Ten Albums I Would Take To A Desert Island

Through these 6 years that I've been writing on this blog, I never made the famous top 10 albums that I would take to a desert island. I'll only select one album per artist, so the list would be very Suede, Strangelove and Depeche Mode. So here they are, without any specific order (well, Coming Up is...):

Suede - Coming Up

This is my favourite album ever. It has 10 speeded up songs, 10 potential hit singles, 10 songs about living the world with our friends and enjoying life. From my top 5 songs ever, 4 are from this album. Not only the Coming Up is excellent but the whole concept is truly amazing. In 1994, Bernard Butler left Suede, and, for the media the creative part of Suede was gone and they would not survive to it. So the band hired a 17 year old guitarist (Richard Oakes) and a fifth member to play keyboards (Neil Codling). Oakes creativity was immense and he wrote some classic tunes like Trash, Beautiful Ones, Saturday Night or Filmstar. The "new" Suede gave space for Brett Anderson to write on his own and Lazy and By The Sea were released too. The album is fantastic and it represents what modern music should be. The b-sides of this album are too incredible. This was the best period of Suede.

Strangelove - Love And Other Demons

I met Strangelove through Suede. Alex Lee, how joined Suede in 2001 was a member of Strangelove and I had a listen to the band. I was bloody shocked when I heard for the first time songs like "Living With The Human Machines" and "She's Everywhere". This album is one of the best pieces of music ever written. It includes big and strong guitar riffs, soft love songs, introspective words, everything. Patrick Duff (that during this time was a mess because of addiction to drugs) wrote 10 beautiful poems that Alex Lee and the rest of the band gave a great instrumental. Other songs like "The Sea Of Black", "Sway" or "Elin's Photograph" are songs that really gets you involved. Never understand how Strangelove never grow up to a bigger stage, because they totally deserved it. Perfect. 

Morrissey - You Are The Quarry

Most of all Smiths lovers will hate me for this, but, in my opinion, You Are The Quarry is Morrisey's best work. I love The Smiths, and The Queen Is Dead is a key album for me but, I prefer this one.

Morrissey was gone for the music scene for a while and then he released the comeback single, "Irish Blood, English Heart". And what a stunning song! Very strong lyrics and a rock and powerfull instrumental. Perfect, and it charted very good on the UK. The best moment in the album is the first song. "America Is Not The World" is a beautiful track, soft, with a real message and Morrissey's voice is really charming during it. Other great songs are "Last Of The Gang To Die" (catchy song), "How Could Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?" (rock song) "Let Me Kiss You" (love song) are great moments. Just think that, to end such a good album Morrissey could select a better songs that "You Know I Couldn't Last" but it is ok. I think it was a new start for Morrissey and a massive step forward. 

Depeche Mode - Songs Of Faith And Devotion

Depeche Mode were a "new romantic" 80's band with Speak & Spell. I think that this idea is completely wrong. As the years went by they become darker and heavier and reached a climax with Songs Of Faith And Devotion. The band had world sucess with the great Violator and I think that most people thought that it was it for the band, they would be the band with several hits two great late 80's albums (Music For The Masses and Violator), but the band responded with SOFAD a new side of the band. This is a 90's album, with much more guitar, much more drums, much more sound, much more complexed. You couldn't start better an album than with a song like "I Feel You". I have no words for it, it is simply the best passionate rock song ever. The simplicity of the riff (2 notes) with the way it sticks in your head is incredible. You can't pick an electric guitar without playing at least one time that riff. The other songs are brilliant too. "Walking In My Shoes" (first song I've heard of the band), "In Your Room" (the album version is a monument to music) "Higher Love" or "Judas" are songs that change lives. And the love shows of the Devotional Tour were completely incredible, watching it on DVD makes me sad not to be there but euphoric to be watching that right now. World-Class album.

Ornatos Violeta - O Monstro Precisa De Amigos

The only portuguese album that I selected. Ornatos Violeta were (and now are again) a band from my home town, and they were pioneers on a wave of good bands that came from the north of Portugal. You can describe them as an alternative indie/rock band. One of the main reasons that I adore so much this album is because of the lyrics. Manel Cruz is one of the best (for me the best) writer in Portugal and his lyrics can really reach you. You really memorize fast the lyrics because they have an excellent story and a beautiful exchange of words. Songs like "Chaga", "Dia Mau", "Ouvi Dizer", "Capitão Romance" (with Gordon Gano from The Violent Femmes) or "Coisas" are hymns in Portugal and really beautiful pieces of music. You can expect fast guitars and breathtaking songs.

