The three hundred and eighty-second song: Child’s Christmas in Wales - John Cale
Moving on from the Velvet Underground, this rather accessible pop song feels a bit out of reach. There's maybe something vaguely off about the lyrics, but on the whole it feels quite gentle, focused on a more orchestral sound that creates a more accessible sound.
The three hundred and eighty-third song: Solid Air - John Martyn
When I see folk mentioned, I have specific expectations, but Solid Air defies them. While bluesy and ethereal in its sounds, Martyn's vocals and stretched in a disconcerting way, creating that disconnect between reality and his sound. There's a s ong to Nick Drake, his troubled friend, and the sound here feels a bit disconnected and alien, as it's likely intended to be. It doesn't quite work, though, as I found it more repulsive rather than actually enchanting.
The three hundred and eighty-fourth song: I Know What I Like (in Your Wardrobe) - Genesis
Another example of how rock exploded, Wikipedia classifies this is as psychedelic rock - and while I can see that, it's also a lot more grounded, taking some cues from the genre while still providing an standard verse and writing a song about living a happy life without as many ambitions. It's a good riff, a solid song that avoids going too big - like the person it tries to portray.
The three hundred and eighty-fifth song: Cum on Feel the Noize - Slade
There's something crowd pleasing about these Slade songs. It has a loud chorus to sing along to, with the song itself being a simple celebration of the music. There's something compelling and aggressive, but also jubilant about all of it. It's populist, glamorous, but it deserves it.
The three hundred and eighty-sixth song: Living for the City - Stevie Wonder
Shifting from a song to celebrate to one with a meaning, Living for the City focuses on the difficulty of African Americans, at least at the time, when it was difficult for them to find better jobs or move up in society, instead living in poverty. It addresses it quite clearly and the soul wrapping, adding upbeat music and a general fun time to it, helps making it more acceptable. There's no sting, just reality, but that feels enough.
The three hundred and eighty-seventh song: I Can’t Stand the Rain - Ann Peebles
Starting off with timbales, I Can't Stand the Rain sounds different and more modern from the start. Although partially meant to resemble the sound of rain, the swing of the soul music also gets its power from it at the same time. It's a nice sound and really sets it apart in this era.
The three hundred and eighty-eighth song: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
From the same album as Candle in the Wind - whose DNA this shares - this ballad is obviously bigger with the harmonies that are throughout the song, as well as some influence from Bowie in these sounds. It's big and sweeping, melancholic but with the big sounds that really make it sound that much better.
The three hundred and eighty-ninthsong: Future Days - Can
This song is listed as an early example of ambient music, and it shows. Aside from a louder guitar riff and some slow drums, everything is buried in the mix, with hints of vocals and other instruments breaking through, but mostly ambling along to create a background track. It doesn't feel quite right to focus on listening to it, instead it's a background to what's really going in. It's nice, an unexpected relaxed treat to end this group.