The Listening Club - 8th September 2013

Howdy folks,

Hope all is going good! I'm on rather a hectic zoomy weekend, plans being foiled and changed all over the place - all good though, a big weekend of gigs has emerged... Eleanor Friedberger on Friday, Chic and Blondes last night, so I'm a happy bunny, but soon off on another mission, so on with the show...

Last week, @mrhig took us to melodrama central with his pick of "Scott Walker Sings Jacques Brel", familiar to some, surprising to others - no complaints from this quarter that's for sure - big thanks to him for the pick, and for zipping the frisbee across to Vancouver and @eastvanhalen...

"Hello, all you lovely people. I've been driving myself dizzy considering the half dozen albums that have vied for contention this week; I'd have been thrilled to play any of them, but as is often my wont I decided to go with the strong sentimental choice. I will admit to being anxious about my selection.

What makes this selection feel so risky is that it is so safe. Every one of you will have heard of this record. Every one of you will have heard songs from this record. It's near-universally regarded as one of the greatest albums of American music. Volumes have been written about it (of which I've resolutely read not a word before composing this). It's also a double album (and EP!), so if you're not impressed you'll have a lot of listening to be unimpressed with.

But before this summer I had never actually sat down and listened to this record beginning to end, and I suspect that might be true of some of you, especially the younger members of the cohort. When I did hear it I was smitten. I've been listening to it all summer, and it's made me happy, and so I want to listen to it with all of you at summer's end.

This record is a very personal chronicle of the turmoil of the artist's world -- pain writ politically through social injustice, especially racism and poverty, and personally through misunderstanding and heartbreak -- but what makes it eternally beautiful is his belief, shining throughout, of the redemptive power of love.

And so with that in mind, I dedicate my selection this week to our beloved @cakehugga, in memory of her beautiful @jayesofine, and to D., my one and only love."

Excellent! Direct download is here, Mixcloud stream (which may well reveal the track titles, you have been warned!) is here!

Search #listeningclub to see what's going on, and follow@listeningclub for the admin.

Hope to see you tonight at 8pm BST/EST (GMT+1)!