Neil Young - touch the night, 1986

"Touch the Night" is the most guitar driven song on the album. Its lyrics consider the sudden loss of a partner. Biographer Jimmy McDonough compares it to its predecessor "Like a Hurricane."

Of Monsters And Men - we sink, 2015

"The music video is dedicated to the current refugee crisis, as millions of people are fleeing their homes in search of a safe place to live. The Icelandic folk band reached out to members of the Red Cross in Iceland, who connected them with refugees in their home country to be featured in the video."

Peter Bjorn And John - every other night, 2018

"This song is about what’s keeping you awake between the midnight hour and the hour of the wolf. It’s like a warning sign in neon letters."

Nada Surf - when i was young acoustic, 2012

"The Dulcitone Files is a fantastic 5-track acoustic EP by Nada Surf, released on March 20, 2012, as a companion to their album The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy. It features intimate, solo-acoustic recordings by frontman Matthew Caws, captured at Dulcitone Studios in Sheffield, England (hence the name—named after the vintage keyboard instrument, but no actual dulcitone samples here)."

Neil Young - hey hey my my into the black live rust, 1979

“I don’t have the passion anymore, and so remember, it’s better to burn out than to fade away. Peace, love, empathy. Kurt Cobain”

Noah And The Whale - slow glass, 2009

"Noah and the Whale have unexpectedly transformed themselves from lightweights known for a novelty hit to a band attracting serious consideration. This time last year, they were frolicking in the video for the twee top 10 single 5 Years Time; now, there is near-unanimous acclaim for their new album, The First Days of Spring"

The New Pornographers - marching orders, 2014

"Most recently, I heard Electric Light Orchestra’s “Turn to Stone” on the radio, and I thought of the New Pornographers. If there’s any significant difference between this album and previous ones, it seems to be a heavier emphasis on electronic sounds, like the vocorder at the beginning of “Backstairs,” the synthesizer on “Marching Orders” and “Wide Eyes” The opening of “Hi-Rise” sounds a little new-agey to me. Band leader A.C. Newman has said that this is basically a celebratory album, as he’s gotten over some issues that he was dealing with. As usual, most of the lead vocals are Newman’s, but with Dan Bejar taking lead on his own compositions."

The National - hey rosey, 2019

"Highlighted by Sharon Van Etten and Gail Ann Dorsey - a veteran of David Bowie's band - the National invite a number of female vocalists to sing on the album, lending I Am Easy to Find a welcome sense of openness. Where the National can often seem hermetically sealed - such insularity is a key to their appeal - I Am Easy to Find has loose ends and picturesque detours in addition to a revolving cast of characters and a suggestion of mess that give the album an appealingly unkempt sense of humanity."

Pet Shop Boys - i wouldn't normally do this kind of thing, 1993

"I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their fifth studio album, Very (1993). The song, both written and produced by the duo, describes a person normally hesitant to unwind and show his feelings, who — because of some event in his life — suddenly becomes willing to loosen up. It was released in the United Kingdom on 29 November 1993 by Parlophone as the album's third single, reaching number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. In the United States, where it was released in January 1994, it reached number two on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The song's accompanying music video was directed by Howard Greenhalgh."

Nada Surf - looking through acoustic, 2012

"It's notably more intimate and melancholic than the full-band version, highlighting Matthew Caws' tender vocals and the emotional weight of the lyrics."

​Silêncio, o nome de Deus

 

Cada página sugere uma renúncia: falar menos, esperar mais, olhar melhor.

https://rr.pt/artigo/convidado/2025/11/06/silencio-o-nome-de-deus/446754/ 

Costa Gomes

 

A personalidade de Costa Gomes tem vindo a ser redescoberta. Mesmo historiograficamente falando, década após década, têm-lhe atribuído cada vez mais importância neste processo. Alguns capitães diziam-no no seu livro, em 1990, mas atualmente há mais consenso sobre essa figura, concorda?

Costa Gomes é uma figura histórica extraordinária. E se houve alguma figura que podemos dizer que ajudou Portugal a tornar-se democrático, fora da sociedade política como Mário Soares e à exceção talvez de Vítor Alves e Melo Antunes, que apresentaram uma visão para o futuro, foi Costa Gomes.

Não apresentou essa visão, mas forneceu liderança. Ele era bondoso. Os capitães disseram-me, sem exceção, que adoravam e respeitavam Costa Gomes como seu líder, mas também era o que se quisesse que ele fosse quando estava convosco. Ele transformava-se no que você quisesse que ele fosse.

