Guided By Voices- Alien Lanes. I could do a top five GBV albums, but this here’s my first. I got it on vinyl from Amoeba Records in San Francisco, and things would never be the same. With an average song length of around two minutes, moments of pop genius come and go so quickly you can barely keep up.
Custard-Wisenheimer. Completely missed Custard the first time around, apart from Girls Like That, their commercial radio jam (great song). Wisenheimer came before that. The songs are catchy and thoughtful, but there’s a light-heartedness that I think you can only pull off without looking like a dope when you’re writing killer songs like Apartment.
The Fall-The Wonderful and Frightening World of. With Mr Smith’s back catalogue (it’s sometimes not great) it’s hard to know where to start. This gem was done while Brix was playing guitar/writing/singing in the group, and it’s more new-wave rock than say, Hex Enduction Hour (another fav), but it’s still all Fall. Mark E’s drawly vocal delivery isn’t for everyone, but I can’t get enough.
Blur-Leisure. Damon Albarn rates this album as ‘shit’, but that’s his fault for being a musical overachiever for so long. I’ve loved There’s No Other Way forever, but as an album, it’s strong and has all the shoegaze harmonies you could ever want, it’s more punk than Swervedriver and more pop than Ride. Gold.
Pavement-Slanted and Enchanted. After Cut Your Hair, Pavement became my conduit to writing, before that I didn’t have one. To me, Slanted walks that perfect line between rock’n’roll and the unlistenable. Summer Babe and Loretta’s Scars I still listen to weekly.
