Untitled - Sigur Ros

Hailing from Iceland, I was first introduced to this band when Matt Good stated it was one of two bands he currently listened to. This song has a very simple but moving feel to it that is very easy to listen to. Off of their third album, every song on it was untitled and split into two halves. The first was meant to be much lighter relying on keyboards more then guitars, while the second was more melancholic. Although all the songs are untitled on the album, each one does have a subname that the band uses to reference them, with this one being named Vaka, after the drummers daughter. The lyrics are very hard to make out, but beautiful in their simplicity. I haven't heard the full album yet but it is one I have had my eye out for.

The Final Cut - Pink Floyd

The Final Cut is an interesting album by Pink Floyd. Mostly disliked by a lot of new and old Floyd fans alike, and even criticized by Gilmour himself, I think it is the hidden gem of Floyd albums. It truly is Waters baby, even more so then The Wall, I think, and is extremely dark and personal. This is the last true Floyd album, the only one with lyrics solely written by Waters, and he actually sings every song on this album except for one, even though Gilmour does most of the vocals in previous albums ( this is probably why he doesn't like the album). The album is an anti war album, and the problems of a man returning from the war and being able to settle back into a normal life. The title track of the album is beautifully soft and touching, but extremely powerful and moving, dealing with a man's isolation and sexual repression and struggles with the thoughts of suicide, that really give you a look into just how troubled Waters truly was. It also contains one of the best lyrics of all time

And if I show you my dark side, Would you still hold me tonight?

A beautiful nod to Darkside of the Moon, which was really when Waters began to use his lyrical ability to express his true feelings. I recommend listening to this album straight through, as it is a continuous story, but this song is truly the climax of the album and quite possibly my favorite off it.

Short Stories with Tragic Endings -From Autumn to Ashes

A little heavier then some other music I listen to, I have always been fascinated by this song, mainly the separation of the two parts - the heavy part mainly sung by Benjamin Perry and the softer parts by Francis Mark, and the lighter ending sung by Melanie Wills of One True Thing. In the beginning, Autumn meant not only the season itself, but was also a fictional character invented by the band. The entire album is actually about a relationship that Perry had, and this song is about the climax of it. Perrys vocals are stating his disgust with her and how she does not deserve what he has to give, and even though she begs for forgiveness he is unable to give it to her. His repetition at the end "Cry for you. Shed tears. Mourn. Wish the end." shows just how much it has affected him but his ability to move forward from it. Then this is followed by the females part, much softer then the first. It is about regret, on the girls part for destroying that which she loved, but how she has learned so much from hte experience. The closing line " For as much I love Autumn, I'm giving myself to ashes" is about how she too has been able to move on, and her realization that her actions have given way to ruin. all in all, a fantastic piece, maybe a bit heavy for some, but if you listen through to the end and really take it in, its quite moving.