Review: Shamir, 'Northtown'

With a flamboyant bravado to compliment the range of his influences, Shamir has crafted an extremely exciting debut EP in Northtown. The 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Las Vegas effortlessly blends pop-song sensibilities with house influences whilst staying true to pop and funk elements from his spiritual home in the 80's. Through all this, Shamir is able to bridge the gap between what should be listened to with the utmost attention and what should be danced to without care.

When sitting down to listen to Northtown, its minimal production is strikingly apparent. What is also worth noting is how appropriate this is. On the opening track If It Wasn't True we can hear a multitude of different styles. Treated poorly, this concoction of an 80's Grace Jones-esque bassline superimposed over a house beat, with a melodic and percussive keyboard arrangement, could become too dense and oppressive. The light-handed production does not allow this to happen and so saves the track from becoming just another mind-numbing house tune that thumps you around the ears. The production style allows the complex electronic arrangement of If It Wasn't True to shine through. This can also be said for the loop-heavy Sometimes a Man. Most of all though it allows Shamir's natural and soulful voice to shine through as the standout component of his sound. It never seems like he is trying too hard when singing. Like the record, there doesn't seem to be much effort going into the powerful subtlety of his voice, a voice that's androgynous without becoming sexless. It is hard to invest so much personality in a voice but with Shamir it comes across so naturally.

Different tracks on the EP show off different facets of Shamir's voice and personality in great contrasts of style. Vocally, Sometimes a Man is able to give off a forceful desperation bordering on melodramatic. This leads into the confessional ballad 'I'll Never Be Able to Love which continues the melodrama but in a more elegiac tone. Showing again Shamir's 80's sensibilities, the song harks back to Prince's Nothing Compares 2 U as well as Whitney Houston. But then at 2:10 minutes a cascade of dubstep falls over the track. Amazingly, however, the vocal isn't overpowered and remains the centerpiece of the track. The dance influences are integral to Northtown and give it a bit of edge and coarseness but they never detract from the overall quality of the songs or the vocals. They are subtle for the most part and even when the sirens are blaring on Sometimes a Man, the quality of the composition is not depleted.

And it is the composition of the songs that makes Northtown such an exciting debut. For all the genre-blending and near-subliminal production, if the songs weren't stellar 'Northtown' could have easily slipped under the radar. It is Shamir's appreciation for a well-crafted pop song that really makes the record take off. Such appreciation resonates in the cover of Lindi Ortega's Lived and Died Alone. An already simplistic song in its arrangement on Ortega's Tin Star, Shamir strips the song to its bare bones. With just a guitar and voice, the bittersweet quality of Ortega's song comes through with a sparse and ethereal quality not so pronounced on her version. At the same time, Shamir's own songs stand up alongside the cover. This cannot be said for the majority of debut EPs. In this respect, he is more than just an emerging pop/dance act but an emerging singer-songwriter with true quality.

Rating: 8/10

Listen here for Shamir's track If It Wasn't True.

Is the NHS falling into private hands?

With talk of EU-US trade private trade deals on healthcare and private investment in cancer care, many on the left fear that the privatisation of the NHS under a Tory-led government is imminent. Unite have gone so far as to refer to recent EU-US deals as the first step in the “Tory drive towards privatisation.” In the run-up to the 2015 general election, the Tories are being shrewd in their handling of the problems facing the NHS and continue to flag up faults in the system without taking major action to remedy them.

Yes, the Tories have been giving themselves a pat on the back on the basis of statistics that indicate a decrease in A&E; waiting times. However, the House of Commons library has revealed these claims to be “simplistic” and are contradicted by better data sources. Not only does this reveal that Tory claims are simplified but also that they are superficial and false. Such false claims are a ploy by the Conservatives to convince the public that they are trying to fix the NHS. And through individuals such as Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who can still shamelessly proclaim to be the “patients’ champion”, the Tories can bolster the illusion that they are doing everything they can for the NHS.

In the meantime, newspapers such as the Daily Mail and the Telegraph shift blame away from the government and turn attention to the supposed failings of the NHS itself. Criticism has focused on numerous aspects such as the 18-week waiting period for routine operations,incompetence on the part of NHS watchdog Monitor, the NHS’s expenditure on cosmetic surgery and the lack of cancer referral from GPs. Hunt’s slandering is far more dangerous though. His public rebuking of GP practices that do not refer enough patients for cancer care and “poor” NHS trusts has created a name-and-shame mentality. A crafty political tactic indeed. On the one hand, Hunt is able to continue the facade that the Conservatives are working in the NHS’s best interest. On the other, in smearing the NHS, the Tories are able to pass the buck for the NHS’s performance onto staff, CQC and Monitor. Funding cuts, which saw a decrease in 4000 senior nursing posts and an increase in pay for executive directors by 6 percent, remain unmentioned and are conveniently left in the dark.

