Since it's halfway through the year, I thought I would address a question a few people have asked me when I requested their album choice; what two albums would I recommend? I've not been able to give anyone a good answer, but here's an attempt (I can't stick to two, though!) So, in no particular order, here are 6.
(You may notice it differs a bit from what I've been listening to on recommendation!)
1) Andy Palacio 'Watina' (2007)
Andy Palacio is a figurehead of Garifuna/Belizean Punta music (I lived in Belize for 7 months). He died in 2008, just a year after this album; it's in the Garifuna language, and although I didn't listen to it for the first time until just before I left Belize, it's now one of my favourites.
2) The Streets 'Original Pirate Material' (2002)
This album is brilliant. The beats are divine and lyrically it's genius (political too:- I defy anyone to produce a more effective argument about the relative impact on English society of weed and alcohol than "The Irony of it All".) I remember listening to songs from this live from One Big Weekend (I think) while revising for my GCSEs. Happy days. Also, for anyone who instantly thinks 'fit but don't you know it', that's on "a grand don't come for free"- you are safe!
3) Lauryn Hill 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' (1998)
Great album. I think I was heart-broken on two different occasions and this album got listened to A Lot. Still a great album now all's good with the world.
4) Various Artists "Handel's Messiah: A soulful Celebration" (1992)
This is possibly the most obvious of a long list of musical influences that I wouldn't have if I hadn't been part of what's now called OneSound (which I should blog about another time... but for now http://www.onesound.org.uk/). In short it's a place of fellowship, sharing faith, life-long friendships (I'm not exaggerating- I have 10year friendships, I know people with 15 year friendships, and at our forty year anniversary concert there were people with, well, 40year friendships!) and stonking music (and rather fabulously diverse repertoire). I can trace an awful lot of my favourite music back to music performed there, or recommendations from friends met there, or activities I've only taken part in due to OneSound!
Anyway. The repertoire we've covered is something else (as implied above) and this gem is a part of that (we only did a few of the tracks, I should clarify). It's a reworking of Handel's Messiah influenced by a whole heap of African-American musical styles. Some tracks work better than others but 'But Who May Abide' is something else. It kicks in at 2:05 and I go a bit mad. And 'Unto Us...' starts like the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air...
5) Hypnotic Brass Ensemble "Hypnotic Brass Ensemble"
This one is attributable to Greenbelt, and so possibly to OneSound, as I first went with friends from there and it now forms an annual extra reunion. Seven brass-playing brothers from Chicago. And a mate who plays the drums. (I think). Funktastic, and you may recognise a track from 'The Hunger Games' (which I haven't seen...)
6) Bellowhead "Broadside" (2012)
And here's another musical influence that appeared indirectly as a result of OneSound! One of the friends I made there (hey Liz!) was my housemate for a year in Reading, and by the time she had spent a year telling me how great this lot were, only for me to miss them at Greenbelt festival because I was stewarding, I went to see them in Reading a while later. And, erm, wow. If you don't like this, go to see them live. If you still don't like them, then if you're very lucky I might still trust your judgement occasionally. But probably not. Folky madness.
(You may notice it differs a bit from what I've been listening to on recommendation!)
1) Andy Palacio 'Watina' (2007)
Andy Palacio is a figurehead of Garifuna/Belizean Punta music (I lived in Belize for 7 months). He died in 2008, just a year after this album; it's in the Garifuna language, and although I didn't listen to it for the first time until just before I left Belize, it's now one of my favourites.
2) The Streets 'Original Pirate Material' (2002)
This album is brilliant. The beats are divine and lyrically it's genius (political too:- I defy anyone to produce a more effective argument about the relative impact on English society of weed and alcohol than "The Irony of it All".) I remember listening to songs from this live from One Big Weekend (I think) while revising for my GCSEs. Happy days. Also, for anyone who instantly thinks 'fit but don't you know it', that's on "a grand don't come for free"- you are safe!
3) Lauryn Hill 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' (1998)
Great album. I think I was heart-broken on two different occasions and this album got listened to A Lot. Still a great album now all's good with the world.
4) Various Artists "Handel's Messiah: A soulful Celebration" (1992)
This is possibly the most obvious of a long list of musical influences that I wouldn't have if I hadn't been part of what's now called OneSound (which I should blog about another time... but for now http://www.onesound.org.uk/). In short it's a place of fellowship, sharing faith, life-long friendships (I'm not exaggerating- I have 10year friendships, I know people with 15 year friendships, and at our forty year anniversary concert there were people with, well, 40year friendships!) and stonking music (and rather fabulously diverse repertoire). I can trace an awful lot of my favourite music back to music performed there, or recommendations from friends met there, or activities I've only taken part in due to OneSound!
Anyway. The repertoire we've covered is something else (as implied above) and this gem is a part of that (we only did a few of the tracks, I should clarify). It's a reworking of Handel's Messiah influenced by a whole heap of African-American musical styles. Some tracks work better than others but 'But Who May Abide' is something else. It kicks in at 2:05 and I go a bit mad. And 'Unto Us...' starts like the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air...
5) Hypnotic Brass Ensemble "Hypnotic Brass Ensemble"
This one is attributable to Greenbelt, and so possibly to OneSound, as I first went with friends from there and it now forms an annual extra reunion. Seven brass-playing brothers from Chicago. And a mate who plays the drums. (I think). Funktastic, and you may recognise a track from 'The Hunger Games' (which I haven't seen...)
6) Bellowhead "Broadside" (2012)
And here's another musical influence that appeared indirectly as a result of OneSound! One of the friends I made there (hey Liz!) was my housemate for a year in Reading, and by the time she had spent a year telling me how great this lot were, only for me to miss them at Greenbelt festival because I was stewarding, I went to see them in Reading a while later. And, erm, wow. If you don't like this, go to see them live. If you still don't like them, then if you're very lucky I might still trust your judgement occasionally. But probably not. Folky madness.
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