Playlists: Singles

[TrueFaith77]

More fun with iTunes.

As some may be aware, I really enjoy making playlists cataloguing the "singles" of many of my favorite artists, including Stevie, Lindsey (I should do one for Christine!), Public Enemy, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, etc. Aaaaanyway, my latest was unusual for me because, rather than simply collate the singles by an artist whose catalogue I already own, I decided to make a playlist of singles of an artist whose work I mostly don't know.

Echo & The Bunnymen is one of my favorite albums of all time, but I have not done much in the way of exploring the band's other work beyond getting Ocean Rain (which didn't do much for me @ the time) and, of course, downloading the gorgeous track "Nothing Lasts Forever" (which is rumoured to have some elements of Johnny Marr on guitar). Aaaanyway, I find the playlist I recently constructed of 27 Singles to be really quite interesting as an introduction to their work and themes (an ambivalent relationship to organized religion combined with a profound recognition of spiritual phenomenon and declarations of faith) as well as an interesting way of tracking the development of their style (from hypnotic, atmospheric post-punk to angular, hook-laden power-pop). I play it as one continuous playlist but if burned to CDs, I recommend separating at the point the band broke up (1987) and their reunion ten years later. While it makes me want to explore more of their albums, it also leaves me content to have this as a complete experience--every bit of which is wonderful.

One will note that the three rhythm changes in the intro to "Bring On the Dancing Horses" represent two more rhythms than U2 has achieved in its entire career. And, then, there's more...


NOTHING LASTS FOREVER: The Singles
Echo & The Bunnymen

SEEKERS: 1979-1987
1. "The Pictures on My Wall" (from Crocodiles)
2. "Rescue" (from Crocodiles)
3. "The Puppet" (single)
4. "A Promise" (from Heaven Up Here)
5. "Over the Wall" (from Heaven Up Here)
6. "The Back of Love" (from Porcupine)
7. "The Cutter" (from Porcupine)
8. "Never Stop" (single)
9. "The Killing Moon" (from Ocean Rain)
10. "Silver" (from Ocean Rain)
11. "Seven Seas" (from Ocean Rain)
12. "Bring On the Dancing Horses" (from Songs to Learn & Sing)
13. "The Game" (from Echo & the Bunnymen)
14. "Lips Like Sugar" (from Echo & the Bunnymen)
15. "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo" (from Echo & the Bunnymen)
16. "People Are Strange" (from The Lost Boys soundtrack)

DEACONS: 1997-2009
17. "Nothing Lasts Forever" (from Evergreen)
18. "I Want to Be There (When You Come)" (from Evergreen)
19. "Don’t Let It Get You Down" (from Evergreen)
20. "Rust" (from What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?)
21. "Get in the Car" (from What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?)
22. "It's Alright" (from Flowers)
23. "Make Me Shine" (from Flowers)
24. "Stormy Weather" (from Siberia)
25. "In the Margins" (from Siberia)
26. "Scissors in the Sand" (from Siberia)
27. "Think I Need It Too" (from The Fountain)