The power of music. The music of power.

I listened to this in the car yesterday. First time I've played it in a long time. And it's 38 years old too. But that didn't stop the hairs standing up on my arms, so much so that I had to keep skipping back and playing it again. Reader, I may have played it four times in a row, singing along louder with every play.

For me this song is indelibly linked with seeing Bill in 1990, my American friend by my side, watching with unadulterated joy as all the support acts joined him on stage for this, the show's finale. I can see it now. I can feel it now.

What a song.

I'm still waiting, mind...

New to NA: Mouth Ulcers

Bandcamp is usually a good source of inspiration when bereft of blogging ideas. Within two minutes of logging in today, I'd found Mouth Ulcers. I'm not sure about the name, but the London four-piece put an intriguing spin on Interpol-lite (so Joy Division-lite-lite, I guess). Check out the Hooky bassline on Silent Pictures.

And then there's the Heart and Soul percussion on Satisfy.

Ones to watch, maybe. Still not sure about the name though...

More than you've ever lost

We listened to the football last night in the car, in the middle of a long, cross-country journey. We went from headlight-flashing joy when Gordon scored to silence when Argentina headed their stoppage-time winner. I wouldn't call it stunned silence though, because we knew it was coming, with all the inevitability of death and taxes.

I was more gutted than Amusements Minor, but then his generation are used to England getting to quarter- and semi-finals at every tournament. I want to tell him it isn't always like that, but why pile misery on misery?

Speaking of Amusements Minor, he really likes this song. I'll be honest, before he got into Blossoms I mostly knew them for being Rick Astley's Smiths. But this track, Pure Pop, has some very fitting lyrics for England's biennial football comedown, not least "More than you've ever lost, we came close..." and "I'm falling, my head and my heart up against the wind, I'm all in, praying for change again...". And then there's the opening line of the chorus which is how everyone I've spoken to today is feeling, even if only figuratively: "Can you believe the rainfall hasn't stopped?"

Also, for a song called Pure Pop, I quite like how the opening guitar motif seems to ape Gimme Gimme Gimme by Abba.

Anyway, strap in now for more heartache at the Euros in 2028 (though since that will be co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland we might actually have a home-advantage chance). But until then, with no sense we can dance to some Blossoms.

More than you've ever lost
We came close, pure pop
Are you sure that you've had enough
On your soul to wake it up?

I'm falling
My head and my heart up against the wind
I'm all in
Praying for change again, won't you say something

Can you believe the rainfall hasn't stopped?
All the things that made us happy
With no sense we dance to pure pop

Have I said too much
Of this life you curse?
Close enough to touch
Twist the knife, rumours

I'm trying
But you played love like it was a game
Your silence
Puts in the pain, the strain, the distance in you

Can you believe the rainfall hasn't stopped?
All the things that made us happy
With no sense we dance to pure pop

The days are long
You're hanging on
Let's call it off
Let's call it off
The days are long
You're hanging on
Let's call it off (repeat to fade)

Homonyms #6 - Superman

For the purposes of this blog, homonyms are different songs with the same title. And for the purposes of my sanity, I'm limiting each post to two songs, however many there may be that fit the bill.

Today we turn our eyes to Kal-El, last son of Krypton... with thanks to JC, who suggested this title.

Our first Superman is from David Gedge's other band, Cinerama. He might have switched jangly guitars for a string quartet, but the gritty drama of heartache and failed love is all present and correct.

REM's Superman is more upbeat. I suppose I ought to feature the original, since this is a cover of 60's band The Clique, but this is the version I know and love, and my gaff, my rules.

Supermen I have passed over include early Blur, Eminem, Stereophonics, Black Lace, Goldfinger, Tarrus Riley, and loads and loads more. And before you start, the Laurie Anderson song is called O Superman, so strictly speaking doesn't qualify as a homonym...

Do these make you want to leap tall buildings in a single bound? Or should they be banished to the Phantom Zone?

TLAP: Mash Gang Chug IPA

Another inspiration-free day, another alcohol-free ale review. Sigh.

