Sakari's Playlist

When making this playlist I had to first think about what I wanted to base it on. If I just wanted to put all my all time favourites it would have ended up huge, as I find it very difficult to decide which is best, especially when many are so different. So I've narrowed it down to some of my more recent music, and to bands I am a fan of, rather than just individual songs I have liked. The order is by band in order of what I thought might be interesting.

1. Kula Shaker - Temple of Everlasting Light opens up my playlist in a mystical tune. This music epitomises my love for slightly unusual music with regional influences and cool instruments. Kula Shaker is also a huge favourite because it combines this with another of my favourite genres, British alternative, or indie, rock. I also find myself listening to the words in this song very often.

2. Kula Shaker - Super CB Operator is a completely different song which has a brilliant melody, riffs and also what I consider to be very entertaining lyrics, ones I always find myself singing to. I also love the occasional dodgy choir that comes in. Kula Shaker has so many good songs it was difficult not to include more of them.

3. Kasabian - Last Trip (In Flight) is a brilliant flagship song for Kasabian. This time British indie rock is combined brilliantly with electronica to produce an exciting, catchy sci-fi like tune with a cool ambience.

4. Kasabian - Me Plus One got here not only because it's brilliant song in general, but because of a ridiculously fun violin bit. Once again a great example of how I find unusual instruments very refreshing.

5. The Beatles - Back In The USSR is quite a different type of song. This is THE song that got me into The Beatles. As a kid, when I didn't listen to much music I was always of fan of older rock. This song rekindled that love with a ridiculously catchy melody and lyrics. I believe it is the song I've most listened to according to last.fm.

6. The Beatles - The Sheik of Araby puts a smile on my face everytime I hear it. The version I have sounds like an old recording and is just oozing with nostalgia. This song gets on the list because it's such a unique song and always entertains me.

7. Franz Ferdinand - Do You Want To is just incredibly catchy. This song epitomises catchy. The dictionary entry for "catchy" should point you to this song. I never get tired of this tune. This song alone can take credit for a lot my Franz Ferdinand fanship.

8. Arctic Monkeys - Flourescent Adolescent is a good representative for Arctic Monkeys, the band that got me into British indie. They have a very distinct sound and surprisingly good lyrics. This song particular rolls alongs nicely.

9. Arctic Monkeys - Mardy Bum was my favourite song from the time I started listening to Arctic Monkeys. It has a great riff and has a nice lazy feel to it which makes it pleasant to listen to.

10. Manic Street Preachers - Rendition is another song from a band that has no special outside influences. I really love the sound of this band, it feels very full and well rounded. This is a particular favourite as it has a nice variety in it with many likeable escalating moments.

11. Manic Street Preachers - Autumnsong is one of the few songs with a melancholic touch that make my playlist. However, the melancholy has a slight defiant and uplifting feel to it which makes it uniquelly inspiring rather than depressing.

12. Flogging Molly - Another Bag of Bricks (acoustic) is not the stereotypical Flogging Molly song, but that's part of the reason I like it. I think it's sound could be described well by imagining a crew of Irish working lads turned pirates robbing an Indian temple. I chose the acoustic version because it is an even more distinct version than the original, a version I prefer.

13. Flogging Molly - Float represents my love for some of the slower Flogging Molly songs which are often a nice change to the noisier punk songs. This one is just full of that nostalgic Irishness without 0% electric guitar. One thing I like about the slower Flogging Molly songsis that while they may have a sad feel to them they also have a "keep on going" feeling which makes Flogging Molly great listening when your slightly down without annoying yourself with anything too happy.

14. Pendulum - Fasten Your Seatblet Feat. The Freestylers is my favourite song from my favourite techno artist, so it was an obvious choice. I absolutely love the bass booming melody of this song. It's one of those songs where you just keep turning up the volume and wishing you could get even more bass out of whatever your listening to it with.

15. Koda Kumi - Cutie Honey is representing the Jpop genre of my playlist. I would never have believed I was going to like anything about Koda Kumi except the parental advisory music videos, but here I am. This song is my favourite because it has an easy going yet rapid jazzy feel to it mixed with a hectic poppin' techno.

16. Ai Otsuka - Ramen Sanpun Cooking is my song of choice from the artist that completely destroyed my previously manly ego. Her songs as just so ridiculously entertaining, cute and imaginative that I sometimes laugh aloud at them. When you hear some of these songs for the first time you can't help but smile.

17. Sting - She's Too Good For Me is a fast paced jazzy song with great lyrics which always has me singing along and tapping my foot. Sting never ceases to amaze me with his entertaining lyrics and catchy tunes. I find it very hard to decide on what my favourite artist is because they are all so different, but if I had to choose one artist to listen to for the rest of my life, Sting would be it.

18. Sting - Fill Her Up is another song which makes it into the playlist because of its enourmous entertainament value. You really have to listen to the song lyrics to get the most out of this one. It tells a story about a futureless gas station worker who steals his bosses cash box but then sees the light. Only Sting can make combine country music, entertaining lyrics and gospel finale into such a great song. This song wins the "Best Lyrics Sakari Has Ever Heard" award. It's a fitting finale for my playlist. You godda fill her up with Jesus!

Download the whole list here.