Amid all the criticism, one fact has shone through. The NHS cannot continue to expand stably without greater funding. In some ways, it’s almost as if conservatives wish to portray a state-funded NHS as a lost cause. This may seem melodramatic but when the Telegraph remarks that the NHS “doesn’t have a prayer,” it is hard to imagine that conservative thinkers are remaining impartial on the subject. When Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb, the Minister of State for Care and Support, described the NHS as a“blackhole”, the Mail were quick to jump in.

The Mail raised the possibility of patients having to pay for some services or a raise in taxes thus generating further doubt over the stability of the service. Neither of the options are popular, especially the latter. This is evident from the unpopular Labour proposal to increase national insurance by a penny in a similar fashion to the one percent rise during Gordon Brown’s tenure as Chancellor of the Exchequer. That being said, the idea of paying for services is hardly popular either but funds need to be found somewhere. This in turn opens the door for private deals being made in the NHS.

This is not entirely new. Under New Labour, private finance incentives were responsible for the building of 101 new hospitals. However, under new propositions from the Tory-led government, cancer care could fall under private contracts in a £700 million deal. The agreement would stipulate 10-years of private firms providing cancer care at four NHS clinical commissioning groups in Staffordshire. This deal would then see the outsourcing of £1.2 billion of taxpayer-funded resources to private firms such as Virgin, Care UK and Ramsey Health. Whilst this deal would only place four clinical commissioning groups under private control, it is thought that this may be the first conquest of NHS resources in a piece-by-piece approach to privatisation. This sort of speculation is fair and not unjustified. Unite again warns that the secretive EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) could also spell the irreversible privatisation of the NHS. Irreversible is the key word here. As well as increasing the power of multinational investors such as big businesses and hedge funds, investors from US healthcare multinationals and Wall Street can sue the UK government if European governments try to reverse investments made under TTIP.

Whilst such EU-US trade deals are under control of the European Commission, and although Ignacio Garcia Bercero (director of the USA and Canada division of the European Commission) has reassured Labour that EU member states will still be able to manage their health systems, there is some doubt over whether Cameron’s management of private investment would be in the UK’s best interest. It seems as if the NHS’s fate will be decided post-general election. Whilst Bercero assures NHS safeguarding, the prospect of foreign investment from the US and domestic investment from the likes of private firms may be too tempting for Cameron to pass up. With papers like the Mail criticising the money spent on cosmetic surgery and procedures to tackle obesity, Cameron has been given a rationale that state spending has not been frugal enough, the non-partisan watchdog Monitor is not up to the job and that only private hands with private investment can keep the NHS from collapsing in on itself.

Kasabian - Victoria Park, Leicester – 21.06.2014
supported by Beardy Man, Zane Lowe (DJ Set), Jagwar Ma and Rudimental (DJ Set)

“LEICESTER! LEICESTER! LEICESTER!”
“WE HATE YOU NORTHERN BASTARDS!”
“WHO THE FUCK ARE LEEDS?”
After an hour in Victoria Park, I soon realised that these phrases, shouted by the Leicesterians that made up the 50,000 in attendance for Kasabian’s open air homecoming, were becoming the mantras for the event itself. They kind of gave Victoria Park a voice with a Leicesterian accent that was making me very glad I decided not to wear my Leeds Celtics American Football t-shirt. I concede that at first I felt like I was intruding on the city of Leicester; a two-hour train journey being my method of invading a celebration for the whole of Leicester. Still, under the June sun and the wave of sound from the self-deprecating “small, diminutive Jew” Beardyman, I started to really feel like it was the summer solstice. Ok, it was the Nandos I had a few hours earlier that made me feel summery but Beardyman helped. This seemed to be the main intention behind the choice of support acts. On first viewing of the line up, I was disappointed at the number of DJ sets after such a drawn out waiting period. After refreshing the NME homepage for what feels like the billionth time, it is rather depressing to hear that the premier support act is a Rudimental DJ set. It does seem that the event organisers were merely going for a line up that was nothing to get excited about and unlikely to upstage the headline act. That being said, the support acts were enjoyable. Beardyman, with his unique brand of beatbox-tinged dance music, was a particularly pleasant surprise.