Brett Anderson - Wilderness

Wilderness is the most different album from all of the others that are here. It is a calm and acoustic work just with piano, cello and some acoustic guitar. Brett Anderson, after releasing his first solo record, gave some acoustic shows and liked so much the ways his old songs sounded that he wanted to do something very peaceful and acoustic. Then, he made a 9-track project with just him and Amy Langley that was record in 2 weeks.The album don't bring to you throes of joy or euphoric feeling but a good and relaxed sense of peace. "A Different Place" can really bring to a different place and "Chinese Whispers", "Knife Edge", "P. Marius" or "The Empress" are beautiful well written and simple songs. Anyone who has a bad day should listen to Wilderness and I assure that he would feel much better. 

David Bowie - Heathen

Yes, with so many classic albums by Bowie, why chose Heathen? It is simply my favourite one. Other ones like Ziggy Stardust or Aladdin Sane were more revolutionary but this one really pleases me. I think it is incredible that Bowie came up with this album ate the age of 55 and had a immense creativity to share after all of the music he made before.

The last 3 songs of the album "Everyone Says Hi", "A Better Future" and "Heathen (The Rays)" are one of the best 3 tracks in a row ever, specially Heathen that is a beautiful song, full of hope, fear and love on the same time. "Slow Burn" is fantastic too so is "Sunday" and even the 3 songs not written by him sound genuine great. I hope that this album shows to other middle age artists that there is no age to do music.

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Probably the album from the ones that I chose that appear on more lists like these one. I won't say how this album was revolutionary to modern music or how Harrisson, Lennon, McCartney and Starr were genius, I'll just say that I adore this album. Every single song is superb. From "With A Little Help From My Friends" to "When I'm Sixty Four" (McCartney at age 16) and of course passing by the marvellous and hallucinogenic "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!". Great album, it is fantastic how the Beatles changed themselves and the music industry so much in such a short time. In 65 they were singing "Help!" (love that song and album too) and two years later they travelled light years to release this peace of art. A reference too to other great songs from Sgt. Pepper's like the happy "Lovely Rita" or the monster "A Day In The Life" probably my favourite Beatles song. 

Patrick Duff - The Mad Straight Road

The Mad Straight Road is the second album by Patrick Duff, ex-singer of Strangelove. Patrick recorded this album, with producer Stew Jackson, and then showed it to several record companies but, although, everyone said that it was excellent album, no one wanted to release it. So Duff released him by himself. He packed my own CD and signed the Booklet. What can I say of the album? It is perfect, and one of the best things I have ever listened in my entire life. Patrick did a 12 track album and every piece of music is great. From the melancholic "Dead Man Singing" to the happy "The Tourist" passing though the song that I probably hear more times in the morning "Wake Up Richard". You still have space to the epic "Poor Old John" (Patrick's voice reaches high as Gods on this one) and the beautiful, full of love, hope and positive thoughts of "My Sober Heart". But still don't forget the amazing "Woman How Don't Talk English"! Thinking better, don't forget of any of the songs from this album because all of them are extremely well worked and full of creativity.

Jeff Buckley - Grace

I remember being introduced to Jeff Buckley by my cousin, when he was already dead. My cousin, a musician too, just said "my dream is to one day play guitar and sing like this guy", and I do understand why. For me, Buckley was the musician that died early that had more potential. This album represents all of that potential. 10 great songs, with a lot of work on them and with a great soul that was represented by Jeff's great voice. I will take songs like "So Real" or "Dream Brother" whenever I'm going. The covers are good and they are not just covers, they are re-arrangements made by Buckley that made him own a little of the other people songs. "Hallellujah" is perfect, a hymn to life, so is "Corpus Christi Carol". "Grace", Last Goodbye", "Lover You Shouldn't Come Over" or the heavy rock "Eternal Life" are songs that will stay modern and actual forever. It's Eternal Life for Jeff Buckley.

Just to say, that there were a couple of other great albums like People Move On by Bernard Butler, Transformer by Lou Reed, Supergrass by Supergrass, Different Class by Pulp, Tonight By Franz Ferdinand or The Man Who by Travis that could be on this list so much as any other of LP's selected.