88/89 and 9 albums that changed out lives. With their latest single ‘Hit Me out now across all DSPs we thought it would be a good idea to chat the the lads about Albums that Changed their lives.
1. Lou Reed – Transformer
I love the songs on this record. But it was Bowie and Mick Ronson’s production that made it so impactful. It was the first time I’d ever so clearly seen someone take some demos that we’re so bare-bones and rough around the edges and turn it them into a beautifully cohesive Hit Record.
2. Jeff Buckley – Grace
Jeff Buckley is when I dropped into music. The depth, the vocal range and his ability on guitar come together to create a hauntingly painful snapshot of what it is to be in love, to be abandoned, the be trying to find an answer to this crazy thing that is called life. Grace as an album has a huge amount of variation in sounds, from the church organ in lover you should have come over to the cover of lilac wine. I’m not alone in thinking he might have been one of the most talented musicians to ever have lived
3. The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Give it Back!
I was given this album when I was 20 on a blank homemade CD. It had nothing written on it so I had no idea who it was or when it was made, but at the time I thought it was the greatest record I’d ever heard. I remember I played it to a friend on a Walkman just to watch his face when the first track kicks in.
4. Elmore James – The Sky is Crying
The lyrics, the wailing blues guitar, the passion in his playing. Elmore James gives me goosebumps. It wakes up the soul like no one else.
5. The Strokes – Is This It
Every track is killer, the artwork is killer, the time it came out was perfect. The way the guitars work together, the lyrics the production. It was the first time that I became obsessed with researching how a record was made. I wanted to know how they wrote it, recorded it, everything and I wanted to know in detail. It was an ongoing obsession that lasted over a decade.
6. Banks – The Altar
This is my modern/trendy choice. I think the production, lyrics and image blend to perfection. “Gemini Feed” is my fav track on the album. Even the title itself proves that she’s a perfectionist. The way she weaves ‘The Alter’ into the opening track excites me from a storytelling standpoint.
7. Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
Aptly made in 1989, I bought this record in a totally random CD shop gamble. And I love the punchy beats so much. The mixture of live drum samples and drum machines works so well in my head that it’s something I’m trying pull off. So much so that I’ve resampled our own drum recordings to make them sound more like it
8. Justice – Genesis
This was the first time I ever fell in love with an electronic record. Before I’d mostly listened to rock or pop music, so this really sounded like nothing I’d ever heard before. The way they textured the 4 on the floor beat using synths and samples. It’s almost like everything acts as a rhythm instrument at some point. A lot of the time it’s hard to tell what’s drums and what’s an instrument. Top that all off with one of the best brand images I’ve ever seen, and you’ve got one killer album.
9. Ane Brun – Changing of the Seasons
I heard this album in a dark time in my life and it gave me strength. A friend of mine showed it to me and it kick-started me into writing again. I’ve shared these songs with people, I love and it cuts deep for me.
10. Just for Fun, If magic were real, what spell would you try to learn first?
A spell that would give Jet and Randall (our dogs) the ability to play Bass and Keys
Psych-pop duo 88/89 have released their electric new single “Hit Me.” With a blend of synths and guitar riffs, 88/89 deliver a euphoric and sentimental single reminiscent of the best moments of a relationship. You can download or stream the single here: https://cdbaby.lnk.to/HitMe
