Ode to AIR

Last week's favorite song was AIR's newby called "Sing Sang Sung" and it is already high on the playlist for this week, and its only monday. I have always considered AIR to be up there in my i can listen to them at any time bands and looking back at their back catalogue has just confirmed this statement in my mind.
I found AIR with their album Moon Safari. It was out 1998 but i found them a few years later at Art College. "Kelly Watched the Stars" and "All i Need" were amazing songs then and still are now. One of the best moments in time for me was watching these guys play "All I Need" at V festival in 2008 just as it started to rain, and just when i was lifting. Im actually listening to it right now. *Shivers* I never really got into the lady singing on this track, Beth Hirsch.. maybe i should.

Other AIR highlights for me include "Alone in Kyoto". When my sister said to me a few months ago that she wanted to walk down the aisle at her wedding to this song, i couldnt agree more. This track is stunning, strong and not overwhelming. It has a certain type if patience about it. When it was included in the film Lost in Translation, it tied the film all together for me. Also when i have travelled into Kyoto i always have this song playing to me.


















AIR's album 10,000Hz Legend has two of my fav songs ever on it. "Radio #1" always reminds me of living in London and having nothing better to do then put on Radio 1 and dance around in my lounge room in my trackies. It was such a random time in my life, but was so much fun, and full of new things and new people based all around music.
"The Vagabond", well i mean how can you go past Beck singing on this one? Well that and a harmonica? Beck is such a great artist and for him to team up with AIR and make such an emotional, yet happy tune gets me. The line 'i could loose myself right here' and ' i do my best not to worry about things' sums me up in a 5.37 minute song.


















Then you have AIR making the soundtrack to the movie The Virgin Suicides. Based on the book by Jeffrey Eugenides and directed by Sofia Coppola this movie helped launch film careers for both Kirsten Dunst and Josh Hartnett, (however i loved Kathleen Turners performance). The opening track on this album, "Playground Love" has an amazing film clip based around a piece of chewing gum, please watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mQ4reLS8Lo























This brings me to AIR's last album, Pocket Symphony. Three years in the making, i think this album was quite strong in many aspects. I have read that on this album the duo experimented with some traditional Japanese instruments. This ties in nicely with many of the Japanese named songs that AIR have had throughout their tracklisting history.
The single "Once Upon a Time" is quite fitting, pleasant in a way but also very fairytale like. As if you are going on a journey to an unknown place. The song "One Hell of a Party" is such a dark tune, but has a realm of reality. Like a drunk night followed by the morning after. And with my sexy man Jarvis Cocker on vocals how could you go wrong? Seriously!
The album cover also i love. By artist Xavier Veilhan who is known for his interdisciplinary artworks.


















So this brings me to the point of why did i miss their sold out Sydney show at the Opera House?? I myself do not know the reason why, and i dont think i ever will. People have told me it was magical and dream like, unlike anything else, and that they had goosebumps during the whole show. This photo just cements this in my mind.

















Image taken by Mark Metcalfe