Hi my name is Matt, but my friends call me Matt. I’m on the wrong side of 29 (damn I hate it every time I have to update that number), definitely feeling my age, but never felt happier and more content than I do at this point in my life. I’ve been through some rocky patches (who hasn’t) and lived to tell the tale, and boy do I gots some stories.
When I’m not giving opinions absolutely nobody asked for, I’m doing a worldbuilding with my passion project, vivaellipsis. If you like offbeat nonsense delivered through immersive escapism, then go and get involved. Or don’t, I’m not telling you what to do. I’m not yer boss.
I’m a simple man with simple interests. I like Yorkshire tea, the sound of rain on the window, and a bloody good story.
I was chatting with Liane a while back (actually, a really long while back now!) and she told me about how when she was at uni, they had a listening lounge – a place to go hang out with headphones on and listen to tracks. It got us thinking about how certain tracks can transport us instantly back in time, and so we decided to make a playlist of our best nostalgia music.
Every track on this list is one that vividly catapults us back to a very specific place and time – for me, that can be in the car on the way to college, being 10 years old, or commuting to work (back when I did commute).
It’s a time capsule of memories and feelings (and not always good ones either – Banarang takes me back to a time in my life I’m happy to have left behind), and while many of these tracks might not hold any baggage for you, our hope is that it inspires you to think about your own nostalgia music – we’d love to hear it!
Growing up, I always had my eyes glued to the TV screen whenever I noticed a music video by The Offspring had come on. ‘Original Prankster’ and ‘Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)’ were some of my favourite music videos, so I was elated when Matt evoked those feelings I treasured of having found a band I thought to be really edgy and cool at the time. I like the opening line of the song – whether true or not I won’t dive in to – but, it really gets me thinking about cycles we get stuck in. I know there’s been many moments for me where I’ve been livid with my parents thinking “why don’t they get it?!”. Imagining they probably experienced the same feeling growing up humanises them in my eyes. With this song, I can award my parents a level of compassion I previously thought excessive. Still, as life moves on it’s slightly amusing and bittersweet that I, too, could one day have a young one looking at me bewildered, failing to imagine why I don’t get it.
Antireal – The Glitch Mob
I first heard this song while starting my late night gym session. During my rests, I found myself thinking “Matt had no business going this hard with a track selection”. It seemed so perfect for the mood and intentions I had going into the gym. While ‘Locked in’, I could imagine myself as my favourite video game character growing up – Sonic the Hedgehog. From my copy of ‘Sonic Rush Adventure’ on the Nintendo DS Lite, Sonic became an amazing role-model for a free spirited individual going with the flow and on the run to his next adventure. Around that time, I was heavily involved with athletics and the 100m sprint was my highlight (you see the sonic link now?). I didn’t have the greatest stamina, but I always wished I could seemingly run forever, just like Sonic.
A song you were really happy to share & why?
Sassafras Roots – Green Day
Ah, lockdown… the gift that just kept on giving. I remember being overweight, angry and late to my A-Level physics class with this song playing. I had just left university after falling out of love with Chemistry, fortunately it was an amicable breakup. I thought going back to do my favourite science would heal the heartbreak of the growing belief around the idea that “I’m a little behind in life”. In this period of my life I really wanted nothing to do with anything; I was just along for the ride. “Just complete this A-Level and get back in uni” was the mantra for many months. If I wasn’t revising, I had this song playing knowing I didn’t want to do anything but sleep the time away. It’s slightly amusing how I’m on the other side writing this. I feel I’m paying respects to that part of me that had been so let down and disappointed in things not going according to plan. Knowing how good things are now, it makes me appreciate those moments for their raw emotional intensity even more.
Any more for any more?
Starting this playlist with Matt was exactly what I needed at the time. I got to tap into the rock, metal and screamo collection I thoroughly enjoyed while trying to master Guitar Hero World Tour. I had the bundle so of course I got well acquainted with the songs; sadly, my singing in career mode wasn’t as successful as I wanted. I value the moments when you find yourself connecting with someone who reminds you of the cherished moments you had growing up. To the person who ends up reading this, I invite them to remember just how cool they are for experiencing those good moments growing up.
