My Top Ten Avalanche Songs

Be very, very quiet... we're in avalanche country.

Special mention to The Avalanches and I Am The Avalanche.


10. Manafest - Avalanche

Not sure what I make of Manafest - I may just be too old. Still, points for mentioning Ghost Rider in the lyrics.

9. Matthew Good - Avalanche

No, not the bloke who played Ozymandias in Watchmen. (I did wonder, for a second.)

8. Folks - Avalanche

 Cool northern indie band who aren't getting the airplay they deserve.

7. Guided By Voices - Avalanche Aminos

Noisy nonsense, as are all the best Guided By Voices records.

6. Shawn Colvin - Shotgun Down The Avalanche

Lovely. Haunting. Special.

5. Ryan Adams - Avalanche

Like most of the songs on Love Is Hell, this sounds like a man clinging on by his fingernails.

4. Epica - Avalanche

Epica are described as a "Dutch Goth Metal Band", but for the first 2 and a bit minutes they just sound like Kate Bush fans. Then the devil voice kicks in... although only in short doses. I quite like this: it is sufficiently mental to maintain my interest for nearly 7 minutes. Jim Steinman would be proud. Plus, lead singer Simone Simons is a very pretty lady with the voice of angel. Also, unlike most of the songs on this Top Ten, this one sounds like an ACTUAL AVALANCHE!

3. James - Avalanche

James's stupid record company don't want you to hear this song, so they've blocked it from youtube. Thank god for Grooveshark.

2. Thea Gilmore - Avalanche

New Thea Gilmore album just out - good to see it getting so much attention. I haven't got my copy yet, but only because I'm skint. Thea's long been one of my favourite female singer-songwriters.

1. Leonard Cohen - Avalanche

We need more songs about hunchbacks in love. No, really, we do.

I myself am the pedestal
for this ugly hump at which you stare.

See also Nick Cave's excellent cover.




Which one buries you?