Marillion – Afraid of Sunlight

When it comes to Marillion it’s difficult to know where to start… so many misconceptions to deal with!

For a band that are about to release their 14th album, it’s funny how many people still identify them with their former frontman Fish, who left 10 albums and almost 20 years ago. They’ve firmly taken control of their own destiny, and have been as innovative in making the music industry work them as they have been musically. They also haven’t released a song based on a JRR Tolkien character for 25 years

This track is the title track from their “Afraid of Sunlight” album – it’s actually the third track in the middle section of the album (the first two being Afraid Of Sunrise and Out Of This World – one of many Marillion songs about water and death! Lovely!)

Marillion – Afraid of Sunlight

Find a better way of life at www.marillion.com

Elliott Smith – Son of Sam

Another cheery song today – a homage to David Berkowitz, better known by the name he gave himself in his letters to newspapers and to the police: “Son of Sam”. Berkowitz confessed to a series of murders and attempted murders in New York in the late 1970s, although in the last few years the case has been reopened on suspicion that others were involved.

Elliott Smith – Son of Sam

You can buy Elliott Smith’s work here. I recently read rumours that some more of the music he wrote immediately before his death was being prepared for release. For now, if you don’t own any of his back catalogue already I’d suggest “Figure 8″ is as good a place as any to start.

More serial killer related fun soon!

Porcupine Tree – Pure Narcotic

Porcupine Tree are a bit of an obsession for me right now. With a new album, Fear of a Blank Planet, due for release in about a month’s time – and a concert ticket taunting me every time I sit at my computer at home – I’ve got these guys in the CD player an awful lot at the moment.

Porcupine Tree – Pure Narcotic

This track is from their “Stupid Dream” album. The band are very difficult to describe, as their music covers a huge range of styles. I’ll post highlights from their back catalogue over the coming weeks and you can see for yourself – the next one I post will either sound like Napalm Death after a crash course in time signatures, or a collaboration between David Gilmour and The Orb!

Buy Porcupine Tree records here – you won’t regret it!

Sufjan Stevens – John Wayne Gacy Jr

This is the track that first got me interested music blogging – I stumbled across The Hype Machine and saw a load of tracks by a guy with an odd name I’d never heard of before. Out of this list jumped the name of a serial killer, and I thought “that’s the one for me!”

Sufjan Stevens – John Wayne Gacy Jr

This is an incredible song, from an incredible artist. Read about him and check out some of his other material here – “John Wayne Gacy Jr” is off the Illinois album (the second CD in Sufjan’s “50 States” series – how’s that for ambition?) and is my favourite.