the Choice Music Awards

Joe writes:

It was ages ago now but I went to the Choice Music Awards in Ireland. Two Door Cinema Club won but my favourites were Villagers, James Vincent McMorrow and this song Little Red by Cathy Davey which could have been a UK hit in another era:

Kent

World's Greatest Music writes:

I was never into the Swedish band Kent until I heard this song

give it several listens - it's a grower

Pete Tong

Joe writes: I remember an Essential Selection show in 1999, and the first hour was just the most wonderful, eclectic mix of sounds. I even remember where I was at the time - walking along Kingsway in London. I didn't know many of the tracks but they sounded like the future and it turned out they were.

One of them was Artful Dodger/Craig David - Rewind:

And another was Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad? by Moby. If I remember correctly, the Play album was really a stiff until Pete started championing it:

I also remember the joy and excitement of hearing Dario G's Sunchyme for the first time on Pete's show:

And a big moment for me personally, because I'd campaigned for it to be re-released, was Pete making Born Slippy by Underworld his Essential New Tune even though it wasn't a new tune:

Everyone else soon followed.

"Rufus being fabulous"

Joe writes: Great live rendition of Rufus Wainwright's biggest song Oh What A World. Thanks to Nick Thompson for passing it on.

masturbation

Joe writes: There's a new band named after Oops (Oh My) by Tweet feat. Missy Elliott.

And here's another great song on a similar theme, I Touch Myself by The Divinyls, although the sound quality on Vevo doesn't really do it justice:

You Don't Know How Lucky You Are

Joe writes: Love this song by Keaton Henson which was on Track In The Box today thanks to Kyle Lynd, music supervisor for Skins. Beautiful guitar, beautiful lyric.

You Dont Know How Lucky You Are from Keaton Henson on Vimeo.

Villagers cover Back For Good

Joe writes: I love this guy's voice. And Back For Good is a one of the great pop songs of the past twenty years, but you already knew that right?

Truly exciting voice

Phil writes: I posted an mp3 of this ages ago but here's a YouTube video. I never tire of this:

Love it!

Phil writes: I came across this guy as I have a long-standing Google alert for Nizlopi. John from Nizlopi is now Jake Morley's bass player. Found this, along with other great tracks:



He can also play guitar in an extraordinary way:

Jar Of Hearts by Christina Perri

Joe writes: I've heard this song a few times and it appears I even bought it on iTunes, but it wasn't until I heard Paul Gambaccini play it on Radio 2 just now that I realised how good it is. It reminds me of Send In The Clowns or perhaps something from an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.

The Sun’s Gone Dim And The Sky’s Turned Black

Joe writes: A very striking piece of music by Jóhann Jóhannsson that features on the trailer to Battle Los Angeles

SXSW 2011: World's Greatest Music's definitive guide...

...to bands who are playing this year and made one great track in the nineties (written by Joe)

Need You Around by Smoking Popes:

Not An Addict by K's Choice

Johnny & Mary by Robert Palmer

Joe writes: I feel like I've known this melody all my life but I only realised what it is recently when I heard it on Radio 2.

Tired Of Being Sorry

Joe writes: I've just realised that the original version of Enrique Iglesias's hit is a track I liked back in 2006

Tribes - We Were Children

Joe writes: they sound like the music that Mark Goodier played when I first listened to the Evening Session on Radio 1, but they also sound modern (unlike so many modern guitar bands) - exciting

Quite unlike any other song - Scenes From An Italian Restaurant

Phil writes: Always refreshing to listen to such a song, particularly when it's as good as this one by Billy Joel:

did I mention that I met Mick Jones recently?

Joe writes: My favourite Big Audio Dynamite track is Applecart. Great drums and I liked the YouTube comment "Mick is a real melody man, always has been even in his Clash days." Yes. Listen!

A Haunting Duet

written by Chris Martin, so no surprise (Phil writes):

Inspired by Steinbeck

Phil writes: I guess that there are plenty of other songs inspired by books, but it is surely unusual for two songs as good as these to have been inspired by the same book, 'The Grapes of Wrath' (a 'must read' BTW):

Tyler The Creator - Yonkers

(posted by Joe)