Today, Saturday 13th October, is National Album Day, the culmination of a week of celebrations within the British music community and a toast to the 70th birthday of the album format. Here are some of our recommendations for what you might want to listen to at 3:33pm today.
The Song Remains The Same — Led Zeppelin
For those with a keen interest in the history of music and performance, National Album Day is an important commemorative celebration of 70 years of masterfully crafted works of art, the albums that grace our playlists, line our shelves, and feature so heavily in our lives. With each generation of British musicians, musical history is made with the fuzz of guitar strings, the thundering of drums, blood-chilling bass, and glorious vocals prepared to stand the test of time. There is no other band whose sound better fits this description than that of Led Zeppelin. More specifically, one of their most technically proficient but lesser-known albums, The Song Remains The Same.
Each song on this album originates from their 1973 concerts in Madison Square Gardens, with Jimmy Page as the unbeatable virtuoso giving new life to some of Led Zeppelin’s most famous tracks. The first song enters in with the roar of the crowd, before John Bonham unleashes the famous introduction to ‘Rock and Roll’, added to by a high-velocity performance from Jimmy Page. This song is the manifestation of everything perfect about pure rock and roll. The album is, without a doubt, a timeless work of art.
— Liam Daly
Vampire Weekend (VW)— Vampire Weekend
I’ve listened to this album multiple times over the past few years, but it is only now that its themes feel relevant. Maybe it’s because, when Vampire Weekend released it in 2006, they were fresh out of Columbia University and still in their early twenties, a time when people are still adjusting to the world, a newfound adult independence, and developing an increasing cynicism about social and political structures. Case in point, ‘Oxford Comma’, an absolute banger of a song, which, despite its criticism of the assumptions and prejudices we develop about how people present themselves and its discussion of the disconnect between outward image and interior self, still manages to be chirpy and upbeat. With the increasing pressures of social media, this song and its themes have never been more pertinent.
Often, the album is introspective and laid-back, but is interspersed with the adrenaline of youth and the panic of personal responsibility. These timeless experiences will surely be forever true for anyone in their early twenties, for whom navigating the world seems more like tripping over your own feet as you try to keep them on the ground.
— Rachel Davies
The Red Shoes — Kate Bush
The last of Bush’s albums before a twelve-year hiatus, The Red Shoes stands out as the most personal addition in a ten-album-long discography. Though it is far from her breakout hit, Wuthering Heights, Bush’s ethereal voice is still instantly recognisable, albeit slightly deeper and more sentimental, as she takes the listener on a journey through tales of break-ups and family loss. The album, which was later adapted into a short film about a pair of magical ballet slippers, is one of Bush’s strongest to date, but also one of those most often forgotten.
The standout track, the orchestral ballad ‘Moments of Pleasure’, is a touching tribute in remembrance of Bush’s close friends and family who have passed, a deeply heart-felt song that seems incongruous alongside the mostly upbeat vibe that emanates from other tracks such as ‘Eat The Music’ and ‘Rubberband Girl’.
The Red Shoes succeeded in what Bush’s previous albums had failed to achieve: providing a soundtrack to real-life pain and tribulation, universally relatable experience. Kate Bush remains one of the most unique artists the musical world has seen, and The Red Shoes is a true demonstration of her creative prowess and lyrical genius, the both of which will no doubt continue to capture listeners’ attention for years to come.
— Emily Claypole
Light Upon the Lake — Whitney
I always think the mark of a great album should be an ability to take you back to a better time as you listen to it, and, for me, Whitney’s debut album, Light Upon The Lake, does exactly that. Released in June, 2016, it could be my soundtrack to a warm summer’s day as much as it could also echo in the background as I stare out of my window at the rain on a cold October morning.
Whitney are a two piece band, and lead singer Julien Ehrlich admitted upon its release that this album was written as a ‘break-up album’. The upbeat tone of songs such as ‘The Falls’ and ‘Golden Days’, however, seems to only romanticise the idea of falling out of love with someone, something many albums fail to do and a unique quality which Whitney are able to capture seemingly effortlessly. This, coupled with Ehrlich’s incredible vocals and lead guitarist Max Kakacek’s talented instrumentation, makes the album superbly harmonious and bursting with emotion throughout. I would recommend this album as one which you can listen to no matter what mood you are in, and one that will allow you to appreciate the beauty and nature of music done made well.
— Patrick Bescoby
My Love is Cool — Wolf Alice
Back in 2015, when I saw Wolf Alice support Alt-J, I was fascinated by their abundance of passion on stage. Later that year, during summer, the Camden-based band released their debut album which was all and more than I expected. Before the release of this album, I hadn’t delved much into the catalogue of female-lead indie/grunge bands, but this debut is such a good example of how a band’s persistence can pay off. This small band who once struggled to get enough members to play for them are now miles from where they began. And these are just some of the reasons why it is my biggest recommendation for National Album Day. The band have continued to work diligently, and released their second album later last year, the very same that won the band theMercury Prize— and it is a truly deserved accolade for all their hard work.
My Love is Cool is an album you could never tire of listening to and it will never fail to evoke beautiful memories. Perhaps this is why the tracks receive some of the best live responses, from crowds all around the world, that I’ve ever seen. It accommodates for those with a taste for rock, and those who prefer something less intense, with the strength of Ellie Rowsell’s voice and the talented instrumentals of Theo, Joff, and Joel making this album a sentimental and empowering listen.
— Sophia Bonner
You can read more about National Album Day here.
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