David Crosby – If I Could Only Remember My Name (1971)

Where do you start – He was in The Byrds – a founding member.  He was in Crosby, Stills and Nash – a founding member.  He was in the group when Neil Young joined them and they had even greater success.  He was in Graham Nash, David Crosby – and had a solo career.  He nearly died several times of drugs and drink, he was in prison for a time, he died for real a short time ago, and he had the sweetest voice.  His solo career started in 1971 although he had left/been kicked out of The Byrds in ’68.  A strange, quite spaced-out album, lyrically confusing and quite acoustic really.  It was weird, but also highly listenable.  Very much of its hippy era and a must-have at the time.  Best tracks ‘Almost Cut my Hair’, ‘Laughing’ and ‘Traction in The Rain’. 

Dire Straits – Dire Straits (1978)

It seems remarkable, but some acts appear fully formed on their debut release.  Dire Straits, which featured Mark Knopfler as lead singer, guitarist extraordinaire and songwriter were one such.  However, this may have been more luck than judgement.  Mark had written and made a pretty good demo of ‘Sultans of Swing’ which DJ Charlie Gillett played without their knowledge and was immediately approached by several record companies wanting to sign the group.  Muff Winwood produced this immaculate and almost perfect album in 1978 and it was an immediate success, as was the single ‘Sultans’.  The group went on to sell 140 million albums before disbanding in 1995, or rather Mark deciding to go solo and much more folky at that.  This album also featured ‘Down By The Waterline’ and ‘Wild West End’ – in fact there isn’t a poor track on it, or on any of their albums.  A true phenomenon.

Jacob Collier – In My Room (2016)

Never heard of him?  Don’t worry – neither had I.  But for whatever reason I read about him a few years ago as a musical prodigy, a multi-instrumentalist and innovator who was being given a whole night at the Proms.  Intrigued I watched as he conducted an orchestra, for which he had arranged some of his own compositions as well as those of such luminaries as Stevie Wonder and The Beatles.   He not only conducted but played piano and guitar and sung.  The best bit for me was when he conducted the audience to harmonise with him on ‘Blackbird’.  I bought his then only album ‘In My Room’.  This is again a mix of new and adapted songs, all apparently recorded on computer and keyboards in his bedroom.  To say it is different is a simple cliché, but it really is quite magical.

Del Amitri – del Amitri (1985)

Another Scottish band I am afraid – well, they are particularly good.  Formed by Justin Currie who is the lead singer and main songwriter – they first came to my notice with their singles, the biggest of which was ‘Roll To Me’.  But I suspected they were more than just a pop group and I was right.  As is often the case, I worked backwards and only discovered this debut in the mid-nineties.  Their songs are edgy and quirky and sometimes quite venomous – and occasionally joyous.  They also achieved minor fame by recording the official anthem for Scotland’s World Cup final appearance in 1998 (the last time, so far).  The song was great and somewhat ironic at the same time; ‘Don’t Come Home Too soon’ was prophetic, as they failed to get out of their group.  Anyway, back to this debut – best songs are ‘Sticks and Stones, Girl’, ‘Crows In The Wheatfield’ (which I think references Van Gogh’s last painting – and ‘Keepers’, though all the songs are good.  The band released 6 albums before Justin attempted a solo career.  They reformed a few years ago, but I haven’t bought their latest.  A very competent and interesting band.

Shawn Colvin – Steady On (1989)

Another American Singer-Songwriter; seems I just cannot resist them.  Shawn was 35 when she released her debut, which gave her a maturity, both as a writer and a singer.  I read the review in ‘Uncut’ and gave her a try.  And like the best of singers, she had a certain style and edge to her voice that resonated with me.  It really almost doesn’t matter how ‘good’ the singing is if you can believe what they are singing about.  Half the songs were written with her multi-instrumentalist and co-producer John Leventhal.  An extremely sensitive set of songs – you feel like she is in the room with you.  Faves on this one are ‘Diamond In The Rough’, ‘Shotgun Down The Avalanche’ and ‘Steady On’.  She is a little bit country and a little bit folk and mostly just herself.

Leonard Cohen – The Songs Of Leonard Cohen (1967)

!967, and the air was full of joss sticks and the sound of bells and the swirl of caftans and psychedelic music.  But not for Leonard.  He was almost from another world, a published poet, and 33 when he released this, his first album, a dark catalogue of love and loss and religious intensity sung in a deep baritone that at first seems tuneless, but actually it is his melodies as much as his words and his delivery that is so hypnotic.  I first heard this record in ’69.  Three Canadians invited me to their flat in Stockwell and while we were drinking Leonard was singing in the background about it being time to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.  And that image struck me and has stayed with me forever as a metaphor for life itself.  He sung about Suzanne feeding him tea and oranges and about a man who told you he was a stranger and the Sisters of Mercy; of the teachers of the heart, about that’s no way to say goodbye, and best of all how one of us cannot be wrong.   As soon as the record stopped one of them turned it over and played it again.  As soon as I could afford a record player it was the first record I bought.  Leonard has recorded 15 albums, each brilliant in their own way and many live recordings too – but none of them are so fixed in my brain as this incredible debut.

Deacon Blue – Raintown (1987)

Another one of those irritatingly excellent Glasgow bands from the Eighties.  Led by vocalists Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh they sprung to fame with their superb debut Raintown (named after their home city).  Through a gloomy glass the album slowly opens up to revel in sumptuous songs, written mostly by Ricky.  The band had a depth and maturity, akin to Aztec Camera and Prefab Sprout which demonstrated that whatever could be achieved in the Sixties and Seventies – then this decade could match.  They have continued releasing albums sporadically ever since, though I have only four of them – and a Greatest Hits too.   Best songs on this are ‘Kings Of The Western World’, ‘Raintown’ and the elegiac ‘Dignity’.  A great record from a great band.

Curved Air – Airconditioning 1970

The Beatles changed everything and by 1970 when they split up, almost anything was possible; an explosion of musical styles and sounds.  Curved Air were a five piece, containing classical and rock musicians; their sound a hybrid of both.  But what made them fantastic was their lead singer Sonia Kristina whose swooping voice perfectly complimented the music.  This album contained the hit ‘It Happened Today’ as well as two interpretations of Vivaldi’s music.  They made 7 albums in the Seventies- and reformed in this Century.    Of course, if they started today nobody would give them the time of day, but that was the beauty of The Seventies – anything was possible.  I loved them.

Brilliant Debut Albums #30

Crowded House – Crowded House

I had long been a fan of Split Enz where Neil Finn had joined his older brother Tim and written their big hit ‘I Got You’.  By the 80’s their star had waned, Tim going off to pursue a career in the US.  But in 1986 news begun seeping out that Neil had formed a new band – Crowded House with drummer Paul Hester and bassist Nick Seymour.  What an incredible album; it seemed so new and different, and crammed full of brilliant songs – played and sung with an exuberance and joyfulness; the group actually reminded me of The Beatles.  They made three more superb albums, being joined by brother Tim for one of them.  And then they broke up; Neil going on to a somewhat subdued solo career.  They reformed in 2007, and occasionally release a new record.  I saw them live several times in their heyday, including The Fleadh in Finsbury Park.  This album contains maybe their best-known song ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’, but every song is wonderful.  A real gem of a debut.