Seventh Heaven: Don Maple

Seventh Heaven: Don Maple

Back in 1977, NASA sent a probe into deep space laden with earthly goods. One such object was a golden record, containing some of the best music created by human beings: J.S. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chuck Berry. All in the hope that, should life exist beyond our spacial borders, anyone that came into contact with the probe would be prepared for homo-sapien culture. 

But what if we got to choose which albums went into space?  

Seventh Heaven is a feature in which musicians and influencers pick their seven favourite albums and send them out into the heavens in the hope of spreading peace and good vibes throughout the galaxy. 

Writing for this edition of Seventh Heaven is Don Maple 

#1 The Beatles - Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band

When people ask me what my favourite record is, I hate that this is the one that always comes to mind first.  It's a cliched and overused answer, but none-the-less here I am vouching for it's timeless and groundbreaking value in music history yet again. 

My Dad's taste in music is probably a big part of why I ended up in the music game and although he constantly played the likes of Van Morrison, Thin Lizzy and Pink Floyd around the house, the first record he ever told me I needed to listen to in full was Sgt. Peppers.  

He explained the mythology behind the record and the various conspiracy theories that plague it still to this day.  He showed me the alleged hidden secrets on the front and back cover that supposedly allude to the fact that Paul McCartney had died and been replaced by a look-a-like named William Sheers (but let's not get into that).  I listened to it alone in my bedroom from front to back while I was painting and fell in love with it.  Every song was bursting with colour and life, breaking all the sonic rules of an acceptable listening experience.  

This was the first conceptual album I had ever heard and since then I have always been a sucker for them.  It felt like going to a play blindfolded.  I will always hold this record close to my heart because it reminds me it's okay to break the rules sometimes.

Favourite Track: A Day In The Life

#2 Jeff Buckley - Grace

The man that recorded one perfect album and then sadly passed away is a tragic enough sentiment before you even delve into the subject matter of Jeff Buckley's 'Grace'.  Although there have been posthumous releases from Buckley, 'Grace' is the only album he ever helmed from beginning to end and solidifies his status as a God-like genius in my eyes.  The vocal performances are haunting, beautiful, abrasive and other-worldly. The lyrics are utter poetry and the drum sound is perfection. In my opinion, 'Grace' is the best engineered and produced album I have ever heard which is one of many reasons why it makes this list along with its unsettling ending.     

"Asleep in the sand / With the ocean washing over" - The last lyrics of the album taken from the track 'Dream Brother' which would unknowingly foreshadow Buckley's untimely death when he mysteriously drowned while swimming in Wolf River Harbor.

Favourite Track: Mojo Pin

#3 Stevie Wonder - Music Of My Mind

I remember when I first found out that Stevie Wonder played the drums on his recordings.  It blew my mind.  Imagine my reaction when I found out he played essentially every single instrument on 'Music Of My Mind'.  Although Stevie's technical prowess and ability to play instruments better than most sighted people constantly amazes me, it isn't the reason it made this list.  It's the heart and soul in each song that always brings me back to this album over and over again.  Love and happiness are the foundations that this record is built upon, which is very rare to find.  They say that good art comes from great pain which is why we tend to recognise genius more often in horribly sad collections of songs but Stevie turned that on its head with 'Music Of My Mind'.  This record feels like a big ray of sunshine and will always put me in a good mood.  I recommend starting your day with it. 

Favourite Track: I Love Every Little Thing About You

#4 Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly

When I first listened to TPAB it reminded me of how I felt after watching the movie 'Memento' for the first time; I wish I could erase my memory and always experience this as if it was the first time. 

'Memento' is a psychological thriller that tells a story in reverse chronological order, which helps put you in the shoes of the main character; Leonard, who suffers from short term memory loss.  As the movie progresses, you as the viewer gain more and more information on why the film started the way it did.  This is very similar to how TPAB is constructed.  

Throughout the album, the same spoken narrative is placed at the end of certain tracks.  In the beginning, this 'poem' is cut off prematurely only after two lines, but as you progress further through the album we are presented with more and more additional lines until it becomes complete on the final song 'Mortal Man'.  Just like 'Memento', once you have all the pieces to complete the jigsaw at the end, it forever will change the way you perceive the concept.  

Not only is Kendrick's construction of this album mind-bending, but his lyrical themes of modern racism, self-hatred, survivors guilt for making it out of gang life and fear of fame shook me to my core in a way I never expected it to.  Although any Kendrick Lamar album could have made this list, TPAB had to be my pick because it is the only album I know of with a twist ending.

Favourite Track: How Much A Dollar Cost

#5 Phoebe Bridgers - Stranger In The Alps

Late last year I went through what was probably the hardest time of my life so far.  As of writing this article, it is only February and although I am in a much better place now, I don't feel comfortable talking about everything that happened just yet.  The reason I tell you this is because I found Phoebe Bridgers' 'Stranger in the Alps' at a time when I felt the universe was out to get me which is why I will love this album until the day I die.  It will always mean something very different to me than it will to everyone else, but the comfort I found in this record helped me through my depression.  I will never forget listening to 'Funeral' in my car and having to pull over to the side of the road to cry.  I managed to purge some of my pent up emotions that day which started me on my road to improvement and for that, I will always be indebted to this album.

Favourite Track: Smoke Signals

#6 Snarky Puppy - We Like It Here

If we had to send one record into space for the aliens that presented the best musicianship we have to offer here on earth, then it would definitely be 'We Like It Here' by Snarky Puppy.  I adore and hate this album at the same time because every time I listen to it I temporarily decide that I should just quit being a musician if people capable of this exist in the world.  The whole record is perfectly performed from front to back with outstanding performances from each and every player involved.  The real gut punch moment is about 4 minutes into opening track 'Shofukan' when you can hear a small crowd applauding and cheering in the background and you realise that everything on the record is being performed live in a studio...go watch the YouTube videos if you don't believe me.

Favourite Track: What About Me?

#7 Frank Sinatra - In The Wee Small Hours

After discovering The Beatles for the first time, I suddenly realised that there were decades worth of legendary albums that I had never heard before.  At this point in my life, I had always stayed in the present with music and rarely looked back through the years.  With this thought in mind, I stumbled upon a book in a store which was titled '1001 Albums to Listen To Before You Die' and promptly purchased it.  I would not be the music-obsessed tortured soul that I am today if I had never bought that book.  

When I got home, I opened it up and decided to start chronologically.  The first recommended album was 1955's 'In The Wee Small Hours' by Frank Sinatra.  The thing that fascinates me about this record is that many people consider it to be the first ever actual 'album'.  Prior to its release most record releases were simply collections of singles designed to be chart-toppers for jukeboxes but Sinatra wanted to do something different.  At the time of making 'In The Wee Small Hours' Sinatra was in a failing relationship with Ava Gardner consisting of pregnancy scandals and affairs on both sides.  Sinatra wanted to channel his misery into this album and chose to pick a collection of songs all based around the theme of broken love which was previously unheard of.  Pair this with the movie poster style artwork that depicts Sinatra alone in the early hours of the morning smoking a cigarette and you almost have a concept album way ahead of its time.  

The reason this album makes my list is that it contains the most genuine vocal performances I have ever heard.  You can hear the heartbreak in his voice which humanised Old Blue Eyes for the first time.  Knowing that the legendary Frank Sinatra laid awake at night over-thinking and pining for the woman he loves made his music resonate with me in a way his other material never had and opened my mind up to so much more music I hadn't previously given a chance

Favourite Track: I See Your Face Before Me