Seventh Heaven: Pascalwillnotsurvivethis
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 Pascalwillnotsurvivethis -
#2. Kendrick Lamar | To Pimp A Butterfly
"It's perfectly natural to experiment with psychedelic substances. It's not perfectly natural by any means to discover King Kunta on said substances, then look at your mate and tell him that was the best thing you ever heard. Kendrick's efforts in TPABF are valiant, brave and unshaken. It's impossible for myself to sit and hear only a few tracks off this, I want the full experience every time and nothing less. This album changed my life and opened my eyes to rap."
#3. Neutral Milk Hotel | In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
"Another mystery I want to be left unsolved. Jeff Mangum and Co managed to create an album that I love so dearly and share such a deep connection with that it feels like this record and I were separated at birth. Every time I blare this album, I push my lungs to match the absolutely belted vocal range of Mangum and why? Because it deserves nothing less. My dear friend Naomi described Neutral Milk Hotel to me as distorted lo-fi folk music featuring a mariachi band and what's not to love about that unless you have the heart of a raisin."
#4. Sparklehorse | Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot
"Ask me what my favourite band is and I'll tell you Sparklehorse. Ask me who my favourite musician of all time is and I'll say, Mark Linkous. If I'm ever filthy stinking rich I vow I will purchase whatever rights I need to take all Sparklehorse albums and re-release them as they were because they're the most absolutely golden, intimate, underrated creations I have ever heard in my life. You can conform to opinions, you can want the most polished sound for your art and you can live with the knowledge that lo-fi is a term commonly associated with hip-hop study beats on Youtube and I will never tell you different and neither would he. What I will tell you is that the world around you did not exist to this man because his songwriting and recording style was his own, a world that his fans could get lost in and this album is a perfect example. The lack of care for genre, the vividly surreal imagery in the lyrics, the distorted acoustics, vocals captured on shitty computer microphones, performances ranging from completely vulnerable to completely on point.
#5. Ben Howard | I Forget Where We Were
When I was growing up, it was cool to hate Ben Howard because he was the boy who played acoustic and had a funny voice. It was also cool to like Bullet for my Valentine and to speed up the male pattern baldness process with straighteners (Yes, I did all of this). As soon as I turned 17 I recognised Ben Howard for what he is... A truly incredible songwriter and performer. Dare I say one of the truest also. Since his pop acoustic days, Ben has been on a trip into all the darkness that clearly haunts him. We all have our demons, and I think the logic of putting a thought process to music in the form of melodic poetry is bizarre on its own. But to use that skill to try and voice your acknowledgement of woe is impossible to do well unless you've gone deep into the rabbit hole on your own.
#6. And So I Watch You From Afar | All Hail Bright Futures
Big ASIWYFA fans will often overlook this album. It marks the departure of former riff king Tony Wright and the introduction of long-standing moustache and Northern Irish music veteran Niall Kennedy.
Listen to Young Brave Minds and pat yourself on the back for being alive pal.
#7. Frightened Rabbit | The Midnight Organ Fight
My oldest and closest friend Sam showed me Frightened Rabbit when I was a teen, I remember walking away from that experience thinking Scott Hutchison was the greatest lyricist I'd ever heard. I've found myself absolutely helpless and not wanting to see tomorrow, listening to Poke and fighting internally to hold on in the darkest of days, not feeling alone because someone else understands the heartache that had me floored. I told Scott at Belsonic 2016 that I didn't want to bother him but Poke was the greatest love song I ever heard and that he had shattered my heart and mended it countless times with his truth. He thanked me kindly, shook my hand and I wished him a great tour. That moment was all I needed but I didn't know it's all I would ever get.
Shortly before we embarked on our first Irish tour, the word got out that Scott was missing and then a few days into our tour just outside Cork we found out he took his life. I'll never forget that day, I'll never forget putting headphones in on the drive to the next gig, starting the midnight organ fight up and putting on sunglasses as my best attempt to hide the tears streaming from my eyes.
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 Pascalwillnotsurvivethis -
#1. Alt - J | An Awesome Wave
"I'll never know how the melodies that crafted this album where birthed or even thought of, and I never want to know. Fellow Canvasback signed musicians Alt-J never fail to warp me into their realm. Who am I to want any different.
This album will stand the test of time and is monumental for keeping music strange. I absolutely adore it."
#2. Kendrick Lamar | To Pimp A Butterfly
"It's perfectly natural to experiment with psychedelic substances. It's not perfectly natural by any means to discover King Kunta on said substances, then look at your mate and tell him that was the best thing you ever heard. Kendrick's efforts in TPABF are valiant, brave and unshaken. It's impossible for myself to sit and hear only a few tracks off this, I want the full experience every time and nothing less. This album changed my life and opened my eyes to rap."
