the list of 9 for february 18, 2005:
MY NINE "DESERT ISLAND DISCS"
Years ago, Tower Records used to publish a free magazine called Pulse!, with a sectiondevoted to readers' submitted lists of their "desert island discs" - the ten music albums thatthey would take with them if stranded on a desert island. In other words, their ten favoriterecords. Well, I do things in nines around here, and although this isn't the most relevant listI've written, it's good filler for now, as I have more Claustrophobia/Serial Slayer liststhat I need to save to coincide with the March 2005 pay-per-view release of the film. Plus, Itruly do recommend all of these recordings.
- HOUNDS OF LOVE, Kate Bush, 1985. My love affair with thisreclusive British artist dates back to 1986, when I first heard Hounds of Love. I listenedto it nearly every night for years. And while I adore all of her first five albums, it is onlythis and 1982's The Dreaming that I'd call genius, masterpieces, perfect.
- SOCIAL DANCING, Bis, 1999. An overlooked album by a trioof Scottish kids that blended punk with pop expertly in this, their second of only three LPs.High energy with hooks aplenty.
- VESPERTINE, Björk, 2001. My affection for theIcelandic pop princess goes back to at least 1993, and her first album Debut almost made itonto this list. But while Björk is always interesting, out of all her work it'sonly the haunting Vespertine that I imagine I'll still be listening to in future years.
- SPLIT, Lush, 1996. This group stood out from all of theother "shoegazer" bands of the 90's, thanks to its appealing singer-songwriter-guitar team of MikiBerenyi and Emma Anderson. Split is their best album by far.
- POLYDISTORTION, GusGus, 1997. Back to Iceland we go forwhat I believe remains the most - and maybe only - ageless electronic music of the 90's. It's gotway more depth and soul than anything the Chemical Brothers could have come up with. And Ilike the Chemical Brothers.
- HER HANDWRITING, Trembling Blue Stars, 1996. This is themost swoonworthy collection of breakup songs I've ever heard. Not sure what good it would do me ona desert island, but it sure would make me feel like I'm not the only lonely soul out there.
- FOXBASE ALPHA, Saint Etienne, 1991. Moodier than theirsubsequent pop material, this debut album from the long-living British trio is still my favorite.It never gets old.
- BEST OF, Bow Wow Wow, 1980-82. To most, this group may bejust a one-hit wonder with "I Want Candy," but when you look past the gimmickry (14 year old girlsinger with a mohawk), these people were great musicians - surf guitar, tribal drums, catchy songsgalore. Ask me again in a year and I might not include this album, but for now, I'd be perfectlyhappy dancing underneath my coconut tree to it.
- NEVERMIND, Nirvana, 1991. It's almost a cliche to includethis, but I figured I had to include something from the US (it's almost embarrassing hownearly everything I listen to comes from the UK), and this groundbreaking album sounds fresh evenfourteen years later. If I could add a tenth disc, I'd most certainly include either of the twoalbums by the British duo Goldfrapp - but that's just more atmospheric, non-guitar-orientedmusic with a sexy female vocalist. There's enough of that on this list. So considerNevermind my list's lone nod to guy-oriented American rock.
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