Get inside my head
[tweetmeme]
I’m on holiday count down now. In three days time I will take off and fly down to the sun. Music is vital to my life and no more so when I’m on holiday. I love having music on whether I’m reading, cooking or just relaxing in the sun.
Finding new music that I love has to be one of the great excitements in life. If you feel the same way that I do, I think you’ll understand. That moment when you listen to an album for the first time and think “wow”! Last year before my holidays I asked my friends on Facebook to recommend music for my holidays, it was a pretty eclectic mix some of which I loved, some of which I hated.
This year, I thought of you guys. One of the things about this blogging malarkey is that you know a lot more about me than I know about you. And I’d like to turn that on its head, with a little help from yourselves and perhaps at the same time show what an eclectic bunch us people professionals are.
So this is how it goes: let me know down there in the comments, an album (and yes it has to be a whole album – my OCD does not allow me to clutter the place with singles!) that you love and think I should listen to. It doesn’t have to be new, it doesn’t have to be any specific genre (although I point out now that any Death Metal or “elevator music” will be given short shrift) and tell me why you like it. I’ll then get it and have a listen and you have effectively managed to get inside my brain. Simple.
Come on, these “let me know” posts are always risky, I’ll look like a dick if I only get two comments…don’t let me down!
My Hell is Other People 
Craig Armstrong – The Space Between Us
Caravan Palace by Caravan Palace
Try these for size: Praise & Blame: Tom Jones- not as good as everyone says: better; Gravitas- Furyon- unsigned hard rock band from Brighton- massive riffs, massive choruses; Band of Horses- try any of their four records but latest is probably best entry point; Rammstein- Lieber est Fur alle da- German industrial metal; Anathema- we are where we are- progressive radiohead types from Liverpool (dont let that put you off). happy holidays
Sigur Ros – Takk…
Good call
Ok bit of an eclectic mix to suit a variety of moods. All of these are absolute classics (in my opinion)…
Best of Bowie
By the Way – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Sam’s Town – The Killers
Frank AND Back to Black – Amy Winehouse
Any Astor Piazzolla album – but only if you like tango!
Gypsy Beats and Balkan Bangers – but only if you like balkan/klezmer etc
We are the Night – Chemical Brothers
The Best of Django Reinhardt
The Incomparable Ella – Ella Fitzgerald
La Revancha del Tango – Gotan Project
Any Kings of Leon album
It’s not me, it’s you – Lily Allen
Careless Love – Madeleine Peyroux
Stevie Wonder: The Definitive Collection (but you’ll need to remove some of the commercial crap on this one)
The very best of Supertramp
The Stranglers: Collection 1977-1982
I could go on am sure that’s enough to be getting on with!
Plan B – The deformation of Strickland Banks. modern twist on Northern Soul with a story from start to finish.
Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Assylum – Nearly as good as the Stone Roses 1st album
and what the Stone Roses second album should’ve sounded like.
Beatles – Rubber Soul or the White album (great to revisit anytime)
Beach Boys – Best of (you’re on holiday!)
Libertines – Libertines (Pete Doherty is a T##t but seminal album)
LTJ Bukem – Some blue notes of drum n bass (astounding album, be intrigued if you get thru from start to finish in one hit)
Quadrophenia – Sound track (why not eh?)
Enjoy, loads more but got work to do!
Sharon Jones and the Dapkings – Naturally (especially All Over Again) – Modern funk/soul that sounds vintage.
Matt Costa – Unfamiliar Faces – Ignore the comparisons to Jack Johnson, much more groovy!
So impressed I managed to limit it to two. Didn’t think you’d appreciate huge lists from everybody!
Enjoy!
I take it you’re looking for the less obvious gems, that you don’t already know.
http://www.karinepolwart.com/songs/
Karine Polwart’s 2004 album Faultlines is perfect, from beginning to end.
No-one ever fails to love the entire album Welcome Interstate Managers by Fountains of Wayne. http://goo.gl/uow8
Oh Steven – Karine is truly fab – you should also listen to her latest collaboration with a truly messed up mix of people…….. The Burns Unit (after Rabbie that is, not just being insensitive……) If you like Karine you’ll simply love this.
Sarah Mclaughlan – Mirrorball or any of hers tbh
I’ll limit myself to four:
From this year:
Janelle Monae – Archandroid – Mainly hip-hop/soul but covers everything from orchestral music to English folk music. Great value as it has 18 good tracks. Best in its category since “The Miseduction of Lauryn Hill”.
Nas & Damien Marley – Distant Relatives – Vigorous rap/reggae hybrid with lyrical musings on Africa.
From last year:
Mayer Hawthorne – A Strange Arrangement – Sounds like it was recorded by Motown 50 years ago – in a good way.
From earlier years:
Death Cab for Cutie – Plans – Melodic guitar-rock with haunting lyrics.
Boards of Canada – Music has the Right to Children
Miles Davis – In a Silent Way
Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma
The XX – XX
Fink – Biscuits for Breakfast
DJ Shadow – Entroducing….
Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
Radiohead – In Rainbows
Radiohead – Kid A
Royksopp – Melody A.M.