After the fit-for-purpose support acts had vacated the stage, the crowd at Victoria Park were treated to something I had never seen at any show before. It was a sight that took my breath away. Relating this is enough to bring goosebumps to my skin and a sense of an impending awesomeness I cannot describe. This is a feeling that can only be brought about by one thing: a fucking massive pink digital clock, the campest piece of equipment I have seen onstage at a concert since Steel Panther’s makeup bag. Superimposed on the pink backdrop in thick black text was “48:13:00”. In another first for me, Kasabian actually did a countdown to their emergence onstage. Well, if the four support acts didn’t create a buzz then this did (as well as letting me know I had enough time to go to the lavatory before the set began). When the clock read “00:00:00” and a few awkward seconds Kasabian entered in front of an eager hometown crowd and kicked off with 48:13 gem ‘Bumblebee’. It’s noticeable how well the newer material stands up against the older canon when played live. The rave-tinged crowd-pleasers on 48:13 seem to offset the darker work on Velociraptor! ‘Days are Forgotten’ is quelled by ‘Eez-eh’ in the same way that ‘Re-Wired’ – a particular highlight of the set – eases into ‘Treat’.  

Kasabian’s set is really well worked out. ‘Shoot the Runner’ (preceded by the intro to ‘Black Skinhead’), ‘Club Foot’, ‘Fire’ and set closer ‘L.S.F’ go down a treat (sorry for the pun) and fill the necessary sing-alongs and la-la-la niche.  Along with the good time anthems to make your lungs ache, the aggressive guitar and bass-driven ‘Switchblade Smiles’ and ‘Vlad the Impaler’ really remind you that Kasabian, for all their influences from everything from hip hop to Krautrock, are a rock band and when you go to their concerts you get a rock show. There aren’t many rock shows better.   

Top 15 Songs for Valentine’s Day

People, it is time to prepare for the mother of all non-holidays that is St. Valentine’s Day! Although some people may wish to splash out on more lavish gifts, compiling a mixtape was once the ideal romantic gesture. So, if you’re stuck for ideas, look no further and thank me later!

‘Here, There and Everywhere’ – The Beatles

Saying picking a Beatles’ number was rather difficult would be a huge understatemen t. ‘8 Days a Week’ and ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ were also in contention, but I finally decided on a more understated McCartney classic. Less frantic and more melodic than its predecessors, ‘Here, There and Everywhere’ shows that even though the Beatles were maturing on Revolver, they were still able to get a bit schmaltzy when the mood struck them.  Also, if you listen closely enough, you’ll be able to hear the song being played on steel drums when Phoebe gets married in Friends. Just saying.

‘I Second That Emotion’ – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Too often Smokey Robinson is overlooked as one of the great voices of Motown. Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye may have outdone the Miracles in terms of commercial success and legend, but it is undeniable that during the mid-60s the Miracles were at the forefront of the Motown movement and Smokey Robinson was, and still is, its quintessential voice. The best way to describe their 1967 effort is pure ear candy; a treat for you and someone special.

‘It’s Not Unusual’ – Tom Jones

Arguably the most powerful voice in pop music, Wales’s favourite son Tom Jones is sometimes mocked and derided for many reasons (appearing on The Voice didn’t really help), and although his hair has whitened and his skin is now the same shade of brown as an American football, ‘It’s Not Unusual’ and the voice that sung it are still going strong over 40 years later. Tidy!

‘Growing On Me’ – The Darkness

 ‘I Believe In a Thing Called Love’ is clearly the more obvious choice from glam rock throwback the Darkness, but ‘Growing On Me’ is another example of what the Darkness stand for: love combined with heavy riffs, falsetto vocals and extremely revealing leotards.

‘Pulling Teeth’ – Green Day

Ok, admittedly the title doesn’t make you think of chocolates and roses, but I guess Green Day’s metaphor for what love feels like is rather apt. Still, Billie Joe Armstrong is a right softy at heart and snot-nosed teenage angst has never sounded sweeter.

‘Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe’ – Barry White

There’s a reason his admirers call him ‘The Walrus of Love’. At his peak, it is estimated that Barry White was a 295 pound love machine with a voice like a purring lion. With possibly the greatest monologue-intro to any song ever, this soul classic IS romance.

