Following the release of his new single ‘Hard Times,’ the fast-rising Belfast singer-songwriter waxes lyrical about a handful of his favourite songs, from Big Thief and Unknown Mortal Orchestra to John Martyn and beyond
Big Thief – Masterpiece
The core line of this song made a list of my favourite lyrics of all time, and it might not be the best line in the song. An incredible and heart-breaking song which is no surprise if you follow the work of Adrianne Lenker
Hozier – Like Real People Do
Playing a few covers in sessions around Belfast, this generally never fails to quiet a room, though most don’t know it and even listening to it think it’s a beautiful love song. It is, but scratching the lyrics it is (in my opinion) about an elder God coming across a woman of the woods, digging her up and falling in love with her, to express this they try to kiss as they’ve watched humans do curiously a thousand times. It’s the Pagan Forest Sprite chapter of Hozier’s songwriting and I’m here for all of it.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Necessary Evil
It’s not jazz but it is, it’s not rock but it is, it’s not RnB but it is. There are three other genres I haven’t mentioned as that sentence structure got boring. What it is, is a wake-up call for every guitar player that they should keep practicing.
Seeing them in the Limelight recently brought it all back how good this band are, If you don’t know them yet you should they’re weird and complex and fun.
Christian Lee Hutson – Let’s Get the Band Back Together
Incredibly fun and catchy song about a man formerly in a band in his thirties – for some reason this song really spoke to me. If Weezer was stripped back and poignant. There is no fat on this song, it’s perfect.
John Martyn – Don’t Want To Know
I love coming across something new and needing to learn it immediately as it bores a hole so deep in your head the only way to get it out is the mouth via singing. This song is a masterpiece, it’s three chords it’s the same line said a thousand times. Who says genius needs to be complex?
I only knew the chorus line for several hours which I then contagiously spread to my friend our favourite alternates:
I don’t want to know about Jesus, I only want to know about drugs
I don’t want to know about beagles, I only want to know about pugs
I don’t want to know about ******* I only want to know about plugs
I don’t want to know about TLC I only want to know about scrubs
Email me with more if you have them.
