracks Thanks for reading and keeping RSS alive. Visit my site for more.

A weekly recap of the articles and posts I’ve read that I think are worth your time. Did it do the work? – Andrew Doran — A well considered article about AI and how it actually works, and what we need to question about how it does what it does. Good people refuse to do bad things | A journey into a wild pointer — Good humans do good things best say about time – monolog — I feel this more than I care to admit. Time is moving too fast right now. I said no and Apple said yes – David Bushell – Web…

What’s the first song you’d play at a party? I’ve already suggested the track that popped into my head for this prompt. That’s how it starts, we go back to your house… And to be fair you can’t really go wrong with LCD Soundsystem to get things started (literally). Casting around for other ideas, I asked my wife who, without pause, suggested this ABBA track. For me, it’s a middle of the evening one, a pick up, a reset to get people dancing, but that’s my old party DJ head at play. Her reasoning…

What song do you associate with the current season? It does not always rain in Scotland. It’s a myth. But when it does it can be days of grey skies, from a constant smirr to a torrential downpour. Many memories of drizzle drenched days, as the temperature falls, the leaves turn and fall, and minds think ahead to winter. I love Autumn. The warmth that lingers and spikes with the remnants of summer, swept away in an instant by a cold breeze, the first signs of the coming cold. And, in Scotland,…

What’s your favorite love song, and why? Hard to beat a classic like this, not just the soaring melody, Etta’s voice, and the slower sensual pacing, but the whole idea of finding a love ‘at last’ sits well with me. Becca and I have been together for 8 years, and despite the age difference, since we first found each other everything just clicked into place. I didn’t think I’d find love like this in my mid-40s, had consigned myself to being mostly single for a while at that time, but then, there…

Been a little quiet on here recently. No big reason, no drama, just a few little events, an overly busy work schedule and, you know, dad life stuff. The week after Madrid was manic, not helped by a distinct post-holiday slump that left me less than motivated to do much of anything. Last week included a long wait at A&E with Jack. He’s fine, thankfully. We noticed his elbow was a little inflamed, red and hot, so we went through the usual NHS 24 process and were told to get him up to the kids’…

What’s a guilty pleasure song? I do not believe any pleasure is guilty. If something brings you pleasure then that is a good thing! Celebrate it!! I understand the thinking though, I’m sure there are some songs that we enjoy that fall outside the genres most of our friends would recognise as “ours”. For me, my oldest musical pleasures are, of course, songs my parents played. My Mum, the teenage screaming Beatles fan, had a love of singer-songwriters, especially those with the piano to the fore.…

What’s a song you’ve had on repeat recently? Recently? Ever since I first heard this I can’t listen to it once. Love the flow, the beats, the attitude, the lyrics, just love her voice in this too. Plus it’s only 2:39 long so easily repeatable. Seriously, how catchy is this track? Been 2 years and I still hit that repeat button whenever it comes on. “DENIAL IS A RIVER” by Doechii Listen on Apple Music Your browser does not support the audio element. Listen to Gordon McLean's Apple Music playlist…

aka the Mystery of Memory I know every word to “Boom Shake the Room” by Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, a song that was on high rotation in the pub/club we frequented in … checks notes … 1993! God, I’m old. Yo back up now and give a brother room The fuse is lit and I’m about to go boom! Mercy mercy, mercy me My life is a cage but on stage I’m free The lyrics aren’t noteworthy and certainly aren’t the type of thing that could, by any measure, be considered useful information, and the fact that…

What’s a song that helps you focus or concentrate? I have a full playlist of tracks like this, it’s called ElectroBurbleWorkTime. This artist features heavily and whilst I tend to lay the full album whenevr I can, this track is one I find great for focus work. “Emerald Rush” by Jon Hopkins Listen on Apple Music Your browser does not support the audio element. Listen to Gordon McLean's Apple Music playlist View original post on Crucial Tracks Thanks for reading and keeping RSS alive. Visit my…

What’s your favorite collaboration between artists? My actual favourite is only on YouTube — the cover of While My Guitar Gently Weeps performed by Rock n Roll Hall of Famers and includes THAT guitar solo by Prince — so in lieu of that, the answer is obvious. I was heavy into rock music as a young boy, discovering Iron Maiden before most of my friends, and so one of these bands were on my radar already. I’ve mentioned it before but the local library record department was excellent, providing me…

