Nachtmares!

Sorry for the delay in posting this, folks. Turns out I’ve had to unfortunately deal with a few of my rough, tough, existential fears over the last couple of months, which is one of the reasons why it’s been so quiet around these parts. Anyway, onto the list — I’ll keep it short & sweet:

1. Elvis Costello, “Veronica”
   This is the most deceptively peppy song I’ve ever heard. Co-written by Paul McCartney, it’s an absolutely heartbreaking portrait of losing someone to a form of dementia like Alzheimer’s.
2. Manic Street Preachers, “Ocean Spray”
   The first song that singer James Dean Bradfield wrote for the Manics is their most direct single ever. In it, he details sitting at his mother’s bedside while she dies in hospital, pleading for her to “stay awake.” This song will level you, especially if you’ve ever had to watch a loved one deteriorate in a hospital.
3. David Bowie, “My Death”
   Every once in a while, I have a multi-day case of insomnia thanks to a dream about my death. Been a while since I’ve had one, but hearing Bowie’s song again today will likely mean a sleepless holiday season for me.
4. Eels, “The Stars Shine In The Sky Tonight”
   E unfortunately seems to specialize in elegiac laments, and this number from the often overlooked Blinking Lights and Other Revelations packs a whallop: never has the feeling of being left behind after the loss of a loved one been more vivid.
5. Tom Waits, “The Earth Died Screaming”
   Waits’ description of the apocalypse is as unsettling as the arrangement.
6. David Bowie, “Always Crashing The Same Car”
   The fear of getting into an accident is the biggest reason I finally got my driver’s license at 32.
7. Pearl Jam, “Hey Foxymophandlemama, That’s Me”
   The only really creepy song on my list, PJ veered into “Revolution 9″ territory with this nightmare-inducing sonic pastiche. I first heard it late at night while listening to my vinyl copy of Vitalogy for the first, and, until compiling this list, only time. Unsettling stuff.

Download: Elvis Costello, “Veronica” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Manic Street Preachers, “Ocean Spray” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: David Bowie, “My Death” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Eels, “The Stars Shine In The Sky Tonight” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Tom Waits, “The Earth Died Screaming” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: David Bowie, “Always Crashing The Same Car” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Pearl Jam, “Hey Foxymophandlemama, That’s Me” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download all the songs in a handy ZIP file:

Download: “Nachtmares!” (ZIP)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)