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www.heavenorlasvegas.co.uk
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| Scotlands's newest and finest music publication - Serving the whole nation, with particular focus on the North East (Elgin, Inverness and Aberdeen) | |
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Hammond's Music picks
'We've all been in love right? Even if it was only with our self' Picking the best music ever is a bit more than difficult, it's like a quadriplegic attempting to masturbate . . . nigh on bloody impossible. Favourite music can be crap but remind you of a time a place or a person, which for whatever reason was important to you. You can always judge a man by his music, his shoes and his taste in alcohol. So put on your chocolate brown loafers, grab a Pilsner Urquell and judge away . . Albums The Smiths - The Smiths (1983)
Essentially this album invented what we now term as modern indie music. A new sound, a new style, a new message. The Smiths were far too smart to be globally huge, but their influence on the music of the last twenty years cannot be underestimated. A masterpiece. The Decemberists - Picaresque (2005)
The Decemberists are making the best music on the planet right now and Picaresque was their real breakthrough. They make folksy, witty, lyrically rich indie music that can shift from mellow (Engine Driver) to upbeat (The Sporting Life) almost effortlessly. A modern gem. REM - Murmur (1983)
REM have never surpassed their debut. A summer power pop effort which makes the Beach Boys sound like they make theme tunes for children's television programmes. The Weakerthans - Left and Leaving (2000)
A fantastically heartfelt little album by Canadian band The Weakerthans. Lost loves, misplaced loves, temporarily unavailable loves, overly accessible loves and unrequited loves . . . we've all been in love right? Even if it was only with our self. Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas (1990)
Well I named the publication after it! Joy Division - Closer (1980)
Ohhhh wasn't Ian Curtis dark and troubled? Ultimately his problems made Joy Division what they were, bloody brilliant. Ultimately his death also made New Order what they are, pretty shit. The National - Alligator (2005)
This album (along with Michael Palin's travel documentaries and Ernest Hemingway) consumed me for about three months. Magnetic Fields - Get Lost (1995)
Misanthropic, cultured, cynical, tongue in cheek electro pop mayhem. Merritt creates an album so glumly brilliant, on listening to it you can't help but feel eternally grateful for possessing a brain and a pair of ears. Blue Nile - Hats (1989)
Seven tracks of nocturnal twilight musings from one of Scotland's most reclusive acts. A slow, sobering album for long wet night in the city where sleep eludes and the mind wanders. VAST - Visual Audio Sensory Theatre (1999)
John Crosby's dark debut is a perfect lesson on mixing and instrumental arrangement. This is music which can jump from menacingly dangerous to forlorn and heartfelt. All throughout Crosby toys with the notion of light and dark, lust and love, Pepsi or Coke . . . *Notable mentions to old favourites The Cure, Guided by Voices, Kraftwerk, Vitesse, Big Country etc Music Video
Songs
This is liable to change weekly! But take it as guaranteed that on May 28th 2007, these were my favourite songs.
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