Ele refletiria as suas esperanças, os seus sonhos e as suas aspirações. E sairia a sentir-se bem. E depois ele poderia ainda fazer algo mais que não esperávamos. Era alguém gentil e com quem era fácil conversar.

Mas ele tinha uma visão, de uma sociedade pacífica e democrática na qual o povo votaria. E estava a tentar gerir uma situação muito complicada. Tinha grande experiência como comandante militar no campo de batalha. Sabia lidar com o stress, com conflitos, com o caos, com a derrota. E assim, ao chegar a Portugal e enfrentar os mesmos desafios que tinha enfrentado em África, conseguiu trazer consigo este conjunto de competências.

Mencionei a patente militar como um princípio organizador até 11 de março com Spínola. Ao longo de todo o processo, Costa Gomes continuou a utilizar este princípio organizador, mas acrescentando empatia, escuta e coragem.

E porque é que não foi a primeira escolha após o golpe?

Ele não queria, disse-me. Pediram-lhe para ser o chefe, mas ele não quis. E Spínola foi o escolhido. Ele não estava preparado.

Foi uma decisão pragmática ou demasiado emotiva?

Tudo isso. Foi um momento de grande tensão. Não era uma pessoa presunçosa. Não sei porque tomou esta decisão. Encontrei-me com Costa Gomes em frente ao seu apartamento. O seu motorista tinha acabado de o trazer do supermercado. Depois pediu-me para ajudá-lo a levar as compras para o seu apartamento. E eu ajudei. E sentámo-nos na cozinha dele. E tratou-me como se eu fosse o seu próprio filho. Ficámos sentados à mesa a conversar sobre a revolução durante duas ou três horas. E pude ter uma ideia sobre o que todos os outros capitães me disseram. Era uma pessoa muito acessível.

É uma figura histórica importante que desempenhou um papel fundamental em salvar Portugal do desastre e em impulsioná-lo para o que é hoje. E tratou-me com bondade, amor e respeito, tanto em relação à minha origem portuguesa, como simplesmente como ser humano.

A sua personalidade tornou-se mais relevante com o passar do tempo?

Absolutamente. Mais uma vez, não era alguém que chamasse a atenção sobre si ou que se autopromovia. E isto leva-nos de volta à sua pergunta sobre a noite de 25 de Abril de 1974. Ele não faria isso. Ele sentou-se sozinho, estava ali para servir.

Posso acrescentar que descobri algo sobre Costa Gomes, que considero uma história extraordinária. Descobri, conversando com alguns dos outros capitães, incluindo Sanches Osório, que ele tinha uma fé católica particular, devota e profunda.

Era um homem de fortes convicções religiosas. E não era algo que ele fizesse para evangelizar ou falar sobre o assunto, mas sim o seu princípio orientador. Descobri através das minhas entrevistas que havia um padre jesuíta do Porto que o visitava no palácio presidencial durante o verão, assim que ele assumiu a presidência. E celebravam missas privadas, inclusive no dia 25 de novembro. O seu nome era Padre João Abranches.

Ele contou-me a história. E eu perguntei-lhe: " Porque é que era tão importante para si?”. Ele respondeu: “Escolho demonstrar o meu amor ao próximo através das minhas ações”.

E mesmo no dia 25 de novembro, quando celebraram uma missa privada no meio do caos, isso trouxe-lhe paz interior. Talvez isso revele um aspeto da sua personalidade que desconhecíamos. 

 

https://rr.pt/especial/politica/2025/11/25/a-amizade-salvou-o-pais-a-25-de-novembro/449239/

 

Litoral de Sintra ontem, dia 26 de novembro de 2025, ao pôr do sol

Paul McCartney - we can work it out live unplugged the official bootleg, 1991

"Unlike other artists who appeared on the show with acoustic instruments plugged into amplifiers, McCartney's instruments were entirely unplugged. Microphones were carefully placed close to guitars, pianos, etc. to pick up the sound (this can be seen on the album cover, where a large rectangular microphone is pictured in front of McCartney's acoustic guitar)."

Of Monsters And Men - i of the storm, 2015

"I of the Storm" is a single recorded by the Icelandic indie folk/indie pop rock band Of Monsters and Men. The song was released as the second single from their second studio album, Beneath the Skin (2015). It was written by Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar Þórhallsson (of Of Monsters and Men). The single artwork was created by artistic director Leif Podhajsky."