Mash Gang Chug IPA

What's it like? The Mash Gang website describes this IPA as juicy, tropical and zesty. To their credit, it is all of those things. It comes in a funky-looking can with a welcome humorous touch (see how the beer leaks between the skeleton's ribs), is acceptably priced (just about), and has a hipper-than-thou yet ironic name (the irony being you can chug as much of this as you like without falling down). And it tastes genuinely nice, and is quenching. Trouble is, like a lot of other low/no IPAs (Atlantic's Run Wild being a case in point), without the visual reinforcement of seeing it in a glass you'd be hard-pressed to know you were drinking a beer. I'm not sure if this is a problem or not, but it might make you rethink the cost when compared to regular soft drinks.

Would I drink it in a pub? Yes.

Would I drink more than one? Maybe.

Would I drink it all night? Probably not.

Stats: 0.5% ABV. Calories 15 kcal/100ml. Currently £8.99 for 4x 330ml cans, direct from Chug Gang

Stars: ★★★⯪☆

A song to end, as usual. Mash Gang gives "mash", which gives "M*A*S*H", which gives the cover of Theme from M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless) by Manic Street Preachers.

Never disappointed

Any time there's a big football tournament on, I run the sweepstake at work. It generates conversation between people who don't normally have much to say to each other, so that's good, I guess.

Anyway, I offered the opinion last week that I thought it unlikely England would beat Mexico in the Azteca. People asked why I was so negative. The answer?

Looks like I posted the original of this, by Sophie's first band The Audience (or theaudience, as they styled themselves) five and a half years ago. Seems I was writing about my hope that Trump was gone from frontline politics, for good. You see, that's where hope gets you. Far better to be a pessimist.

That said, I do hope England can at least overcome Norway and teach someone how to "stay humble"...

Seventeen

This will be the last Counter post I make. I had picture posts for 18, 19 and 20 scheduled, but have deleted them now. These posts don't mark a birthday or a blog anniversary or anything celebratory like that, they are just a personal reminder of something for me. But because they are oblique and provided without context, people always comment with congratulatory messages that I then have to decline, and then everyone just feels awkward. So from now on, I'll just have to remember the date in my head. But for now, and for one last time on here...

Ye gods.

Randcamp: 4th of July

Another month, another Randcamp, and what better inspiration than the transatlantic celebration of freedom from tyrannical British rule. Searching "4th of July" threw up a lot of poor covers, but here are three original songs with that title.

Cassandra Sun are a four-piece from New York, three quarters of whom have beards. In their own words, they create "an eclectic brand of pop-oriented rock incorporating furious, prog-influenced drumming, bass as a counterpoint ... and textured, rhythmic guitar". So there.

The Dig are also a four-piece from New York, though none of them have beards. I've listened to their 4th of July and looked at their profile picture, yet cannot marry vocal and vocalist. Maybe you can.

Everson Pines break all the trends for this post. For a start there are five of them, and then they only come from Seattle. Whatever next? I quite like Pretty High (On the 4th of July), not least for its occasional unironic whoops - the band sound like they're having fun.

So, three tracks for the 4th of July. Which, if any, has you pledging allegiance to the flag? Or which makes you want to spew into the nearest available MAGA hat?

TLAP: St Peter's Without Original

Kickstarting the month with another drab alcohol-free ale review. Sorry.

St Peter's Without Original

What's it like? This comes from the Suffolk-based St Peter's brewery and, like many of their ales, comes in a vaguely medicinal bottle that wouldn't look out of place in a Victorian apothecary. Unfortunately for this reviewer, at least, their alcohol-free "Without Original" offering tasted vaguely medicinal too - it's just so excessively malty. If you like that, good for you, but this felt like a chore to drink. It's also quite sticky on the lips, which suggests a lot of sugar, though the maltiness overpowers the sweetness. They do a "Without Organic Pale Ale" and a "Without Gold" too, and maybe they're nicer, but this "Original" is not for me, sorry.

Would I drink it in a pub? No.

Would I drink more than one? No.

Would I drink it all night? No.

Stats: 0.0% ABV. Calories 26 kcal/100ml (markedly higher than most ales featured in this series). Currently £15.95 for 8x 500ml bottles, direct from St Peter's Brewery

Stars: ★★☆☆☆

A song to end, as usual. I guess it's hard to look much beyond Nilsson and Without You, but we've all heard that a million times. So here's Harry with a slightly different take, that might be new to you.