I am at choir rehearsal but by the magic of the interwebs here is a running commentary on tonight’s @TunnFM playlist put together by yours truly.

1. Pixies – Bird Dream of Olympus Mons – start with a classic they always say. Well, I say anyway for this evening. And we all know all Pixies songs are classics so enjoy this stonking guitar punk pop anthem.

2. Karen O & Ezra Koenig – The Moon Song – you know I approached Her with some apprehension because quite frankly the idea of a film about a young chap having a relationship with his operating system seemed rather ridiculous. (Excuse me while I check my twitter account for the zillionth time today!). But, to my surprise I found it poignant and affecting. I also found this stunningly delicate song just wonderful. If I could sing like Karen O I would be quite happy.

3. The Chemical Brothers – Block Rockin’Beats – good. heavy beats. something. I’m not very au fait with this genre of music but I know what I like and this is it.

4. Mono Puff – Hillbilly Drummer Girl – John Flansburgh can’t do anything wrong. Ever. Don’t argue with me.

5. Yeah Yeah Yeah – Hysteric – see above comments about Karen O. Also thank one Mr Matt Davey for alerting my post PhD addled brain to this and many other songs a few years ago.

6. Hanson – MMMBop – NOW STOP RIGHT THERE. I know this is truly daggy but it is an amazing pop song the like of which we shall probably not see again. One Direction can only wish they had a hit like this. I actually think me putting this in my playlist makes a cool hipster (rather than a lame-arse hipster…yes, you know there’s a difference). I’m the kind of hipster who identifies with those hipsters who choose not to identify as hipsters.

7. Elvis Costello – Alison – The 1st great song called Alison. The other one is by Frank Black etc. I’ll save that for another time.

8. The Avett Brothers – Die Die Die – If you don’t love the Avett Brothers then I’m afraid we can’t be friends. Well, we can I guess but we just have to agree to disagree on the genius of the Avett Brothers. Like I tweeted last week re Dave Grohl…I do love a chap who can wear his hair in plaits.

9. Pixies – Velouria – Make the 9th song in any playlist a classic they always say. I have obeyed.

10. Kate Rusby – Awkward Annie – I discovered Kate Rusby when she sang Village Green Preservation Society in the credits for Jennifer Saunders slightly patchy sitcom Jam and Jerusaleum. I love her voice and her singing of the English folk music style. You should too.

11. Jackson 5 – I Want You Back – Yes, I realise none of you live in caves or under rocks and we all know the tragedy that Michael Jackson became. But here, he was just part of a totally grooving family singing act. Earworm alert.

12. Beck – Sing it Again – I love Beck. I forgave him his potential one-hit-wonderness of Loser. Odelay is a work of total genius for the ages. So is his latest album and everything he has done in between. Even that album he put out as only sheet music. No   questions. No begging your pardons. (Wendy channels Roy and HG momentarily).

13. They Might Be Giants – Circular Karate Chop – Just accept that any collection of my music will contain at least one, if not more, TMBG song and move on with your life.

14. Wilco – I’m the Man Who Loves You – another classic from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot…the album that converted me completely to alt-country-whatever it’s called.

15. Frank Black – Dark End of the Street – from the Honeycomb album that I didn’t know existed until my savvy brother recommended it to me (the story of my music listening life during the 2000s. See note about PhD earlier). It’s low key, darker in tone and completely wonderful.

16. Feist – 1234 – cute. catchy. What else do you need from a song? Nuthin!

17. David Bowie – Life on Mars? – I was late to the magnetism and genius of David Bowie. What was I waiting for? I have no freaking idea.

18. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Home – almost too catchy for its own good this one. I love it in spite of my better judgement.

19. Custard – Girls Like That – Brisbane 90s bands REPRESENT.

20. The Shins – Simple Song – I think you either love or hate The Shins and the line is very fine. I mostly fall on the side of love.

21. Fleet Foxes – He Doesn’t Know Why – my adoration of vocal harmonies explains my adoration of Fleet Foxes.

22. The Breeders – Cannonball – Kim Deal with sister Kelley showing us how to write a tremendous pop song.

23. Tom Waits – Come On Up to the House – would you like some gravel with that sir? Yes the voice is almost too much, but this song is ah-mazing in the ballad stakes. Thank you sir.

24. Flight of the Conchords – Rambling Through the Avenues of Time – anything that manages to satirise Piano Man and make me laugh out loud while I have a crush on both Bret and Jermaine has to be good. Doesn’t it?

25. Kristin Hersh – Your Ghost – one of the best, circular-chordy-type songs I have ever heard.

26. Jonathan Coulton – Code Monkey – thanks to @Rocketpilot and @CirculatingLib for pointing me in the direction of Jonathan Coulton. I adore all his songs and you need to as well. (You may have noticed I’m quite bossy when it comes to music recommendations. Music is to be taken very seriously people. VERY)

27. Fountains of Wayne – Sink to the Bottom – big dumb catchy riff and chord progression. Can’t go wrong really can we.

28. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova – Falling Slowly – Now I know this is now a successful Broadway musical but before it went all starry on your asses, it was an amazing musical film that contained this soaringly, beautiful song. Lush.

29. Pixies – Gigantic – Make the 29th song in any playlist a classic they say. I had no choice really.

30. Stevie Wonder – For Once in My Life – I never, ever get tired of this song. Never. Stevie is an amazing songwriter and musician. Dance the night away.

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