#3. Neutral Milk Hotel | In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
"Another mystery I want to be left unsolved. Jeff Mangum and Co managed to create an album that I love so dearly and share such a deep connection with that it feels like this record and I were separated at birth. Every time I blare this album, I push my lungs to match the absolutely belted vocal range of Mangum and why? Because it deserves nothing less. My dear friend Naomi described Neutral Milk Hotel to me as distorted lo-fi folk music featuring a mariachi band and what's not to love about that unless you have the heart of a raisin."
#4. Sparklehorse | Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot
"Ask me what my favourite band is and I'll tell you Sparklehorse. Ask me who my favourite musician of all time is and I'll say, Mark Linkous. If I'm ever filthy stinking rich I vow I will purchase whatever rights I need to take all Sparklehorse albums and re-release them as they were because they're the most absolutely golden, intimate, underrated creations I have ever heard in my life. You can conform to opinions, you can want the most polished sound for your art and you can live with the knowledge that lo-fi is a term commonly associated with hip-hop study beats on Youtube and I will never tell you different and neither would he. What I will tell you is that the world around you did not exist to this man because his songwriting and recording style was his own, a world that his fans could get lost in and this album is a perfect example. The lack of care for genre, the vividly surreal imagery in the lyrics, the distorted acoustics, vocals captured on shitty computer microphones, performances ranging from completely vulnerable to completely on point.
Mark Linkous knew how to play an effect for what it was. He sadly took his life in 2010, leaving a huge gap in this sad beautiful world with barely a fraction of the knowledge of how many people wanted to be in Sparklehorse universe right there with him."
#5. Ben Howard | I Forget Where We Were
When I was growing up, it was cool to hate Ben Howard because he was the boy who played acoustic and had a funny voice. It was also cool to like Bullet for my Valentine and to speed up the male pattern baldness process with straighteners (Yes, I did all of this). As soon as I turned 17 I recognised Ben Howard for what he is... A truly incredible songwriter and performer. Dare I say one of the truest also. Since his pop acoustic days, Ben has been on a trip into all the darkness that clearly haunts him. We all have our demons, and I think the logic of putting a thought process to music in the form of melodic poetry is bizarre on its own. But to use that skill to try and voice your acknowledgement of woe is impossible to do well unless you've gone deep into the rabbit hole on your own.
Depression is not only hell on earth but in your bed, in your reflection, in the tiniest atoms that you can space your gaze out into while your mind runs. This album has broken my heart time and time again and like true love I'll keep going back for another snap every time.
#6. And So I Watch You From Afar | All Hail Bright Futures
Big ASIWYFA fans will often overlook this album. It marks the departure of former riff king Tony Wright and the introduction of long-standing moustache and Northern Irish music veteran Niall Kennedy.
With that being said I'm going to be very cheeky.
This is basically a Rory Friers solo album and NO, that's not bad at all. In fact it is, in my opinion, absolutely genius. This is not a Carribean rhythm inspired experience, this is the true love child of Post-Rock and Math-Rock record. Every single god damn track flows into the next perfectly, carefully constructed riffs make appearances a few songs later, octave pedals bounce absolutely everywhere, experimental ideas that hadn't made appearances on their debut or Gangs are now there under a spotlight.
Gang vocals belt over soaring anthemic bodies of sound that make you want to go outside and be a better human. At the tender age of 16 (yeah I know it's not legal, go to sleep mum) I saw ASIWYFA turn The Atlantic Bar, Portrush into an overcrowded sweatbox when they debuted this album for their hometown. I crowd surfed for the first time and felt what power in numbers truly meant.
Listen to Young Brave Minds and pat yourself on the back for being alive pal.
#7. Frightened Rabbit | The Midnight Organ Fight
My oldest and closest friend Sam showed me Frightened Rabbit when I was a teen, I remember walking away from that experience thinking Scott Hutchison was the greatest lyricist I'd ever heard. I've found myself absolutely helpless and not wanting to see tomorrow, listening to Poke and fighting internally to hold on in the darkest of days, not feeling alone because someone else understands the heartache that had me floored. I told Scott at Belsonic 2016 that I didn't want to bother him but Poke was the greatest love song I ever heard and that he had shattered my heart and mended it countless times with his truth. He thanked me kindly, shook my hand and I wished him a great tour. That moment was all I needed but I didn't know it's all I would ever get.
My band Jealous Of The Birds signed to the same label as Frightened Rabbit and my heart was overjoyed at the possibility of supporting this band someday becoming a reality.
Shortly before we embarked on our first Irish tour, the word got out that Scott was missing and then a few days into our tour just outside Cork we found out he took his life. I'll never forget that day, I'll never forget putting headphones in on the drive to the next gig, starting the midnight organ fight up and putting on sunglasses as my best attempt to hide the tears streaming from my eyes.
He was found in the forth river in Scotland, something he references blatantly in the song Floating In The Forth off this album, years prior to his death. He shouted his pain to the world and the world couldn't help him enough, a cruel sad truth. In the months following, Jealous of The Birds got to play songs from this album at a tribute show in the Oh Yeah Centre, a deeply proud moment for myself which ultimately resulted in us carrying on playing My Backwards Walk during every show of our first ever UK tour.
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