music: Smashing Pumpkins . Mellon collie and the infinite sadness (1995)

This album is nothing short of magical, from the beautiful first track that names the album, to the radio friendly tonight, tonight with its violins and Billy Corgan’s unique voice. To one of my all time favorite songs: the wonderful 1979.

Mellon Collie will definitely take you places. In my case, it reminds me of the insecure (but free in a way that only teenagers can be) boy I used to be. 1979 in particular reminds of all the possibilities, fears and expectations I used to have as a 17/18 year old... I was a seriously fucked up kid, therefore pretty normal :)

While it is true that the track listening could have been arranged differently, and some tracks like we only come out at night kind of stand out as odd in the middle such of great tunes, this album can still be considered a classic.

Reminds me of : teenagehood, Larry Clark kids, Sofia Coppola's Virgin Suicides, having crushes on pratically every girl I met, feeling awkward afterwards :)

8/10 Smashing Pumpkins at it's best. 

music: In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 (2008)

I grew up listening to Waldemar Bastos voice on the radio. He is hands down one of the most beautiful voices the Angolan and African music market has ever heard (those who’ve heard velha chica, know exactly what I mean).

His interpretation of love is blindness alone makes this album unique.

When combined with giants like Angélique Kidjo (reinterpreting mysterious ways) and Vusi Mahlasela (sometimes you can’t make it on your own), you have a veeeery special record in your hands.

Track Listing:
1. Angelique Kidjo “Mysterious Ways”
2. Vieux Farka Touré “Bullet The Blue Sky”
3. Ba Cissoko “Sunday Bloody Sunday”
4. Vusi Mahlasela “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own”
5. Tony Allen “Where The Streets Have No Name”
6. Cheikh Lô “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
7. Keziah Jones “One”
8. Les Nubians “With Or Without You”
9. Soweto Gospel Choir “Pride (In The Name Of Love)”
10. Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars “Seconds”
11. African Underground All-Stars Featuring Chosan, Optimus & Iyeoka “Desire”
12. Waldemar Bastos “Love Is Blindness”
 

Reminds me of: Jubilee 2000, U2, Africa, Angola, IMF vs Africa, Mali Music by Ko Kan Ko Sata Doumbia, Toumani Diabate, Afel Bocoum and Damon Albarn

8/10 Rip it, download it or steal it, but have it in your album collection.

music: Sun Kil Moon - April (2008)

Some say that music is memory. And this concept is true in Mark Kozelek’s music and lyrics. 

While sharing his experiences in songs like Tonight In Bilbao, one cannot help but look back into the past for similar feelings of belongingness to a geographic place. 

In my case, this song reminded me of my town, Luanda, seen from the eyes of a kid on the passenger seat of my mother’s car.

I really recommend this guy's music, his voice is that of a man who has somewhat lived and is trying to look back into his past, without necessarily trying to explain it. In that sense (lyrically) his songs remind me a lot of  Leonard Cohen’s later albums.

Although not in this album, Sun Kil Moon's epic song Duk Koo Kim, is an all time favourite of mine. Read the story behind the music.

Reminds me of: Leonard Cohen's Avalanche and In my secret life, Duk Koo Kim VS Ray Mancini the fight, meeting with old friends, Jeff Buckley singing Halelujah, Dr.House

9/10 A very special album