If I had the time, I could literally spend hours watching artists talk about music from their own record collections…the more obscure the better. It must be vinyl of course…clattering through plastic CD jewel cases is just not the same – a weird name that, ‘jewel case’, the term just reminds me of all the little teeth that hold the disc (jewels?) that fall out when you open one that’s had a rough journey in the post, I digress – and scrolling through your MP3 player is just non-tangible and boring.
One album which made a big impression on us here at Folk Radio recently was The Weight Of The Sun, the latest offering from Modern Studies which was reviewed by Bob Fish here, who noted: “There’s a sense of subtlety and grace to The Weight Of The Sun that only comes from a band that is confident in their ability to find the power in the music.”
Between them, the players of Modern Studies have a diverse and rich musical background, something which became all the more apparent when Fire Records asked them to sit down and talk (individually and in isolation) about albums that inspired The Weight of the Sun. As you can see in the video below, their choices were entertainingly different and broad.
Tying back to my opening para that ‘I don’t have hours to spend watching people talk about their collections’… this is clearly a lie as this video did end up consuming a whole evening – but I like to see it as gaining an evening rather than losing one. After and during this video, I went off on something of an interesting detour, thanks in no small part to modern technology. You’d better watch it first before reading the spoilers below. Each band member got to choose three albums…from those that inspired them to, in the case Pete Harvey, those that were just background radiation.
SO…
Thanks to Emily Scott (Vocals and Keys):
I revisited PJ Harvey’s ‘Let England Shake’ to listen for those ‘voices in octaves’ that she and Rob St John so enjoy on this album and I chilled to melodically inspiring Ethiopian nun-jazz courtesy of Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou.
Thanks to Joe Smillie (Drums and Vocals):
As soon as I saw the cover of Gerard Love’s Lightships, that was another 40 minutes listening gone…After 20 years playing with Teenage Fanclub this was his first solo excursion for which he’d gathered a number of friends around him including Bob Kildea of Bella & Sebastian…I suppose some of that very chemistry is at work here with Modern studies – Bob also mentions in his review of ‘The Weight of the Sun’ that a psychological camaraderie binds the band together.
Thanks to Pete Harvey (Bass and Production):
Kate Bush’s The Red Shoes – while not her strongest release I was just curious…plus Qobuz had the remastered 2018 edition, so the headphones went on…I didn’t quite make the full duration but that Jellyfish album (Spilt Milk) was well worth the stay…that dreamy Beach Boys styled opener is great.
Lastly…
Thanks to Rob St John (Vocals and Guitars):
His mention of Karl Blau was unexpected…I featured a track from this album in 2018 here which I’d forgotten all about…However, I entered the deepest rabbit hole thanks to his mention of Delia Derbyshire and Elsa Stansfields’ ‘Circle of Light’ soundtrack – which I eventually did fall asleep to but not before watching a documentary.
Being of a certain age, I was familiar with the Radiophonic Workshop and later became more aware of the amazing Delia Derbyshire…the reason I’ve left Rob to last was this documentary which is just…fascinating.
Go and explore…and buy yourself that lovely Dinked Edition of ‘The Weight of the Sun’ with that lovely rainbow splash…details of Independent Record Stores selling Dinked releases can be found here – https://dinkededition.co.uk/shops
You can also order The Weight of the Sun here: https://fire-records.lnk.to/MS_WeightOfTheSunID