Tender Ballads 12: Somber Sunday

Now that I'm back at school, I'm back into a lot of my old routines (some good, some not so good). One of those traditions is, of course, excessive tender ballads on the weekend, especially on Sundays after a long few nights out. Goldfrapp's latest album Seventh Tree is full of heart-wrenching moments, perhaps most of all in the last track. In "Monster Love," Alison coos, "I never thought I would return to be consumed by you," which somehow exactly fits what 2008 has been for me. José González continues the juxtaposition of heartbreak and acoustic instruments with his cover of Joy Division's classic "Love Will Tear Us Apart." ABBA keep up the theme of defeat in love with the epic "The Winner Takes It All." The Cardigans are slower than usual on the yearning older album track "Higher." "The Anchor Song," a tale about roots and self-discovery, is one of Björk's best, and always instantly reminds me of why I love her so much.

Goldfrapp, "Monster Love" (Live Acoustic Version) [YSI] (original on Seventh Tree)
José González, "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Joy Division Cover) [YSI] (from the EP Stay In The Shade)
ABBA, "The Winner Takes It All" [YSI] (from Gold)
The Cardigans, "Higher" [YSI] (from Best Of)
Björk, "The Anchor Song" [YSI] (from Debut)

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