Hello everyone and welcome back to another edition of Saturday Scattergories, the weekly column where artists build playlists based on specific categories. This week our guests include Dani of StrangeColorSky, Kevin from Edinburgh based Paper Rifles and Anti-Manifesto, Massachusetts based bedroom pop artist Layzi, Evan from Providence based Familiar Spaces, and Shallow Pools.
Favorite song by a one hit wonder
Kevin (Paper Rifles, Anti-Manifesto): This is possibly cheating, but my favourite song by a one hit wonder is The Wonders “That Thing You Do.” Yes they’re a fictional band from the film That Thing You Do, but it’s hard to deny how good this song is. An absolute 60’s pop inspired gem. Plus the track is written by the late great Adam Schlesinger from Fountains of Wayne.
Dani (StrangeColorSky): I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers or Spirit in the Sky by Norman Greenbaum. So hard to pick honestly, even hard to narrow it down to these two. 500 Miles is just the ultimate “shouting the words while drunk with your pals” song, but Spirit in the Sky is genuinely just so catchy and sort of a novelty. And that guitar tone? Ugh, classic.
Layzi: Steal My Sunshine by Len
Evan (Familiar Spaces): I don’t know if “one hit wonder” is the right term for this, since Grouplove has put out plenty of great releases since, but I LOVE Tongue Tied. That song is absolutely jam packed with serotonin.
Shallow Pools: Torn by Natalie Imbruglia
Favorite closing song for an album
Kevin (Paper Rifles, Anti-Manifesto): Without a doubt, Weezer “Only in Dreams.” The Blue album is definitely in my top 5 albums of all time, and this 8 minute epic is the perfect way to end the album. The huge crescendo at the end would be amazing to see live at some point.
Dani (StrangeColorSky) Sea Within a Sea by The Horrors. An 8 minute epic beginning with droning bass, swelling noise, chaotic interludes, and strangely relaxed vocals in the first half before it turns into a triumphant sound bath of synth and drums. By the end, it leaves you feeling a little melancholy but really fulfilled and comforted, kind of how I think we want to feel at the end of an album
Layzi: She Lays Down by The 1975 (album: I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it)
Evan (Familiar Spaces): I Just Want to Sell out My Funeral by The Wonder Years. This song is a culmination of all the emotion from the previous songs on the record and is the kind of song you want to scream at the top of your lungs.
Shallow Pools: All I Wanted – Paramore
Song with your favorite guitar solo
Kevin (Paper Rifles, Anti-Manifesto): I’m not going to lie, I’m not much of a guitar solo guy……mainly because, as a guitarist, I’m rubbish at them. Paper Rifles covered “Say it Ain’t So” by Weezer on our covers album last year and I did okay on the solo for that, but my favourite solo is on “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World. For quite a simple pop rock song to have this full on rock-a-billy-esque solo out of nowhere half way through is pretty nifty.
Dani (StrangeColorSky): Like a Hurricane by Neil Young. I just love his tone when playing. Very much a signature sound for Neil, some distortion with lots of screeching notes and bends. But the solos on this tune in particular just rip. Like he literally sounds like he’s about to rip that guitar open at some points. And also sorry (not sorry?) for picking another 8 minute song.
Layzi: Real Love by Big Thief
Evan (Familiar Spaces): Stuck in the Wake by Another One Down! The solo is so sick and tasteful and leads perfectly into the last chorus.
Shallow Pools: Noises by Pale Waves
Best song to raise your heart rate
Kevin (Paper Rifles, Anti-Manifesto) “Black Albino Bones” by Fucked Up. I love Fucked Up and this is just a really awesome fist in the air sing along jump around in the pit with your friends type of song about the simple pleasures in life. The chorus repeats “I need a little escape” and I think we all need a little escape sometimes. Music is perfect for this.
Dani (StrangeColorSky): I Am Electric by Heaven’s Basement. They’re no longer a band, but I saw them live opening for The Pretty Reckless (when they were still kinda good) in like 2013 and genuinely, I left the gig after their performance because nothing that night could top them, not even the headliner. This song is an absolute powerhouse and makes you feel like you could punch bricks. It’s a great song to lift or run to, hypes you tf up.
Layzi: Deceptacon by Le Tigre
Evan (Familiar Spaces): A Colossal Wreck by Every Time I Die. This song is fast and chaotic and incorporates everything I love about ETID.
Shallow Pools: Boombayah – Blackpink
Song with your favorite bassline
Kevin (Paper Rifles, Anti-Manifesto): It wouldn’t be a list of songs from me without having some ska in there, so my pick for favourite bass line is “Last One Out of Liberty City” by Less Than Jake. This opens up the Hello Rockview album and it is an absolute rager to kick off one of the greatest ska/punk albums of all time.
Dani (StrangeColorSky): She Came in Through the Bathroom Window by The Beatles. So simple, but so groovy. It’s always stuck out for me in the song and I’ve always had a soft spot for it.
Layzi: Mood by Porches
Evan (Familiar Spaces): Cement by Citizen. The bass riff and bass tone are insane on this track and I love how groovy it is.
Shallow Pools: Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa
Last song you saw live before the world shut down –
Kevin (Paper Rifles, Anti-Manifesto): The last gig I went to before covid spoiled everyone’s fun was …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead at the Mash House in Edinburgh. They finished with “Another Morning Stoner.” I 100% regretted forgetting my ear plugs that night. The Trail of Dead are LOUD!!
Dani(StrangeColorSky): I can’t remember what song it was, but it was by This Body is All I Have in This World. It was the last show I put together for the Worthen, a few days before the stay at home order. It had the aforementioned as the headliner, along with Disco Volante and Couch Sex. I remember Couch Sex’s last song, because it was called Do Drugs, Eat Bugs. God I miss live music.
Layzi: Justin Arena, I can’t remember which song ended the set though.
Evan (Familiar Spaces): I don’t remember which song Twin Brook closed with, but the last show I went to before lock down was their EP Release show for Bye Neighbor! and it was such a fun set to see!
Shallow Pools: Came Out Swinging by The Wonder Years
Favorite ballad
Kevin (Paper Rifles, Anti-Manifesto): This is a tough one. I’m going to go for Band of Horses “No One’s Gonna Love You.” Lyrically it’s not a full on romantic ballad, I think there’s some underlying meaning here, but it’s a beautiful song.
Dani (StrangeColorSky): This one was a little tough. Do I pick mine and my husband’s song, Harvest Moon by Neil Young? Do I go with Talking Heads’ This Must Be the Place because, ugh just so good? But for some reason, I landed on Seems So Long Ago, Nancy by Leonard Cohen. I honestly don’t know why this came to mind. It’s a fairly straight and narrow song musically, but I was listening to it again recently and Leonard Cohen’s lyrics just grip you. You feel like you really knew Nancy too. It’s beautiful.
Layzi: Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
Evan (Familiar Spaces): Midnight by Blindside. The chorus of this song has a certain vibe to it that I absolutely love between the vocals and clean guitars.
Shallow Pools: LMM by Hwa sa
Thanks so much to all our guests this month! A full playlist built on the choices of our guests can be found here, and the guests themselves can be found below.
