For the first time ever I’ve done a great big cheat and chosen an album I bought 18 years ago (for the record, from Our Price in Brentwood, on the day of release, and I can still remember them playing London Loves over the speakers). Why? Because I was at the excellent Winter Gardens gig yesterday and it’s still ringing in my ears – one of the great contributions to music. Really. Parklife is a truly underrated offering – too many people dismiss it as being derivative of the mockney-voiced title track, but it’s much, much more than that.
There was also a bit of an Olympics tribute tonight with, erm, Olympian, erm, Olympic Airways, erm, erm, songs with bike and canoe in the title and even Synchronised Swimmers.
Blur – Tracy Jacks
Abdoujaparov – Beer Scooter
Dingus Khan – Made A List
Avenue – Come Back Another Day
Gene – Olympian
Others – I’ll Keep You Safe
Avenue – Rolling Thunder
Neo – Phoenix Lane
Human Foals – Olympic Airways
Alpaca Sports – She’ll Come Back For Indian Summer
Blur – London Loves
Filthy Revolution – Walkin’ These Shoes
Hafdís Huld – Synchronised Swimmers
Be Your Own Pet – Bicycle Bicycle, You Are My Bicycle
Elastica – Stutter
JJ72 – October Swimmer
Muse – Time Is Running Out
Avenue – Skyline
Extradition Order – Canoe
Pink Floyd – Bike
Moscow Olympics – Still
Radiohead – Planet Telex
Gestir – Sum Urt
Jarvis – Don’t Let Him Waste Your Time
School of Seven Bells – Scavenger
Avenue – Stun Gun
Vile Electrodes – Re-Emerge
Blur – This Is A Low