Track Listing
One Armed Scissor – At the Drive-In
Inertiatic Esp – The Mars Volta
Chop Suey! – System Of A Down
Pop Off! – Dance Gavin Dance
My Curse – Killswitch Engage
Existence – August Burns Red
Suffocating Under Words Of Sorrow (What Can I Do) – Bullet For My Valentine
Kool-Aid – Bring Me The Horizon
Almost Easy – Chris Lord-Alge Mix – Avenged Sevenfold
Try Honesty – Billy Talent
The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows – Brand New
Cute Without The ‘E’ (Cut From The Team) – Remastered – Taking Back Sunday
8 tracks from the 80’s – starting all energetic as if fueled by “something” only to finish in that super relaxed state that 80’s parties generally ended up in.
1980: Undeniably one of the greatest years in music. While “Precious” was recorded in 1979, Americans identified with The Pretenders’ debut the following year. The track is a collision of punk, rock, pop and attitude, which summed up the persona of many teens and young adults during that era.
Ride On Time is one of those timeless classics. I’ve been DJing a bit recently and every time I play this, no matter who’s in the crowd, everybody has the best time. I love songs that unite people across age groups, it really speaks to the universal power of music. Finding common ground through a shared love of sound is such a great feeling. The world feels more divided than ever, we forget that we’re way more similar than we are different. The more we can do to remember that, the less time we’ll spend feeling angry and upset – and who doesn’t want to feel less angry and upset?
Every time I remember a song by some unsung hero of 80s Canadian rock, I pop into Spotify and learn that these songs and heroes are from the early 90s. Either this is a testament to Canadian rock artists being ahead of their times, or an indication that one decade bleeds into another as I get older. I’d love to say, “It’s probably the latter.” Sadly, I know it is (it’ll happen to you one day too). In any case, one Canadian band from the 1980s that doesn’t get as much attention in the 21st century as many others — but should — is Blue Peter. Their biggest hit was “Don’t Walk Past,” from their 1983 album Falling but I’m partial to this earlier track: “Radio Silence,” from 1980.
This was a tough one to choose. Musically speaking, I always wished I was a teenager in the 80s but I was just a little boy. However, having 2 older teenage brothers in my house marked my existence with those sounds. To me, Life’s What You Make It represents a good crossroad track of the period. Falls right in the middle between the all-fun fucsia/cyan coloured pop hits (and Talk Talk had some influential ones) and the darker motives of many of the other sounds from the era. On top, the unique melancholic traits of Mark Hollis’ voice
A Taste of Love – Original 12 Inch Version – Den Harrow
The 80s for me was the discovering of music. I could point out so many different tracks, artists and genres, from new romantics, to punk, hard rock, pop, house etc. But if I recall something from those years, it was my passion for “Italo Disco”. I would go as a 14 year old to the clubs (opened in the afternoon in Spain; no alcohol) and would be dancing like crazy to all these amazing “Italo Disco” tracks. One of my favourites is “A Taste of Love” by Den Harrow. An amazing song to dance and forget about everything. Here the extended version.
1985 – I’m 16 – weird environment – nothing makes sense – I’m neither one thing or another – a little bit of this – a little bit of that and consequently not terribly engaged. I did love this album though – Mick Hucknell’s voice – and not just the hit but the groove of tracks like Open up the Red Box and the glorious piano driven Heaven – but while 80’s music started getting interesting – the middle of the road pop of Simply Red seemed to lose its luster.
But there is one track from this album that has consistently made sense to me over the years.
The Eighties was an age of day-glo legwarmers and hi-NRG Europop and I don’t want to spoil the fun, because I have a fondness for that stuff, but there was another side to the decade, even more extravagantly stylish but more musically sophisticated – yet still unmistakeably Eighties. So my selection is Japan’s ‘Nightporter’, one of the first wave of New Romantic records, elegant and knowingly enigmatic.
David Sylvian’s yearning, languorous voice laments over Richard Barbieri’s Satie-influenced simple piano melody, channeling post-war Vienna by way of Liliana Cavani’s controversial psychosexual drama The Night Porter (Il portiere di notte) with the words “we shy from the rain / Longing to touch all the places we know we can hide / The width of a room that can hold so much pleasure inside”.
