5 Songs I Love w/ Celestial Skies

Following the release of his latest single 'Undercover Lovers', Flex caught up with UK singer-songwriter Celestial Skies to find out more about what influences his emotive Indie sounds and compelling storytelling. If you enjoy Celestial Skies picks, be sure to check out 'Undercover Lovers' at the end of the article.

1. My Sad Captains by Elbow

Elbow are a brilliant Manchester band, I record at the same studio that they use (although they use the main room and I basically use the broom cupboard!). They have so many songs that I adore, it's hard to pick one - My Sad Captains is really quite beautiful. The lyrics are wistful, a little bit sad, but also rather wonderful - coupled with the arrangement, the melody, Guy Garvey's voice... it's a winning combination.

2. Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High? by Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys are a big inspiration for me - Alex Turner is a fantastic storytelling lyricist. I love his way of documenting life in the UK today - there's great observational humour, he tells these tales with wit and warmth, there's an effortlessness to the vocal delivery which draws you in. This song has a really infectious melody and groove too, which is something I try to emulate in my writing.

3. Back to Black by Amy Winehouse

I'm a big fan of classic songwriting and vintage sounds - the lyrics are quite a modern style of storytelling but the sound is completely timeless. Amy's songs always had a real energy and excitement to them, too - it's a rare feat to create something that sounds immediately familiar but also interesting and unique - Amy had a real knack for making songs that fit this brief.

4. Come On! Feel the Illinoise! by Sufjan Stevens

Not quite sure where to start with a song like this, it's absolutely mad. It's a song that really shouldn't work but somehow just does. Sufjan Stevens opened my ears to what pop music could be, and how ambitious a songwriter could be. It's over six minutes long, it doesn't really have a chorus, the lyrics are not your typical subject matter... but there are still catchy hooks, a few earworms in there for sure. I adore Sufjan's voice, it's a real gift, and his use of other voices, percussion, strings, brass - it's very much an 'everything and the kitchen sink' approach to songwriting, but sometimes more is indeed more.

5. Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell

This was the first song I heard that opened my eyes to the idea that pop songs could also be art, they could be a protest - that they could mean something. It's also objectively a good pop song, the melody is catchy and the story is compelling (the lyrics still very much stand up today). It's a simple song but it's very effective - I'm a firm believer that if you've got strong lyrics and a great tune you don't need much more.

Watch Celestial Skies 'Undercover Lovers'