‘A Woman In Love’ – Jean Simmons and Marlon Brando

Although ‘A Woman In Love’ was only written for the film adaption of the Broadway musical Guys and Dolls, it’s still able to stand up next to the classics such as ‘Luck Be A Lady’ and ‘Sue Me’. Although Marlon Brando’s vocal ability may be in question, the chemistry between him and Simmons is never in doubt and makes for one of the film’s most touching scenes.

‘Lyla’ – Oasis

A stadium banger of a love song that showed Noel Gallagher still had the chops to write anthems to make thousands sing. With a heart pounding guitar riff and one of Gallagher’s best choruses, this is the drinkers’ love song, so take your girl/bloke to the pub, whack it on the jukebox and get a few down you! 

‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life’ – Stevie Wonder

Way before ‘I Just Called To Say I Love You’, Stevie Wonder was crafting pop masterpieces. Dedicated to Yolanda Simmons, Wonder’s voice turns to velvet on this understated classic. Subtle and elegant, it is one of Wonder’s most underappreciated tracks.

‘Alison’ – Elvis Costello

One of Costello’s most heartbreaking songs is the perfect companion for any lonely heart on Valentine’s Day. Costello nowadays states that he is a ballad singer who sings rock songs and not the other way round. Well, when listening to ‘Alison’, it really is easy to see why.

‘Let’s Stay Together’ – Al Green

For me, the romantic appeal of this song has been lost since I watched Pulp Fiction. Hearing this played in the background to a shot of Ving Rhames’s big bald head is not exactly the aphrodisiac you’re looking for on Valentine’s Day. Then again, you do have the option of listening to this soul classic without watching Tarantino’s bloody masterpiece, but if that’s your sort of thing then fine. I’m not one to judge.

‘Just For You’ – Sam Cooke

Better known for his posthumously released political anthem ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’, Sam Cooke was a prolific pioneer of soul music, racking up 30 top 40 hits in his 7 year career. Although there were many contenders such as ‘I Love You (For Sentimental Reasons)’ and ‘Nothing Can Change This Love’, I chose ‘Just For You’ for the simple reason that it is the song any girl would want a guy to sing to them.  

'Dammit Janet' – The Cast Of The Rocky Horror Show

Yeah people! Second show-tune of the list! And what?! The second number of Richard O’Brien’s cutting parody and tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies is both as outrageous and as joyful as he intended it to be in 1973.

‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ – Prince & The New Power Generation/Sinead O’Connor

Ok, so everyone knows which one they prefer... apart from me it seems. I just don’t know! Can’t we just love them both for what they are?! Prince’s original may not be as heart-rendering as O’Connor’s take on the track, but it was Prince’s craftsmanship as a songwriter that allowed O’Connor to take full advantage.

‘Let’s Get It On’ – Marvin Gaye

Don’t act so surprised! You knew it was coming! How could it not? Sultry wah-wah pedalled guitar intro, voice as smooth as the groin area of an Action Man and lyrics that turn men and women alike weak at the knees. There. I’m done. Go be happy you selfish selfish people!

Honourable mentions: ‘Hallelujah I Love Her So’ – Ray Charles, ‘Wish You Were Here’ – Pink Floyd, ‘I Say A Little Prayer For You’ – Aretha Franklin, ‘How Deep Is Your Love?’ – Bee Gees, ‘D’yer Maker’ – Led Zeppelin, ‘My Baby Just Cares For Me’ – Nina Simone, ‘Back For Good’ – Take That, ‘Something Stupid’ – Frank and Nancy Sinatra. 

I The Woman in Black, Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury, 22^nd January 

The stage adaption of Susan Hill’s horrific tale is an attack on the senses from two different flanks.  Firstly, Julian Forsyth’s portrayal of the haunted Arthur Kipps is outstanding. Every horrific detail he recounts chills you to the bone and fills you with compassion for this truly tortured character. Antony Eden is also able to compliment Forsyth to great effect through his role as ‘the Actor’, a particularly poignant role in its own right. The Actor is able to act as a mirror, reflecting the horrors endured by Kipps and so is a role that is extremely demanding. Eden’s portrayal of the Actor is performed with so much empathy and heart that the interplay between the two characters becomes truly moving, but also horrific in equal measure. The second flank of this onslaught on the senses is the terrific work of the light and sound technicians. Every thud, every creak and every scream relayed by the sound technicians compliments the actions of the actors in perfect harmony. Honestly, I could definitely hear the collective rising of goosebumps at everyone of the Woman in Black’s shill abrasive screeches. This works in perfect harmony with the blackening of the scene or the silhouette of the gruesome manor created by the fabulous light technicians. The Woman in Black is truly a performance built on the harmony of all the elements. Without this care and sensitivity, the play is likely to turn into a bit of a farce. This is not the case for this particular production. Chilling, gripping and touching, the Woman in Black is truly a must see.