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - beautiful you, 2014

"A brighter, more polished synth-pop/indie-pop sound compared to their earlier shoegaze/dream-pop roots."

New Order - i've got a feeling, 2013

"This song starts so poorly that it was quite some time before I didn’t immediately fast-forward it, and eventually discover that – yet again – there was half a good song in I’ve Got A Feeling*; buried as it is in the chorus. But first you have to get past the intro, which is a big ask."

Nada Surf - the future acoustic, 2012

"In January 2012, Nada Surf released The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy, an album that included the single "Waiting for Something". Later in 2012, Caws, who had moved to England, recorded acoustic versions of five of the songs from The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy as b-sides, in collaboration with record producer Lee Russell. The material was released as The Dulcitone Files EP. The group released a compilation of rarities called B-Sides in 2014."

Neil Young - hitchhiker acoustic, 2017

"This 2017 release, while being a brand-new album, was also a very old one in that this acoustic solo album was recorded in a single session in Malibu, CA at Indigo Studio in 1976. Chronologically this sits between the Crazy Horse albums ‘Zuma’ and ‘American Stars ‘n’ Bars’, yet here we do not have that powerful trio but instead the pure form of just a singer picking his guitar. In many ways this is my favourite style of Young’s, although Crazy Horse does come a close second, as his voice and passion really shines through when there is nothing else getting in the way. The only people in the studio at the time of the session was long-time studio collaborator David Briggs and actor Dean Stockwell, so Young is incredibly relaxed, just sitting and singing songs which at the time were all unreleased, and only a few of which have made it out since then. An example of this is the title cut which didn’t appear on an album until some 30 + years later, almost unrecognisable in its electric blast from the acoustic version we have here."

Of Monsters And Men - empire, 2015

"From the album: Beneath the Skin (released June 8, 2015) "Empire" is the second single from the Icelandic band’s sophomore album. It’s a sweeping, atmospheric anthem with their signature folk-pop sound layered with booming drums, gang vocals, and Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar Þórhallsson’s intertwined voices."

Peter Bjorn And John - velvet sky, 2018

"Velvet Sky" is a track by the Swedish indie pop band Peter Bjorn and John, released on October 19, 2018, as the sixth song on their eighth studio album, Darker Days. The album explores themes of disillusionment and introspection, and "Velvet Sky" fits right in with its melancholic vibe, blending jangly guitars, driving rhythms, and lyrics about fleeting connections and existential drift."

Nada Surf - no snow on the mountain, 2012

"The lyrics explore environmental depletion (e.g., "no snow on the mountain, no water to drink"), human apathy, consumerism, and fleeting dreams. It blends personal regret with broader societal critique, delivered in Nada Surf's signature melodic, introspective style."

Pet Shop Boys - yesterday when i was mad jam and spoon mix, 1994

"All of this we expect, but this one's their campest techno-fevered thunder-stomp with 100% whistleability for ages."

Neil Young - like a hurricane live rust, 1979

"Neil Young is considered the godfather of grunge, which is fair. He rocked hard. He still rocks hard. He loves distortion. He has a weird facial hair pattern. He checks all the boxes. But the thing that's always amazed me about Neil Young is that for all of the chaotic grunge energy that powers him, he's never sloppy. Even live. Like on Live Rust, his album with his on-again, off-again backing band, Crazy Horse. The performances are raw and electric, but also amazingly tight. The energy is palpable, but it's all under control. And you wouldn't think that would be the case, given it's a live album of a live album. It was filmed and recorded during the tour for Rust Never Sleeps, a studio album that was recorded live in front of an audience, much like a 1970s sitcom, but without the nitrous oxide-induced laughter."

Nada Surf - let the fight do the fighting, 2012

"For fans of New York alternative rockers, Nada Surf, 2010 must have been something of a disappointing year. Whereas 2008 yielded Lucky, 2010 saw Nada Surf release If I Had A Hi-Fi, an album made up entirely of cover songs. Whilst there’s nothing wrong with covers, it’s often contentious for fans who come to expect an album of original material every couple of years to have to wait four. Still, Nada Surf have always been a band to take their time, and The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy sees Nada Surf continuing with what they do well, resulting in an enjoyable, if not terribly exciting, seventh album."

Peter Bjorn And John - living a dream, 2018

"This song is that feeling of exhilaration when everything finally lines up after ages of hitting your head against a wall, maybe to the point where you’ve reckoned giving up."