It’s not the same vibe as ‘Like a Virgin’ or ‘White Wedding’, but when this song was released as a single in 1982, Japan were one of the most commercially successful bands across Europe and Asia. Maybe even the biggest Eighties band you’ve never heard of?
10 not terribly obvious rain oriented tracks that get progressively less energetic the further in you go.
10 Songs for Rainy Days:
Jane Asylum
And It Rained All Night (Burial Remix) – Thom Yorke, Burial
April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, but it’s been raining for days and I can’t help but think this deluge will drown them. On the plus side, more rain means fewer spring fires in my part of the world, which is, well, something. Anyhow, I really wanted to find an upbeat song to add to this April rain playlist — I’m tired of weather that can’t decide to remain winter or become spring and I’m sick of my good mood being rained out. Sadcore, however, has an exceptionally strong pull in moments like these. Yet, just when I thought I couldn’t resist the tug of Lana Del Rey and Mazzy Star anymore (I’m cutting it close to the submission deadline for this playlist), I found a Goldilocks zone in “And It Rained All Night” by Thom Yorke and Burial.
Lena Goos
Bulletproof – Being As An Ocean
There’s something so comforting about rain patters on the window. Still it always puts me in a pretty melancholic mood.
My favourite song for these times must be Bulletproof – Being as an Ocean not only do the lyrics start with “it’s raining outside again” but the whole vibe of the song is an intense ride, kinda like a rain- or thunderstorm hitting, starting with a few drops and then it comes down all at once.
Juan Amigo
Le Dernier Jour – Sébastien Schuller
This is a rather contemplative song with a melancholic cadence that I think it is perfect for a rainy day. You listen to this song while watching throughout the window the rainy day and you end up in this contemplative and melancholic state of a rainy day.
Michael Mchunu
Mrs Magic – Strawberry Guy
I play this one when I feel there is a sense of adventure ‘out there’ that I can’t get to. I can easily sit with my thoughts and contemplate whatever was important in that moment. Sometimes I’d imagine how ridiculously big ( – an understatement of course) the universe is, and how my problems aren’t as large as they seem.
It’s a bittersweet song appropriate for rainy weather 🙂
Jenna Barton
Always – Daniel Caesar
I’m currently sitting at a cafe looking out the window while it’s raining and all I want to listen to is my Daniel Caesar playlist. Specifically this song
Ivan Santini
Swung From The Gutters – Tortoise
First time living abroad in my life. The jump from Sicily to Copenhagen was big, first of all in climate terms as I moved there in the middle of January. It wasn’t snowing that much, but definitely it was dark, cold and wet in ways I had never experienced before. Every day.
TNT is one of my all time favourite albums and it became so on that occasion. While fitting the outside weather conditions and my homesick state, with its variety each track also brought me warmth and pleasure to discover the world around me.
Jan Seedman
Rain – Patty Griffin
Patty captures the mood of a gloomy, cold day on a lonely Sunday afternoon, perfectly. It’s as if she sung this while sitting in the living room of an old, beat up plank board house, in a Silverton, Colorado canyon, while absorbing the mist and darkness around her.
Matt Jenko
Noctuary – Bonobo
I’m one of those very odd folk who really loves the rain. It could just be a British defence mechanism (we don’t have a lot of choice in the matter so might as well get on board), but there’s something so comforting about looking outside and seeing a good ol’ downpour. One of my happiest memories is being about 10 years old, in the car somewhere with my mum, the rain coming down, and I just felt like everything was okay in the world. It’s probably no wonder actually that the rain is such a comforting thing for me
If I ever need a track to transport me, Noctuary by Bonobo takes me right into the heart of the rainforest – where, I’m told, there’s plenty of rain to be found. Sans snakes, the rainforest is such a beautiful place to me, refreshing and full of life. If I can ever overcome my fear of those slippery suckers, I might well venture there someday. Til then, I can just enjoy the vibe from the comfort of my own couch
Hiram López
Love – HIRRY
Love is perfect for when rain starts to fall
Andrew McCluskey
Opus 20 – Dustin O’Halloran
I was working with a lot of grief when I first fell in love with this track. I would picture myself: “sitting on the balcony of a small pied-à-terre in Le Marais, on my own at dusk, with the rain falling gently as I drink Cognac to complement the chicory in my coffee and the heaviness in my heart.”
