Real Lies – Seven Sisters

This fun track is a throwback to my days living in London. I used to travel through the Seven Sisters area on a daily basis. Feels like a lifetime ago.

Real Lies are from London and remind me more than a little of the Pet Shop Boys.

/RjK

The Smiths – The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

I remembered listening to a cassette version of The Queen Is Dead on my yellow Sony Walkman! I find Morrissey a little tiresome truth be told but he had some serious game and that album saw The Smiths at just about the peak of their powers.

The Smiths - The Queen is Dead

The Smiths – The Queen is Dead

/RjK

Paul Simon – Born at the Right Time

This is the last of a few posts about albums that have influenced me recently. The Rhythm of the Saints recently turned 25 years old. It is one of my favorite albums of all time (I go back and forth between it and Astral Weeks) and is perhaps the most influential.

Simon’s experimentation with African and World Music and the wonderfully rich sound that was produced inspired me to investigate some of these sounds and musicians. I had a very enjoyable sojourn exploring African music and one that I’m sure I will return to in due course.

This track is a highlight of the album and I love the colorful, mythical imagery.

Down among the reeds and rushes
A baby boy was found
His eyes as clear as centuries
His silky hair was brown

/RjK

Seamus Heaney* – Digging

I have been reading Stepping Stones while in Lahore, Pakistan over the past few days. It’s made me feel more connected to Northern Ireland than in some time.

Seamus Heaney’s journey from from rural Derry to Nobel Prize winner and Harvard Professor is still truly inspirational to me.

/RjK

*Artist #875

Jeff Buckley – Grace

This track is taken from the spectacular album of the same name. I had never heard anything like it before when I first came across it in high school. I was transfixed by it’s sheer intensity.

/RjK