Hello everyone and welcome to another Classic’s Collected where we at Spotisfaction delve into the archives and blow the dust off some records we think deserve a replay. With the sheer volume of music available to us at our fingertips it is easy for some really great material to get lost under the pile, so we have made it our mission to bring that goodness back into the light!
Each pick we feel was a classic of its age, genre, or if nothing else just a damned good record. We’ve fed a little background into each selection but most importantly we’d like you to give each one a little attention and a real listen. Like everyone these days, I’m sure, I seem to permanently have music on while I’m working and it has occurred to me a few times: how much do I really genuinely listen to a lot of it? Music has so much power to influence, move and warm your soul so with this being a weekly affair, try and take some time out, pick an album a day and let yourself go. I promise you will not be sorry! Now on with the choices:
The Chemical Brothers ”“ Dig Your Own Hole – It’s Monday morning and if you are anything like me, you’ll still be wishing it was Sunday afternoon. Around 3pm maybe, post roast, with a glass of wine and that inevitable digestion-fuelled, snoozy, relaxed, satisfied feeling. Unfortunately the fields must be toiled in and the rent paid, so here we are at work. If there is one record out there to snap you to your senses and get that energy flowing, it is this one. The Chemical Brothers have always been sound engineers of the highest calibre but their 2nd commercial release broke new boundaries, spawned a number of hit singles and tuned many people into a new style of music.
As I have mentioned before, classic albums often standup for me on their ability to be played without shuffle. I am a self confessed shuffle junkie and have whole archives on shuffle but if you can listen to the first few bars of track 1 and be hooked till the end of the final track, that to me is a sign of great things! Pure energy, great beats and hooks and a thrillride of an album.
Beck ”“ Odelay – From one team of epic soundsmiths to an individual who cannot be classified or compartmentalised. In the great musical sorting office, there is a special sorting box simply labelled Beck. His influence is hugely wide reaching and his work is bordering Bowie territory for sheer ability to change and evolve. Whilst his breakthrough album Mellow Gold is in and of itself a fantastic album, it was Odelay which made Beck a household name and spawned some catchy singles that left Beck cemented in the musical consciousness of the age. Unfortunately I could not find the original pressing on Spotify so you are blessed with a “deluxe edition” with extra bits (aka questionable remixes and b-sides) but the core tracks are all relatively untouched. To quote Futurama: “Odelay is a word; just look it up in the Becktionary”.
Smashing Pumpkins ”“ Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness – This is a slightly selfish choice because for a good long period this was one of my favourite and most played albums. I’ve always loved the Pumpkins and whilst Siamese Dream had some brilliant tracks on it, the sheer size and complexity of this double concept album holds a place in my heart as the peak of the Pumpkin’s work. Billie Corgan as a guitarist and musician is one of those few who has been able to create a sound of all his own and this is demonstrated throughout the album. It is a piece of musical theatre covering a whole range of sounds and topics. At a little over 2 hours long, it’s a lengthy treat but one that is worth every moment.
Nick Drake ”“ Pink Moon / Nick Drake ”“ Bryter Layter ”“ A slight change in tack from the previous choices and a bit of a cheat on my part. I’ve been wanting to put a Nick Drake album in this feature for some time but I have been utterly unable to choose between Pink Moon and Bryter Lyter. In the end I figured why not just include both?! Unfortunately, due to a hotly debated overdose of anti-depressants, Nick’s recording career is a lot shorter than it should be but I feel these 2 albums are in combination the peak of his work and a dynamic example of his ever changing mood (the albums containing both upbeat and very dark material). Each song, to me at least, is very touching and a look into the very soul of humanity which added to the haunting orchestration in places leaves listening to these works a very emotional but also very rewarding experience.
We hope you enjoyed our choices this week and they are collected in the above playlist for simple, convenient digestion. Please use the comment system to let us know what you think about the choices and to suggest and further choices you’d like us to make in the future.
Peace, Love and Music
Battinski
