Ahead of the release of his sublime new single ‘You Really Have Me’ this Friday, 18th October, Lisburn artist AM Shanley waxes lyrical about some of his all-time favourite songs, featuring Sparklehorse, Cat Power, Quasi, Guided By Voices and more
PJ Harvey – Who The Fuck (Demo)
Twenty years ago this year, PJ Harvey released Uh Huh Her and my fourteen-year-old self skived school to buy it – and my world was changed. I adore everything about this song, the delivery is so playful and feral and fun. Her sludgy Drop C guitars throughout that album are just wonderful and taught me so much about playing guitar. I’ve had the demo version of the album on repeat lately.
Blossom Dearie – I’m Shadowing You
I don’t remember when or how I first heard this song a few years back but it led me to Blossom Dearie’s distinctive and fascinating catalogue. Truly a unique singer and peerless performer.
Beck – Gamma Ray
I love this song and its album, Modern Guilt. Stunning co-production and beats by Danger Mouse, sorta 60s inspired sonically and lyrically apocalyptic in places. Just lush. I think it’s kinda underrated in Beck’s catalogue. I return to it a lot.
Cat Power – He War
I revisited Cat Power’s You Are Free recently after a couple of years and was transfixed all over again, and particularly by this song, the performance and its production. Chan Marshall is one of my favourite singers of all time. Just stellar.
Quasi – I Never Want To See You Again
A friend lent me Featuring “Birds” a bunch of years ago and I went into it with absolutely no knowledge or context about who or what Quasi was about. Needless to say, my mind was blown. I could’ve picked any number of their songs for this moment in the mixtape but this one has been on my mind. Brilliance.
Guided By Voices – Teenage FBI (Original Version)
When I was nine years old I was obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and got the OST on a CD, which included this song (albeit a more ‘produced’ version). I subsequently got Alien Lanes and my love for GBV and Robert Pollard began. It totally flipped what I thought music could or should sound like on its face. Life altering.
(That Buffy soundtrack also introduced me to other great stuff like The Sundays – so thankful for that CD)
Gemma Hayes – Happy Sad (Demo)
I’m a big fan of Gemma Hayes’ songwriting and had a couple on my mind, but this song in particular has stuck with me in a deep way for a long time since I first heard it about seventeen years ago. I’ve covered it live a couple of times (and hopefully didn’t totally butcher it). I love its veiled gloom, and this demo version is particularly poignant and magic.
Sparklehorse – Comfort Me
Every moment and element of this song and production is dazzling – a hypnotic dreamscape of pedal steel, chamberlin, Moogs and drum machine. I am transported deep into somewhere astral on every listen.
