I wonder what the night sky would be without the uncountable stars decorating it... It is them that keep us up at night, looking high, wondering if we are alone in this universe after all... 1. On This Night Of A Thousand Stars – Jimmy Nail
(Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice)
Jimmy Nail as Agustin Magaldi, in the movie based on the musical Evita, by Webber and Rice, from Alan Parker, in 1996, starring Madonna. A melody in tango style, from the ones I imagine Webber easily writes, even asleep...
2. My Star – Brainstorm
(Renars Kaupers)
From the first time I heard the Latvians Brainstorm singing this really nice pop song in the 2000 Eurovision Song Contest, I really liked them. It was partly the madness in the performers' eyes, and partly their plain but resourceful melody that made me notice them and start watching them, from a relative distance of course. Really nice!
3. Avenue Of Stars – Prefab Sprout
(Paddy McAloon)
“Love is an avenue of stars” sings Paddy McAloon in this track out of Andromeda Heights (1997), accompanied by stringed instruments and sax, introducing us to an atmosphere and a mood only he and his gang know how to create.
4. Stars Die – Porcupine Tree
(Steven Wilson)
The successors of Pink Floyd, according to many, in an imposing song from The Sky Moves Sideways (1995), their third studio album. Their leader, Steven Wilson, in one of his most powerful moments, as regards the compositions.
5. Strange News From Another Star – Blur
(Damon Albarn-Graham Coxon-Alex James-Dave Rowntree)
Melancholy is pervasive in this osng from Blur's fifth studio album, entitled after their name. Acoustic guitars, keys and lo-fi style in a dramatic 'left' turn after the illustrated The Great Escape.
6. It’s Written In The Stars – Paul Weller(Paul Weller)
the first single from Illumination in 2002 finds Modfather in soul paths, using wind instruments loops and delivering an exceptional song, one of the few so good samples of his work in that album, which was rather mediocre for his standards...
7. A Star Is Born – Amusement Parks On Fire
(Michael Feerick-Dan Knowles-Peter Dale-Jez Cox-John Sampson)
Michael Feerick, the driving force behind this band from Britain's Nottingham, sounds here deeply influenced by the sound of Sigur Ros, in the studio of which the recording of the album Out Of The Angeles (2006) took place. Still, it reserves its own, clearle more pop, identity.
8. Starman – David Bowie
(David Bowie)
Perhaps it is needless for someone to repeat what a significant part in the history of the modern popular music form we call rock has been played by the concept album The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, released by Bowie in 1972. One of the reasons that make it so great, is this song.
9. Shooting Star – Bob Dylan
(Bob Dylan)
With Oh Mercy in 1989, Dylan received his first good reviews after many years. The producer Daniel Lanois had found a new sound to dress up the compositions of the veteran sonmgwriter and the latter had finally awaken from a long creative languor. This specific song is a cool moment, the best for someone to watch the starry sky, lying down in a summer night...
10. Like A Star – Corrine Bailey Rae
(Corrine Bailey Rae)
We close with the opening song - and first single - from the debut album by Corrine Bailey Rae, which was released in 2006, antitled after her name. An exceptional, warm performance, beautiful, acoustic instrumentation - in one word: soul. See you again!
* Photos from http://www2.umszki.hu/leczb/Graphics/Backgrounds/night_sky_large_02.jpg και www.wikipedia.org.
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