In der Rubrik „5 Songs…” erzählen uns Musiker von Songs, die einen großen Einfluss auf ihr musikalisches Schaffen hatten bzw. haben. Nach Kevin Devine und Deniz Çiçek von Kraków Loves Adana haben wir diesmal Paul Smith von Maxïmo Park nach seinen fünf Lieblingsliedern gefragt.

Tortoise – Night Air
I hadn’t head this in some time but I saw it when tidying my drawers full of old CDs. It’s pretty mysterious – like a dubby, mumbling dream.

Chis Cohen – Optimist High
I really enjoy the feel of this song and the album it’s culled from. It’s like an undiscovered ’60s classic; soft and melodic but rough around the edges.

The Blue Nile – Saturday Night
From the incredible album, ‚Hats‘, this song made me want to stop my car recently when it came on the radio. I love the descriptiveness of the line, „Quarter to five / When the storefronts are closing paradise / Meet me outside the cherry light / You and I walk away“.

Ghostpoet featuring Paul Smith (me!) – Be Right Back, Moving House
I was flattered to be asked to sing on this track. It’s a very plain-spoken song and has a melancholy pull to the melody. Ghostpoet’s music belongs to no one genre, which I also respect.

Betty Harris – Break In The Road
Super-duper New Orleans funk with a fearsome vocal performance. Enough said!