Music

Three for me come to mind.

The first two are semi-related, in my mind at least.

Computerwelt and Remain In Light, both from 1981, set a standard for what music would become. They’re the future before the future had arrived - looping arrangements, repeating sounds, aiming for a very “assembled” type of music.

And yet, they’re captivating for me for being so far removed from what modern music has become at the same time. These albums aren’t assembled in a DAW, they’re entirely crafted in the analogue world, almost perfect but imperfect. They’re great albums from a songwriting perspective anyway, but I always wonder if the fact they spawn from this exact moment in time is what makes them so perfect for me.

The other is The Sophtware Slump by Grandaddy. This one is harder to explain, if you try to break it down it isn’t hugely experimental, influential, groundbreaking or even that popular in the wider sense. But something about it is so utterly of its time and timeless at the same time.

And, maybe it’s just the people I know, but I have friends and family who remember and cherish this album. You could play someone certain tracks and they might enjoy them, but something about putting all the tracks together and listening to the album just creates that classic special journey.

Interested in what other albums have special meaning for people, even if they’re not entirely sure why.