I still want to do that – coffee and cognac and all but – I’m happy to let the heaviness go – perhaps to be replaced by poignant reflection – I think that would work just as well. I’m looking forward to it.
It’s a weird time – for everybody, everywhere it seems. There’s just this sense that we’re all doomed – the grown ups aren’t grown upping, but nor are they leaving room for other people to step in and fix things. It’s the same old shit all the time and the future looks bleak.
And while we hasten to point out that this is indeed, just a feeling, and if you speak to us on most days we’d tell you that – naaaah – it’s just a phase and that there’s so many good things happening in the world, and we’ve been through worse and it’s projects like musicto.com that are contributing to the positive change and making a difference and well – it’s gonna work out and we’re all gonna be OK…
…but sometimes you just have to NUNDGE.
And no – we don’t know the etymology of the word – actually to be honest, it’s not really a word at all – more a sense – a feeling – a typo – a reaction to covfefe. Listen to the playlist – you’ll get the idea…
Track Listing
What the Fuck Is Going On – Elliott Murphy
Shitstorm – Strapping Young Lad
Pressure – Company of Thieves
It Never Ends – Bring Me The Horizon
Nerve – Charlotte Church
It Hurts – Enter Shikari
Shudder – Marty O’Reilly & the Old Soul Orchestra
All Hope In Eclipse – Cradle Of Filth
Square Hammer – Ghost
Feels Bad Man – Dance Gavin Dance
Ugly – 1996 Remaster – The Stranglers
Nihilist – Architects
Broke – Scott Lavene
I’m Scum – IDLES
Wash Your Face In My Sink – Dream Warriors
Milk Lizard – The Dillinger Escape Plan
White Limo – Foo Fighters
AmEN! (feat. Lil Uzi Vert and Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw) – Bring Me The Horizon
WTF Is in My Cup – Chico Blanco
Backfire – August Burns Red
Fucked By A Country Boy – Wheeler Walker Jr.
Mr. Highway’s Thinking About The End – A Day To Remember
Andrew gets an introduction to the FOAL’s catalog courtesy of Matt. Starting with Matt’s pick of the FOALS track Hummer, they trade tracks with Andrew adding a track inspired by the previous FOAL track and Matt coming back with a FOAL’s track inspired by Andrew’s pick. Is it just coincidence that there’s a lot of Scottish bands on there?!…
Hummer – Foals
It’s Thunder and It’s Lightning – We Were Promised Jetpacks
This Orient – Foals
I Feel Better – Frightened Rabbit
In Degrees – Foals
Once in a Lifetime – 2005 Remaster – Talking Heads
Wake Me Up – Foals
Two Tribes – Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Wash Off – Foals
Red Travellin’ Socks – Malcolm Middleton
Milk & Black Spiders – Foals
I Hope I Didn’t Just Give Away The Ending – New Radicals
Embark on a fiery journey through the elemental stages of fire with ‘Inferno Galore,’ a playlist ablaze with energetic anthems and metaphorical flames.
From the pulsating beats of Carpenter Brut’s ‘Inferno Galore’ to the incendiary lyrics of Framing Hanley’s ‘Start a Fire,’ each track ignites a passionate celebration of the elemental force. Dance amidst the flames with Dance With the Dead’s ‘Firebird’ and feel the heat rise with Manafest’s ‘Firestarter.’ Explore the depths of Ember City with Mastodon and embrace the rebellious spirit of FEVER333’s ‘BURN IT.’
Cradle Of Filth’s ‘Dirge Inferno’ offers a haunting ode to the inferno, while A Day To Remember’s ‘Resentment’ adds a touch of emotional intensity. Sandman’s ‘Ignite’ fuels the flames further, leading into the triumphant rise of Scandroid’s ‘Phoenix.’ Cloud Battalion’s ‘Heat’ and Linkin Park’s ‘BURN IT DOWN’ keep the fire burning bright, while Alexisonfire’s ‘Mailbox Arson’ adds a touch of chaos to the mix.
