Records I Found in the Attic.

Recently, I have been plagued with the incessant desire to own more vinyl records. I tend to always browse my familiar haunt of Resident Records in Brighton, but as I was spending an impromptu week at my parents around an hour away, I decided to crawl through my attic to find all my mums old records. On my hand and knees I crawled, moving box after box, lamp shade after lamp shade until euphoria hit and I found various cardboard boxes housing records dating back the 1930s. After spending around two hours going through them with my mum, I ended up with around 30 new records, most notably Arcadia’s ‘So Red The Rose’- a personal favourite- an original pressing of ‘Born In The USA’, and my grandmother’s 1950’s Brenda Lee singles. In this article I intend to rank my top 5 records I found in the attic.

Sprawled across my uni room double bed, I begin my process of elimination. Brutally ranking every album, realising some are much more damaged than others with stutters and buffers and grooves in the wrong place, I pick up and play an immaculate ‘Desire’ by Bob Dylan, one of my uncles picks my mum informs me. An album I do not place at number one lightly.

1. ‘Desire’- Bob Dylan

With songs such as ‘Sara’ and ‘Isis’, this album reigns as one of my favourite Bob Dylan albums. Released in 1976, it follows Dylan’s revelation- quintessentially sparked by Patti Smith- to start his own band. As his first rock record, ‘Desire’ reshaped Dylan’s sound, following a period in his life where he faced significant personal turmoil, he turned all his attention back to his career.

A sudden three day studio spree followed, with the whole album initially being recorded in no more than three days. This album is placed at number one for its sheer genre-blending elements of folk, folk-rock and country, alongside its evidently feverish theatrical feel.

Despite this reshape, he never loses his storytelling edge, with songs exploring topics such as the murder case of boxer Ruben “Hurricane” Carter, after reading a book about the case and Carter’s adamancy that he did not commit the murders, a wave of inspiration overtook Dylan and ‘Hurricane’ was born.

2. ‘So Red The Rose’- Arcadia

Following ‘Desire’ it has to be ‘So Red The Rose’ by Arcadia, the very album this blog is named after. An album my mum was surprised to find among her old records, we both looked puzzled neither recognising the album at first until we played it and cogs turned. Recognising Duran Duran’s signature sound, we looked into Arcadia, uncovering the side-project created by Duran members when a break in schedule found its way to the band.

One of the best songs I may have ever heard ‘Keep Me In the Dark’ comes in as the second track and sets your mind up in anticipation for what the rest of the record holds. This song alone feels like walking to your favourite pub in furs and heels, early enough to not think of the night ending, but late enough for street lights to solely illuminate your path there. The album itself prides its sound on collaging different melodies and instruments to create a truly memorable piece.

3.  ‘Born In the USA’- Bruce Springsteen

It is no surprise that a 20 year old in the 80’s would have one of the most world-renowned rock albums in their possession, it is also no surprise that it is on this list. To be able to get my hands on an original pressing was a jubilant feeling, alongside this record I also found a picture of my mum at 13 in the 70s’ during her self-described ‘Springsteen era’, marvelling over how similar I look to her. Onto the album- ‘Born In the USA’ produced seven top singles and sold over 30-million copies, a stark contrast to his previous album Nebraska which estimated to have only sold 1.5 million copies. Despite Springsteen’s dip into raw, deep and unpolished territory with ‘Nebraska’, an album which confused fans worldwide, ‘Born In the USA’ cleared all confusion with intention and driven sequences. Tracks such as ‘Im On Fire’ and the title track were actually written and recorded during the ‘Nebraska’ sessions but deemed unfit for the rawness of the album and pushed onto the next record. If I could pinpoint ‘Born In the USA’ to one time and place place, I would say the beach in the summer, surrounded by friends, drinking beach-side corner shop over-priced bottled beer, a shitty speaker and waves crashing. I say this as this is exactly there album I listened to on Brighton beach this summer.

4. ‘Sealed With A Kiss’- Brian Hyland

This album plays very dear to my mum’s heart, this album mostly soundtracked her childhood having been born in the 60s’. Songs such as ‘Ginny Come Lately’ and ‘Sealed With A Kiss’, it became a very quaintly beautiful listen. An album spun from young love I can imagine the romantics of listening to it of an evening with its warm arrangement and connotations. Now I play the album as a soundtrack to the sunset from my window, as it paints itself over the sea and I spend my evening writing. Often quoted as a ‘rare gem’, this album offers much more than meets the eye.

5. ‘the best of OMD’- Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark

In a very hard to place 5th position, we have a compilation album of OMD. I was so incredibly torn in finding a final record for this list, however, OMD were a band I had not heard much of prior to my attic crawl and are now on most of my playlists. As someone who’s favourite genre of music is post-punk, this new-wave, synth-pop band quickly took up space in my head. On first listen I was undoubtably reminded of New Order, and as the compilation got deeper remnants of Tears For Fears.

OMD themselves were made up of Andy McCulskey and Paul Humphreys, this compilation  album spans from 1978 to 1988, with 18 tracks showcasing their career and pioneering of electronic music. The most impressionable track for me has to be ‘Maid Of Orleans’, with its haunting synth and theme of morality, it became an instant favourite.

H.M: ‘Stray Cats’- Stay Cats, for their punk-infused 50’s style rock sound.

So as I play these albums one by one I almost feel nostalgic to a time I never lived through, but also inspired by how timeless these albums are, how they’ve all had an effect on either their own specific music scenes or genres that span worldwide. As someone whose music taste revolves mostly around 70’s punk and post-punk, to deep dive into mostly 80s albums has enriched my mind on the soundtrack of the time.