Club 8 - your modern heart, 2025

"Your Modern Heart continues this year’s run of songs that flow from beauty to heartache and back. Each line of the lyrics pulls at your heartstrings, one after another fraying with every unanswered message, a bitter melancholia giving the shoegaze-meets-dream-pop guitars a sharper edge. If your emotional walls can resist that, then the vocals of Karolina Komstedt will certainly tear down your defences, reminding you of your smallness in the world of love."

Pet Shop Boys - domino dancing alternative version essentials, 1998

"the "imperial phase", the phrase Neil Tennant coined to describe the period of a career where an artist can equally coast on critical acclaim, creative satisfaction and commercial success. He defines its end as when Domino Dancing failed to reach the UK top five."

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - kelly, 2014

"The new record is the band’s most musically sophisticated to date, channeling the gilded pop optimism of bands like Aztec Camera, The House of Love and The Lightning Seeds, while maintaining The Pains’ penchant for earworm melodies and emotional candor."

Neva Dinova - no one loves me, 2008

"You May Already Be Dreaming is the newest full-length album from the group, and certainly displays that the group is not experiencing a drought in musical talent. Not just instrumental talent, but tightly arranged vocal harmonies adorn the album like lights on a Christmas tree, and create an engulfing musical presence in the room around the listener. “Apocalypse,” may be the most enchanting of the songs on the album with a haunting vocal melody, punctuated by elemental harmony, followed by an explosion of drums, and distorted lead guitar. If the world were coming to an end, and you didn’t have a copy of R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World and We Know it,” Neva Dinova’s “Apocalypse” would certainly be a worthy substitute. One of the albums more rocking tracks is “What You Want,” a story about a guy that’s all wrong for the girl who wants him. Besides being one of the more upbeat tracks musically, it is probably the most passionately delivered vocal performance on the album. Some of the other more captivating tracks on the album include “Someone’s Trippin,” the simple-yet-elegant “Clouds,” and the dreamy “Tryptophan.”

Nada Surf - jules and jim, 2012

"Jules and Jim is from 2012’s The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy, which took the band’s winning streak to four. The song is an Alex Chilton-ish minor classic, with one of their most glorious choruses. Although, really, it’s just one hook after another. The band are now a four-piece (when playing live, at least) with the addition of guitarist Doug Gillard, also of Guided by Voices, and when I saw at the Electric Ballroom a few years ago and Gillard and Caws struck up the song’s chiming harmonised intro, it was total Big Star-in-1972 jangle heaven."

The National - the pull of you, 2019

"A song that didn’t make the cut for Sleep Well Beast, before being drastically reworked from “Hague Blue” to “Hague Pink,” which itself eventually turned into “The Pull of You.”

The Radio Dept - your true name, 2018

"Newly liberated from their former label Labrador, Swedish indie luminaries The Radio Dept. (Johan Duncanson and Martin Larsson) revisit their original laid-back college rock sound in their new single, “Your True Name,” released on their own independent label Just So! Signaling an optimistic outlook on the future ahead, the band explains, “‘Your True Name’ is a song about faith"

Neil Young - hey hey my my into the black live weld, 1991

"one of the definitive live Neil Young moments — raw, feedback-drenched, and unapologetically loud. “It’s better to burn out than to fade away…” never sounded so apocalyptic."

Pet Shop Boys - being boring extended mix, 1990

"In a 1993 interview, Tennant described "Being Boring" as "one of the best songs that we've written", and said that "For me it is a personal song because it's about a friend of mine who died of AIDS, and so it's about our lives when we were teenagers and how we moved to London, and I suppose me becoming successful and him becoming ill".

Nada Surf - bright side cover, 2010

"Nada Surf came out of New York City and got its foothold in 1996 with the intriguing, novelty single, “Popular.” It was from their first LP, High/Low¸ that reached #51 on the US charts. Mixing a slacker vibe, humour, and a not-quite-rap spoken word vocal, it was a good, original track for its time. I picked up the CD and listened to it a lot, pleased to find many solid, indie rock tunes such as, “The Plan.” After that, aside from a couple songs I had on compilations (“Hyperspace” and “Inside of Love”) over the next several years, I had little clue Nada Surf was a going concern until I saw a concert announcement for them in 2018."

Pet Shop Boys - where the streets have no name i can't take my eyes off you cover extended mix, 1991

"this track is one of the most insidious deconstructions of rock mythology that you're likely to find anywhere. It completely takes the wind out of U2's sails, essentially revealing the original to be precisely the dance track that it is but tries hard not to be."