Beartooth’s ‘Fire’ and Thee Oh Sees’ ‘Burning Bridges’ stoke the flames of rebellion, while Paramore’s ‘Let the Flames Begin’ and The Damned’s ‘Ignite’ fuel the passion within. Johnny Cash’s iconic ‘Ring of Fire’ adds a classic touch to the inferno, followed by Nine Inch Nails’ intense ‘Burn’ from the ‘Natural Born Killers’ soundtrack. Fall Out Boy’s ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ offers a reflective look amidst the chaos, while August Burns Red’s ‘Backfire’ adds a metal edge to the blaze. Casper’s ‘Im Ascheregen’ brings the inferno to a haunting close, leaving you exhilarated by the journey through this blazing playlist.
Let the flames of ‘Inferno Galore’ ignite your soul and set your playlist ablaze with fiery passion.
Track Listing
Inferno Galore – Carpenter Brut
Start a Fire – Framing Hanley
Firebird – Dance With the Dead
Firestarter – Manafest
Ember City – Mastodon
BURN IT – FEVER 333
Dirge Inferno – Cradle Of Filth
Resentment – A Day To Remember
Ignite – Sandman
Phoenix – Scandroid
Heat – Cloud Battalion
BURN IT DOWN – Linkin Park
Mailbox Arson – Alexisonfire
Fire – Beartooth
Burning Bridges – Thee Oh Sees
Let the Flames Begin – Paramore
Ignite – The Damned
Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash
Burn – From “Natural Born Killers” Soundtrack – Nine Inch Nails
We think love is for everyone and everything! For this month’s playlist we’re focusing on all kinds of love that aren’t just romantic. We’re celebrating the platonic love between friends, family, our beloved pets, and more! There’s enough love to go around.
Admittedly, I’m not a hockey fan, but Moe Berg of TPOH (huge hockey fan) has the uncanny ability to crystalize the whole story of The Great One in under 120 seconds. Not many stories can be told in that time, but Moe pulls a rabbit out of a hat (trick).
A pick from one of my oldest favourite Italian bands. The song actually speaks about a one night stand: the planning of it with all the anticipations, the moment, and the aftermath with its repercussions. The language used is rich and fast, like brush strokes or reading words from a poem. The first part is about deciding where and when to meet, with the growing tension of getting there. And what a better place than “Motel Voluptas”. I love how the actual encounter is described with a game of lights, black and whites, the speed of saying goodbye. And then the aftermath: everything will be fine, but with the underlying feeling that the story is unresolved. And indeed “Lady Astuta” comes back. It’s not love but will it ever be?
First I was like “oh god do I even know a platonic love song?” But after reading the caption again, this song was my instant pick! I own a cat, but I think this song is for all the pets out there! “You never judge me. You never think I’m ugly. You really love me” 🥰
I came into this playlist thinking “oh, this’ll be easy” there’s gotta be a million songs I know about non-romantic love and yet – as I started to look – well – it seems that songwriters can’t help throw in a hidden reference to someone they’ve got the hots for (I had Eel’s Beautiful Freak all lined up when I found out he did in fact write it about (his now ex) girlfriend!)
So I was scanning my lists and this amazing track leaped out and smacked me right between the ears – perfect! I have a weird relationship with John Lennon – I adore his music but suspect I fell prey to the McCartney PR machine. Over time I have grown to appreciate him more and more, but he did have a mean streak – How Do You Sleep – that – well – shit – guess he was as flawed as the rest of us ;-p The reason Beautiful Boy is deep in my psyche is thanks to Mr. Holland’s Opus – the 1995 movie with Richard Dreyfus playing a frustrated musician who becomes a teacher and who… – well – if you believe in the power of music – I highly recommend it. Cue wonderfully schlocky 90’s trailer…
“There’s not many love songs about some of the most beautiful, powerful relationships in your life. Especially straight guys or whatever in rock music, they tend not to write about how much they love their mates” – Matty Healy
There aren’t many songs that are about such a close friendship and well that’s exactly what this is. It’s such a sweet sentiment. When I hear it I can’t help but also think about my close group of friends that I’m grateful for. This ones for you!
