Our music blogger Verity Vincent takes us down music memory lane with a selection of her favourite albums and song… and we want to hear about yours. Drop us a line with your music and memories to music@thingsandink.com
Now and then we all dig out old music and rediscover albums that conjure up all kinds of memories. Whether we go back decades or just a few months, music will never be disposable – despite the ever-changing face of the industry.
An album I often land on while scrolling through iTunes, is La Roux’s 2014 Trouble in Paradise. This is one of those albums to perk you up on a dreary journey to work. The ’80s disco feel jolts you to a cocktail holding, tropical sun-beaming place. And I like it.
The initial track Uptight Downtown is relatable to everyone who has been in one of “those” clubs. The clubs where the cool kids stand around subtly nodding their heads and casting judgement on all they see and hear. Kiss and Not Tell and Sexoteque offer the current generation an “It’s OK, we’ve all been there” vibe, with themes of love, sex and relationships.
For something a little heavier, I often make a return to Exit Ten. Their albums Remember the Day and Give Me Infinity are full of rock and metal enthused anthems which never really got the full notability they deserved. Give Me Infinity’s closer ‘Lion’ is a huge track and singer Ryan Redman’s vocals are just outstanding. Incidentally, he’s currently been playing with I AM GIANT, but maybe one day an Exit Ten reunion will be on the cards?
2015 was a great year for music and one of my top album picks is Leon Bridges – Coming Home.The title track blew up over the summer and songs like ‘Better Man’ and ‘Pull Away’ give the album such authenticity for this style of music. Peaking at number 8 in the UK and number 6 on the US Billboard chart, it was a great feat for a soulful, gospel album. It could sit up there with Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, easily.
There is also a staple record in my vinyl collection that never tires. The American Graffiti soundtrack. It’s like having a crash course in ’50s classics, some more well-known than others, but with tracks from Del Shannon, The Crests, The Beach Boys and Fats Domino, to name a few, it’s a timeless album that will resonate whether you’ve seen the film or not.