Underworld – Beaucoup Fish
Zoe Rahman – Melting Pot
Burial – Burial http://www.amazon.co.uk/Burial/dp/B000FA55X2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1280914293&sr=1-3
On repeat for me at the moment:
30 Seconds to Mars – This is War (amazing rock symphony music – love)
Marina & The Diamonds – The Family Jewels (cool pop with intelligent lyrics)
Kelis – Flesh Tone (a return to form)
On repeat for me still…:
Muse – Black Holes and Revelations (Rock with a conscience)
Cloudburst and Other Choral Works: Eric Whitace – Stephen Layton and Polyphony (amazing 21st Century choral composer – love his music and Polyphony is one of the best choral groups in the UK)
Rob Dougan – Furious Angels (although perhaps more for commuting than hols?! It’s a bit rock symphony too but I love it)
Something to make you laugh but keep it away from the kids:
Incredibad – The Lonely Island (Saturday Night Live sketch songs unexpected twists and even better when you realise some of them are Justin Timberlake. Best in context with the videos on YouTube.)
Happy hols!
Bryter Layter – Nick Drake. A poetic voice and stunningly beautiful music. Eclectic yet coherent. Moody yet uplifting. A treasure chest of an album.
Here are three faves of mine:
Time Out (The Dave Brubeck Quartet) – old album, classic jazz
The Best of the Crusaders – saw them in concert many years ago, fabulous
Songs You Know by Heart (Jimmy Buffett) – nothing like singing Margaritaville in the car on your way to some vacation destination
Have a great vacation!
I’m all over the place – depending on my mood, but these seem to be on rotation in my car.
Simon & Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits
Bullet in a Bible – Green Day
The B-52’s – The B-52’s (come on, with a song like Planet Claire, how can you go wrong)
A Rush of Blood to the Head – Cold Play
Core- Stone Temple Pilots
there are some fantastic suggestions above – good luck pulling a mix together.
I will go for just one…
Avishai Cohen- Aurora
Plays the piano… Double bass… Sings… Über talented…
Great Challenge… I threw down a similar gauntlet on FB a while back which resulted in the discovery of Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning…
…which then led to me stumbling upon the marvellous Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
and in the meantime I’ve also listened and loved:
The Aliens (either Luna (great) or Astronomy for Dogs (better))
Bombay Bicycle Club – I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose
Maps – Turning the Mind
Noah & the Whale – First Days of Spring
Reindeer Section – Son of Evil Reindeer
Roddy Woomble – My Secret is my Silence
Stornoway – Beachcombers Windowsill
Enjoy…
Try this: http://ventnorblog.com/2008/07/16/transitions-volume-one-skate-park-fundraiser/
And this: http://www.wight-trash.com/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=9&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1
All from the Isle of Wight, and actually rather good. Also includes some famous bands / singers (ie The Bees, Jet Harris, that bloke from Level 42 etc)
Jack Johnson – On and On
Metric – Fantasies
Van Morrison – Anything! Just go for best of
🙂
Nickleback – The Long Road
Rodriguez – Cold Fact.
He is better than Bob Dylan, the music is more universal and more melodic. Listen particularly to ‘Jane S. Piddy’ and ‘Like Janis’ – widely believed to be a comment on his friend Janis Joplin and her questionable lifestyle choices.
Ok the HRD knows my views but I have to post them here apparently… 🙂
Letters from the Underground by the Levellers – one of their best albums in years, a real return to form.
Best of Nina Simone’s a great one for driving to, relaxing to, chilling with wine to, smooooching to….wonderful voice and great songs
I agree also with Best of Bowie
Skid Row – Skid Row for some classic rock baby arrghhhh
And His n Hers by Pulp is far superior to the later albums
Happy?? 🙂
Foy Vance – Hope, because his music will give you goosebumps.
Plan B – The Defamation Of Strickland Banks, because this is possibly the best concept album made to date.
Delphic – Acolyte, because it’s clever.
US3 (a Blue note record) – jazzy, rocky, hippity hop combo style;
B52s – Love Shack
Nirvana (naked baby in pool on cover) – definitely not a happy happy vibe like the 1st 2 – but love it!
Elvis Costello – any album..
Old favourites guaranteed to induce feelings of summer and holidays (well for me anyway). I recommend a late night, vodka cocktails and this band on repeat whilst you and your mates solve the problems of the world…
Tea Party – Splendor Solis
Tea Party – Edges of Twilight
actually ANYTHING Tea Party, but these are my faves. The best live band I have ever seen and a group of songs that seem to just seep into your brain.
Enjoy the break HRD.
Glee soundtracks 1, 2 and 3. The kids will love them…..
And no abuse from anyone else. I’m in the UAE, Take That haven’t broken up yet, never mind got back together.
And Elvis lives
@Everyone – Thank you so so much for this. Thanks to the guys that comment regularly and to those that came out of the shadows to tell us their recommendations. I’m blown away.
The iPod is buzzing away at the moment downloading as much of this (legally) as I can get my hands on before I leave. A great mix of music, some which I have, some which I know and some….which I know nothing about.
You rock! 🙂
Love to hear what you make of some of the recommendations when you get back. Hope you have a good holiday with whatever music you choose.
Good God man, who does albums anymore? Order yourself a mix of different singles, burn onto one CD & call it album if you like.
If you must, then Prince – any album from his earlier days…
You’ve had some great recommendations already, but I’ll offer two more.
John Cooper Clarke – Snap, Crackle and Bop: any albumwith the couplet “I’ve seen the world, I didn’t like it/What’s in it for me?” has to be holiday music for a man with a sense of humour
The Vanduras – instrumental surf music that belongs on the soundtrack of a remake of The Maltese Falcon set on Venice Beach. Melancholy pedal steel and elegant mid-tempos throughout, and tunes to hum as you drain peach bellinis while the sun sets over the sea. (You may need to get this from http://www.cdbaby.com – I’d be very surprised if it ever made it to iTunes)