Monday 16 March 2009

Phil Dillon

1 - The Kinks: The Village Green Preservation Society

I rediscovered this album after seeing Ray live in 2007 and hearing him sing Village Green. It's about internal and external change, mortality, love, life, phenomenal cats and, crucially, loss. It's about a world that is passing from memory to history in our lifetimes. I don't think I got all that when I first heard it in my youth.


2 - The Beatles: Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

If you're a musician you're supposed to plump for Revolver, but this is it for me. An album so good, by a band so good that they could leave Strawberry Fields off it. The blueprint for studio recording thereafter and the pivotal album for popular music. 1967 was the year pop peaked, grew up and left home. there's a lot to be said for childhood memory here too. This is the first music that really stayed in my head.


3 - Lambchop: Nixon

It should be alt country but it's not. It's more like Philadelphia soul with a big fat vintage Gibson sat in the nest like a cuckoo. i had no idea waht was going on when I first played this, and now I can't put it down.


4 - Joni Mitchell: Blue

Songs are like tattoos.


5 - Radiohead: OK Computer

A good thing indeed that this came out at a time in my life when I was finally truly happy. There's a wanky word that gets overused by journalists - zeitgeist - but it applies here. And I can't get through "Let Down" with dry eyes. This music is beautiful.


6 - The Smiths: Hatful of Hollow

Yes, TQID is a masterpiece, but it's the rough edges on this album that changed my life. I was about fourteen when this came out, so I thought Morrissey was talking to me personally. Got me into John Peel too, bless him.


7 - Robyn Hitchcock: Eye

If I was on my knees you'd have a good view of my skull, and I happen to know you're carrying a chisel.


8 - Paul Weller: Wild Wood

This was like having a big brother put his arms around me at the time. Thanks Paul. You kept me up there.


9 - Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde

This has got "Visions of Johanna" on it, which, I think you'll find, is the pinnacle of human artistic achievement. Mona Lisa may well have the highway blues, but she doesn't have the ghost of electricity howling through the bones of her face now, does she?


10 - The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

Paul McCartney allegedly buys this for friends' kids as part of their musical education.


11- Guided By Voices: Do The Collapse

I was given a promo of this and told that I'd like it by someone who knows my musical tastes as well as I do. Hooks, harmonies, guitars and jawdropping songwriting.


12 - Cat Power: The Greatest

Languid and lovely. But enough about Cat. Love and Communication sounds like an out take from Broken English brought up to date. That's an accolade, that is.


13 - Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Ragged Glory

Older guys can play loud better than younger guys. End of.


14 - Talk Talk: Laughing Stock

Eighties pop band? Think again. This is jazz-rock or something. It sound like catharsis in a sparse white room. Good drummer.


15 - Ben Jones: Echobox

Not out yet, but I'm privileged to have a copy. A proper solo album. All done by one man, so no compromise needed.



Updated on Sunday · Comment · LikeUnlike · Report Note
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Andy Fraser at 18:13 on 15 March
You have a great way with words, Phil. I mean.....
"It's more like Philadelphia soul with a big fat vintage Gibson sat in the nest like a cuckoo."
That's the best I've heard yet.
Lovely choices
Stuart Turner at 18:23 on 15 March
For what its worth, here are my life changers. Not necessarily my all time favourites, just the ones that changed the way I viewed things...

The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan
Bizarro - The Wedding Present
Dry - PJ Harvey
Generation Terrorists - The Manic Street Preachers
Bo Didleys Beach Party - Bo Didley
King of The Delta Blues Singers Vol 1 - Robert Johnson
Head on The Door - The Cure
Mule Variations - Tom Waits
Licence To Ill - The Beastie Boys
God Fodder - Neds Atomic Dustbin
De Stijl - The White Stipes
Eight Track Stomp - The Chickasaw Mudpuppies
Live After Death - Iron Maiden
Liege and Leaf- Fairport Convention

(Also of note -- Steady The Buffs - The Buff Medways



Sea Monsters - The Wedding Present



Ocean Rain - Echo and the Bunnymen



Pablo Honey - Radiohead)

S x
Bob Collins at 19:22 on 15 March
Totally with you on Nixon and, like Andy, your description of it. That album never fails to astound.

Funny thing with Dylan re-listening to him recently (for obvious reasons) I think Blonde on Blonde, although I do like it, is possibly my least favourite of his.
Andy Fraser at 11:43 on 16 March
Great choices....Stuart...I mean....nice to see Generation Terrorists get a mention (though I would always gho for the rougher edge of The Holy Bible) Once this has spread around a bit I'll blog a top 10 of parallell choices.
Andy Fraser at 11:44 on 16 March
Top 15, rather
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