Beach Boys – Pet Sounds
“I was in grade one when I first had the itch for some of my own music so I asked my dad to get me a Beach Boys greatest hits CD. It was my first ever album and it’s something I still listen to in the car these days,” Caskey says.
“I chose Pet Sounds because it is definitely one of my favourite albums. This is a very complex album littered with genius vocal melodies and lyrics. It’s so upbeat but at the same time can be so melancholic. Something I have always been drawn to.”
Panda Bear – Person Pitch
“I can safely say I’ve listened to this album well over 4000 times. I used to listen to it twice a night to help me get to sleep. Not only is it one of the most sonically fascinating and inspiring albums in modern ‘alternative’ music, it is also populated with some amazing Beach Boys-esque vocals,” Caskey says.
“Toro y Moi and Washed Out have said this album was a big inspiration for their own music even though it sounds nothing like it. I can say the same and the analogy I use is that Panda Bear threw the rock so far outside the circle that he redefined the barriers of what musicians can create whilst still being musical acceptable. He opened the minds of so many musicians to think more outside the box and take more risks.”
El Guincho – Pop Negro
“This one was a big inspiration for all of us especially during the making of In a Million Years. It’s an upbeat summer dance banger album sung in Spanish. There’s a lot of syncopation and interesting beats in there, coupled with cartoony sounding synths playing some happy melodie,” Caskey says.
“It’s the soundtrack to my early 20’s and always lifts the atmosphere of the room when you put it on. I suspect El Guincho was heavily inspired by Panda Bear too because his vocal style reminds me a lot of the way Person Pitch was recorded. Melodic lullaby vocals laid over some repetitive loops that put you in a trance.”
The Strokes – Room on Fire
“I couldn’t choose five of the most influential albums and not choose Room on Fire because this one was responsible for me playing music in the first place. I specifically remember the moment I walked past the TV after pulling the washing off the line and just halting at the sight of the guys on the ’12:51′ video clip. The neon blue highlights blown out in a dark futuristic spacey background caught my eye and the music blew my mind,” Caskey says.
“That led me to buy my third ever CD and I listened to it non-stop for years. I still remember listening to it for the first time constantly taking my headphones off to tell everyone around me how good this album was. A few months later, I got my first guitar and started to learn all of The Strokes’ songs.”
Twin Sister – In Heaven
“I don’t know about you but I’m always trying to find that next album that just hits the spot and surprises me. It’s like a drug — that moment when you listen to the second track and it’s a perfect curve ball, then by track three you’re completely hooked. The last time that happened was when I listened to this album,” Caskey says.
“The sweet velvety vocals sung over a nice dry beat paired with very cheesy ’80s synths and a super jangly guitar. Musically this album goes a lot of different places in terms of style and instrumentation but that’s something I’ve always enjoyed. It inspired me to try writing songs in various styles and try different instruments.”
