Favorite albums, part 2

There are a lot of albums I really love. Here's some more…

Let Love In (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds)

Released 1994:

1994 was the year I met Scot. At the time, I didn't realize that would be significant. It was also the year I started listening to Nick Cave. The college radio station didnt have a copy of Let Love In, but they did have a copy of Henry's Dream (released 1992) and that totally got me hooked. This was during my episode of major depression and Nick Cave's anger and darkness really spoke to me.

Favorite tracks:

Do You Love Me?; Nobody's Baby Now; Red Right Hand; I Let Love In;

Additional thoughts:

Nick Cave writes a murder ballad better than any contemporary musician. His songs remind me of Flannery O'Connor's short stories -- dark and nuanced; examining the motivations and lives of the people who live on the edges. His attempts at novel writing aren't quite as stellar as his song-writing, but his songs would hold their own against most writers. His songs are as much story as they are music.

And I don't know that I'll ever get tired of these opening lines,

Despair and Deception, Love’s ugly little twins
Came a-knocking on my door – I let them in
Darling, you’re the punishment for all my former sins
I let love in

Absolute Beginners (soundtrack)

Released 1986

I was in elementary school when this came out, but I never knew about it until I was in high school. I got a copy of the soundtrack (on cassette) from a friend who knew I was a huge David Bowie fan. Around the same time (1989?), the movie was shown on television and I videotaped it – and proceeded to watch it over and over and over, much to the rest of my family's chagrin, I'm sure.

Favorite tracks:

Absolute Beginners (David Bowie); Killer Blow (Sade); Have You Ever Had It Blue? (The Style Council); Quiet Life (Ray Davies); Selling Out (Slim Gaillard)

This album is so trapped in nostalgia for me that it's really hard for me to choose favorites…

Additional thoughts

It's probably a cheat to include a soundtrack on a list of favorite albums. However, Absolute Beginners is so part of who I am and so much of my high school and college memories are tied up in this that I can't ignore it.

The movie had a profound effect on me, too: its focus on racism and the corporatization of youth culture were messages that I still carry with me.