"Academia" by Sia with Beck – A clever song using different measurements and words of measurement to express a definite sentiment. It’s catchy and clever… “I am a dash and you are a dot, when will you see that I’m all you got.”
“I’m greater than X but lesser than Y so why is it that I still can’t catch your eye.”
The person here is a “difficult equation” and if she is a number she is “infinity plus one.” I haven’t liked much from Sia after the terrific "Breathe Me," which admittedly was pretty damn hard to beat and now there is the Mylo Remix of that song which is also very good.
"Academia" is the best thing to come along in a while and how she gets those words out like an auctioneer I don’t know. I wonder in concert, if she will need the lyrics in front of her or if she will remember them all – certainly, I could not. A fun hop-skip-and-a –jump song that reminds me of playing hopscotch or hand-slap games as a child back in Britain.
"Sweetest Decline" by Beth Orton - Beth Orton has such a range that she can pull off a lot and this is but one of her sides that I find here. I can’t classify it or put it into any particular category. Throughout this song there are brief interruptions that are all so human, such as “so” and “anyway” as if she is having a conversation with us. It makes us relate even more as if we are in the story with her. You have to love the title. A decline never thought of as sweet before, yet the commingling of the words here seems perfectly natural, poetic.
Thanks for listening
Article comments
1 - Steve
Hmm, what happened to List #26, Sadi?? (wink).
Anyway, I noticed your 'Afterhours' tune by Velvet Underground is featured on their 1969 self-titled album which is #314 on Rolling Stone magazine's Top 500 albums of all-time. I haven't heard it before (to my knowledge anyway). I only have one or two covers of their songs, one a 1993 version by OMD ('Sunday Morning') and one a 1983 version by Japan ('All Tomorrow's Parties'), the original is from VU & Nico's 1966 self-titled album which is #13 on the afore-mentioned Rolling Stone list.
I have David Gray's albums 'White Ladder' & 'New Day At Midnight', the former has live concert video of my fave song of his, 'Please Forgive Me' (a love song), on the enhanced CD version of the album, sounds great live too.
I recall the Elvis Costello video of 'Everyday...' from 1983, I have the song on his 2CD 'Best Of...' from 1999. 'Pump It Up' is a fave of mine by him, well sampled in the dance track 'Voodoo Child' by the Rogue Traders in the last year or two.
Nice List as always, Sadi.
2 - Steve
Hey, Sadi,
Long time no hear! Are you gonna have a new List for March? (Also, see comments above if you haven't already).
3 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
hey Steve --
i'm sorry. It's just that i have about one month to finish this book and i really need to get it done, so i'm working very very very hard on that.... ahhhhh.... but i will get to your comments and i will be doing a next column soon (just for a break from the book) it's just htat today i'm working on the book (hope you'll buy a copy when i'm done!)...
cheers, and i'll def. get to the above comments....right now i'm feeling super harried and terrified, frankly....
4 - Steve
OK, Sadi,
No sweat. Good to hear you are keeping busy.
5 - Steve
Hey, Sadi,
Hope you met your book deadline on time. Let us know when the next List will be out!
6 - Steve
Hey, Sadi!
Any idea when the next List will be?
7 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
hey Steve - i tried to respond ages ago, but Askimet wouldn't let me (!!) but the next list is up. It's called The Grand Central Mix... so cherche-toi...
hope you like it :)
love, etc
s.
8 - Steve
Thanks so much, Sadi. I will check it out!