8/10

Oscar Taherbeigi   

... and the Bells Were Ringing Out For Christmas Day: Top 5 Alternative Christmas Songs

My Top 5 Alternative Christmas Songs

Tis’ the season everybody, and if you’re getting as sick of Shakin’ Stevens and Macca (when he stopped caring) as I am, then here are a few little ditties to keep you sane through this holiday period!

5. Proper Crimbo – Bo Selecta

The ultimate Christmas anthem with contributions from Michael Jackson, Elton John, Craig David and many others... well, not really, but it’s as close as we’re ever going to get. Nevertheless, this festive effort from Avid Merrion and his gaggle of misfits (Matthew Wright, Denise Van Outen and Bob Geldof to name a few) come together to produce a truly hilarious parody on the celebrities of the day and on Christmas as a whole.

4. Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight) – The Ramones

Christmas at its most hectic. The punk pioneers’ festive classic is best set to the most calamitous of Christmas mishaps: the kids are screaming, dad’s electrocuted himself on the Christmas lights but mum is too preoccupied with the burnt turkey. However, through all the power chords, leather jackets and greasy mops the Ramones are a bunch of softies at heart and the proof is in this sentimental – bordering on schmaltzy – serenade.   

3. Don’t Shoot Me Santa – The Killers

Brandon Flowers is weird man. I don’t know what Christmas is like in a Mormon household but I’m sure it’s not enough to engrain images of jolly old St Nick bludgeoning you in your bed in your head. Well, we’re just going to have to hope that Mr Flowers is a special case. Aside from unresolved childhood emotional issues, the Killers are able to produce this hilarious tongue-in-cheek plead to Father Christmas not to blow their brains out at this most holy time of the year.

2. Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End) – The Darkness

For me, the Darkness have always been one of the most underrated bands in recent memory. A brash throwback to the 80’s; perhaps, but with a collection of dazzling riffs and the banshee cry of Justin Hawkins, the Darkness are easily one of the hardest rocking acts of the 21^st Century and ‘Christmas Time’ is no exception. Yep, they didn't even take a break for the holidays. Who knew distorted guitar harmonies and choir boys were a match?

1.      

           


           1. Fairytale of New York - The Pogues & Kirst MacColl

The most mainstream alternative Christmas song ever and probably the best. The big break for the Pogues that turned them from folk cult heroes into household names. Even through all its exposure, this song still remains the outsiders’ Christmas anthem. Honestly, I really can’t think of many top 5 hits that have the line “you scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot”. I know it’s become a bit of an old anorak everyone, but this tale of inner city love and dashed dreams is a melancholy celebration to sing with your loved ones. Preferably after a few mulled wines though.

Monster Mash: Top Ten Songs For Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone! Here are my top ten tunes (in no particular order) for anyone who wants to scare themselves out of their wits today. Before you ask, no, 'Gangnam Style' is not in there!

10. 'Schism' - Tool


The first song that got me into Tool; thanks Guitar Hero! This prog-metal masterpiece is bound to scare even the most hardened metal heads. The riffs are dissonant and bone-crunching, the timing of the beat changes to unsettle and the eerie effect of Manyard James Keenan's vocals help add to the tension in this disturbingly beautiful piece of metal. By the way, if you're really looking to scare someone, have the music video playing in the background. Honestly, look it up!

9. 'Lullaby' - The Cure

In short, it's all about  a massive gnarly spider coming into Robert Smith's room and eating him. Really don't understand how this hasn't been  used as the basis of a horror film. "The spiderman is having me for dinner tonight"; come on! These horror movie directors aren't trying very hard! As well as the gruesome lyrics, the plucked violins and syncopated guitar chords add to the foreboding nature of the song. Watch out for the spiderman!   

8. 'Fire' - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown

One of the most haunting number one hits of all time from the man who influenced every shock rocker from Alice Cooper to Marilyn Manson and beyond. Its wonderfully descending keyboard runs and riffs accompanied by Arthur Brown's attire makes for a scary performance. In all seriousness, I reckon this is what the road to Hell sounds like. Arthur Brown probably pinched the opening lyrics from Satan himself; "I am the God of hell-fire, and I bring you fire!".