A weekly recap of the articles and posts I’ve read that I think are worth your time. Everything Flows: The Koln Concert — I can play the piano, badly, with a lot of practice. So when I hear talent like this I am utterly captivated. Great post, with the back story almost as good as the performance. Watch Footage from the Psychology Experiment That Shocked the World: Milgram’s Obedience Study (1961) | Open Culture — Aware of this but not of the detail. Fascinating if scary. Prepare your “no” and…

My feet hurt. In the best of ways though, as we spent several hours dancing last night, alongside a couple of thousand other people, as AnnieMac did her thing. Shout out to Jade Edwards who got us well warmed up with some slick grooves and mixes, deffo one to keep an eye out, she cranked the tempo up and you couldn’t help but start moving. Before Midnight — named because “nightclubbing is not designed for people who need sleep” — is in the same vein as daytime discos but, of course, with…

Which song would you use to introduce yourself to someone new? Has to be rock music based but with a twist. Well, that makes it easy then. “Renegades of Funk” by Rage Against the Machine Listen on Apple Music Your browser does not support the audio element. Listen to Gordon McLean's Apple Music playlist View original post on Crucial Tracks Thanks for reading and keeping RSS alive. Visit my site for more.

Look what landed in my inbox this morning. Good grief. Thanks for reading and keeping RSS alive. Visit my site for more.

Share a song that tells a great story. So many to choose from. Tribute by Tenacious D? Hotel California by The Eagles? Jolene by Dolly Parton? Last Kiss by Pearl Jam? Disco 2000 by Pulp? But no, let’s keep it simple. Never trust a snake. “The Snake” by Al Wilson Listen on Apple Music Your browser does not support the audio element. Listen to Gordon McLean's Apple Music playlist View original post on Crucial Tracks Thanks for reading and keeping RSS alive. Visit my site for more.

It was hot. 31C every day, which is survivable if you can navigate your way through shaded areas, a bit more of a challenge when you are sitting in a grandstand facing the sun… I would visit Madrid again. It’s a fairly compact city and whilst I didn’t tick off any of the popular tourist spots, I still got to explore a fair bit on foot. Very walkable, with a nice park to get you away from the city centre. I don’t like being a tourist so tend to want to avoid the more tourist-targetted areas,…

What song always makes you feel better? I’ve always loved a song that builds, that layers in the instruments. I’ve always loved a great drum track. I’ve always loved interesting harmonies. I’ve always loved rock music. I’ve always loved a hint of tongue-in-cheek silliness. I’ve always loved Queen. And yeah, I’ll admit it, I’ve always loved a nice . “Fat Bottomed Girls” by Queen Listen on Apple Music Your browser does not support the audio element. Listen to Gordon McLean's Apple Music playlist…

Share a song that represents your current mood. I like to have upbeat music on in the morning, nothing to raucous just something uplifting that takes my current mood and elevates it. This is the song that was playing when I saw the prompt this morning and it feels very apt. A classic bit of house music (I’m on a bit of a DJ led exploration of electronic/house/disco music right now) and I can feel my mood lifting as I boogie in my seat. “Music Sounds Better with You (Radio Edit)” by Stardust…

Share a song that makes you want to dance every time. Smashing across the pop, funk, soul genres, with some smooth disco beats, I love this track. Over played? Yes. Over hyped? Possibly. Catchy as all get out? ABSOLUTELY. “Uptown Funk (feat. Bruno Mars)” by Mark Ronson Listen on Apple Music Your browser does not support the audio element. Listen to Gordon McLean's Apple Music playlist View original post on Crucial Tracks Thanks for reading and keeping RSS alive. Visit my site for more.

I’ve been away so missed this until today. I’ve read a few posts from this blog in the past few months. Originally I thought they were just being written to deliberately provoke. A low level trolling kinda thing. The consistency of it all has me thinking though, and I think their kind of constant criticism is less interesting than the writer seems to believe it is. We’ve all come across them before, that a particular kind of internet critic who seems to derive status from being the person who…

I occasionally read my own blog. I’m not sure why. It’s either a perfectly reasonable act of reflection or a deeply questionable way to spend an afternoon. There are few things quite like stumbling across something you wrote twenty-two years ago and thinking, with genuine confusion, who the fuck was that? The annoying thing is that I know who it was. There are my words, sitting there on the screen, confidently explaining what I thought, what I believed, what annoyed me, what mattered to me. The…