The Jukebox: Cities

Welcome to The Jukebox, your Friday fix of the best music new and old. Each week, a six-strong panel of Hercules Moments contributors will recommend their favourite tracks for you to soundtrack your weekend to, in a playlist centred around a chosen theme.

This week... CITIES


LCD Soundsystem - New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down


I absolutely love this song. When I first heard it, it stuck with me because of how much I wanted to go there, a
nd because of how true the message in it is. James Murphy sings about how much New York has changed and grown as a city (not necessarily in a good way), and yet he can’t help but still love it there. The build up towards the end is fantastic, and it’s a great song about a great place. It gives you something to think about when it’s finished, and that’s always a good thing.

Siobhan Hewison

Damien Jurado - Kansas City

Phew! A real haunting tearjerker of a song. As soon as Damien starts his gentle vocal, shivers float down my spine and I can focus on nothing else bu
t this beaut of a tune. It's delicate, sparse and utterly compelling. It conjurs up images of lost loves, missed opportunities and eternal regret. In there, somewhere, is the hope that it'll be okay.

David Officer

The Clash - London Calling


This song is just brilliant. From the very beginning, the guitar plays a super catchy riff and draws you in, and from there it just gets better. It's memorable, well-loved, and best of all - it's British! I think we could all use a bit of 70's British punk rock in our lives.

Emma Wright

The Decemberists - O Valencia!


The Decemberists are a band that can always put a smile on my face. This was the first song of theirs that I ever heard - I can remember hearing it on Jonathan Ross' Radio 2 show in the car with my parents when it came out - and I was hooked. It's not my favourite song of theirs, but it's special to me as it introduced me to one of my favourite bands. Plus, it's got some dead catchy hooks and a big sing-along chorus. Lovely.

Eoin Smith

Thursday - Paris in Flames

Thursday are an American emo band. Paris in Flames is a song from their first major label album titled Full Collapse. I first listened to Thursday back in 2002 and Paris in Flames was the first song I heard. It is one of my favourite songs - classically EMOtional with some faster paced post hardcore moments without the aggression of hardcore or screamo.

Beth Alexander


The Chariot - Before There Was Atlanta, There Was Douglasville

The explosive opener to The Chariot's debut - Everything Is Alive, Everything Is Breathing, Nothing Is Dead And Nothing Is Bleeding. This song marked Josh Scogin's departure from Norma Jean. As chaotic and crazy as this song sounds, it shows the differences between Scogin's current and former bands, Before There Was Atlanta... shows the very experimental and progressive side to Scogin in a better light, and paved the path for one of the most acclaimed bands of their genre.
Jake Lawson

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