7. 'Angel of Death' - Slayer

Ok, now if 'Fire' is what the road to Hell sounds like, this is what you'll have to endure during every minute of damnation. Hell doesn't sound so scary now actually! Wouldn't mind a live Slayer concert for the rest of eternity. Then again, Tom Araya's banshee vocal scream at the beginning may  cause complete deafness the tenth time around. Aside from the obvious rapid drumming and unrelenting guitars, Jeff Hanneman's vivid description of experiments conducted on Jewish prisoners in Auschwitz by Nazi physician Josef Mengele are enough to send shivers down the spine.  

6. 'Electric Funeral' - Black Sabbath 

Let's put this song into context now. Vietnam War, Cold War, constant scaremongering of nuclear disaster. It's understandable why Geezer Butler felt the need to relieve some of his fear through his tale of a post-apocalyptic nuclear wasteland. For me, 'Electric Funeral' is truly the most underrated of the Sabbath classics and I was seriously upset they didn't play it at Download 2012! RANT OVER! Anyway, accompanied by one of Tony Iommi's most haunting guitar riffs, this backlash against nuclear warfare is still as relevant today as it was in the early seventies.  

5. 'Eyeless' - Slipknot 

Most of Slipknot's music is not scary. Too often people get too wrapped up in the image of Slipknot rather than the actual music itself, and I think that is sad. Having said that, 'Eyeless' is a juggernaut of what I can only describe as pure rage. Corey Taylor's vocals are at their strongest, Joey Jordison's drumming is still hard to wrap my head around and the rest of the band are the thumping power behind this steamroller of a song. 

4. 'Welcome to my Nightmare' - Alice Cooper

It's not All Hallows' Eve without the father himself. The make up smearing, always entertaining shock rock demigod that is Alice Cooper. Although Cooper's talents as a songwriter and a singer are sometimes overshadowed by his onstage persona, it cannot be said that he has not had a lasting impact on rock music. Slipknot, Kiss and Marilyn Manson all  need to bow to Alice Cooper and his haunting presence; the presence that is felt on this Cooper classic. With it's eerie introduction combined with brilliant musicianship, this effort from Cooper and his band is by far the scariest of all the glam scene. 

3. 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)' - Marilyn Manson

Like Alice Cooper before him, Manson's music will always be secondary to his image in the public's eye. However, the level of myth and mystic surrounding the man could not have been sustained through image alone and had to be backed up by some truly menacing records. There were so many songs, both original and cover version, that I could have picked from but this take on the Eurythmics classic is still the most  enduring. By slowing the tempo and cranking up the distortion, Manson and his gaggle of misfits managed to reinvent the eighties classic in a much more horrific image.

2. 'The End' - The Doors

Has anyone ever been so coveted in the pantheon of rock frontmen as Jim Morrison? Beautiful, powerful, talented, but above all haunting. Arguably the most understated of all the songs on the list, but for that reason it is the most mysterious and the most eerie. The East Asian style guitar, the pattering of the cymbals, the slow but earnest delivery of Morrison's vocals. This all adds up to the mystique that is The Doors and is this song. When you hear Morrison softly sing "This is the end, my only friend the end", you really do believe him. No other singer has that much of a hold on the listener. 

1. 'Black Sabbath' - Black Sabbath

The song that gave birth to heavy metal. Through Toni Iommi's satanic guitar riff, the path was laid for metal to become one of the most enduring genres in modern music. However, I believe that it is Ozzy Osbourne's account of Geezer Butler's nightmarish experience that truly cement the song as a haunting metal classic. Bulter, a disgruntled accountant who loved to dabble with witchcraft, was given a book on the subject by Osbourne. After reading the book, Butler placed it on his bedside before going to sleep. On awakening, Butler saw a dark silhouette of a figure at the end of his bed. The figure fled and on his fleeing Butler noticed that the book Osbourne had given to him had vanished. Butler recounted the events to Osbourne who then went on to write the lyrics for 'Black Sabbath'. The lyrics, the guitar riff and the solemn rhythm section all work perfectly to create this masterpiece of metal horror and arguably inspired the majority of songs on this very list. However, it will probably never be known whether Butler was really witness to the Devil's apparition or whether the figure was caused by, in Iommi's words, "all the acid".