| Music you can't live without |
| A rather dramatic title, but "recommended music" or "my favourite music" just sounded so pallid and uninteresting. So although your life will still have purpose without these albums and songs, I still urge you to give them a try! |
| Soundtrack to Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain- Yann Tiersen- This was meant to be the soundtrack to this webpage, but Yahoo only really supports midi files, and when I tried to convert "J'y suis jamais all�" to midi, it sounded psychotic. Somehow, I didn't think that would attract traffic! Anyway, what I like about this soundtrack is that Yann Tiersen's music is vibrant and evocative, and reminds you of the film's quirkiness and cheerfulness. Unlike a lot of film soundtracks, I find that there is quite a variety of melodies here, instead of the same theme reworked in every track. |
| Move Along- All-American Rejects- I have heard this group described as mainstream and not experimental, but somehow that doesn't seem like a bad thing. The title track, "Dirty Little Secret" is very catchy, and there are several other songs on the album that are just as good, such as "Night Drive" and "Move Along". This is particularly important to me, as I've found that on the most recent albums that I've purchased, the only stand-out song is the leading single. |
| Soundtrack from Love Actually- Craig Armstrong and Various Artists- I LOVE this movie, so maybe that's why I like the soundtrack so much- I associate the music with different parts of the movie. However, I think the soundtrack can stand alone with such artists as Kelly Clarkson and Dido contributing. Maybe it's not suitable for all occasions, as it can be a bit lovey-dovey, but it's still really sweet, especially "The PM's Theme". |
| Dizzy Up the Girl- Goo Goo Dolls- Now this is a classic album! At least three of the songs on this album got to number one, and one of them, "Iris" remains a staple of movie soundtracks and rock compilations. The lyrics are brilliant, and both the lead singer and one of the guitarists do vocals, as seen on "January Friend". My personal favourite has to be Broadway. Crank it up and sing along! |
| Now and in Time to Be- Various Artists- This album is basically a tribute to Yeats, with his poems being put to music in many different ways, with famous names like Van Morrison, The Waterboys and The Cranberries all contributing. There are also recordings of Richard Harris reciting Yeats' poetry, and, more amazingly, of Yeats reciting! I'm probably biased in my opinion because I love Yeats, but for every Yeats fan, this is a must-have. |