Music
Vintage Trouble share their five essential albums with us
Over the past few years, lived-wired, straight-shootin’ band Vintage Trouble have wowed audiences, opening for The Rolling Stones in London’s Hyde Park, touring North America and Europe with The Who, and playing sold-out headline shows worldwide.
We recently caught up with the boys for a quick chat about all things music and talk inevitably turned to what albums have had the most impact on the band over the years. So, here we round up their five essential albums to listen to. How many have you got?
Ty Taylor chooses:
James Brown | Live at the Apollo
It is everything and more. The best combo of class and wild. The songs dare you to try to not dance. The words and lyrics dig so deeply and are masterfully presented in such a way that I, the listener, feels as we are.
Nalle Colt chooses:
Aretha Franklin | Live At Fillmore West
For the last few years this has been my go-to album. One of the best live records of all time. Recorded in San Francisco 1971. It’s got so much energy and the band is killing it! The drums on it is insane; Bernard Purdie at his best. Cornell Dupree on guitar; all just amazing. Ray Charles is guesting on one track and it’s just so beautiful that it makes you smile!
Rick Barrio Dill chooses:
Donny Hathaway | These Songs For You Live
To me, other than Ty Taylor, my favorite soul singer in the world is Donny Hathaway. As good as his studio recordings are, this record captures the essence of his true genius in a live setting far better than any studio recording he ever laid down. The band is relaxed, flawless and as tight as you can ever hear a band. On top of it all, Donny, with his piano playing and untouchable voice, are in epic form, and the ends of his notes and emotion is one of the greatest things I’ve ever heard. Combine that with the smell and sound of the breathing and excitement of the audience and this is simply a recording that I never get tired of and I could never do without.
Richard Danielson chooses:
Ray LaMontagne | Ouroboros
I have a kazillion classics I could refer to (is that a real number, Kazillion?), but I’m going to go with something modern—yet so very classic in spirit: Ray LaMontagne’s Ouroboros. This is a real album in that it is a listening experience from beginning to end. You sign on for this journey or you are not part of the journey. The songs move about in such a way that when one ends, another begins, seamlessly so. This is what vinyl records is about. A listening experience, a mood, a setting that sets you right where you want to be. That is why we play albums such as this, which pays tribute to what made so many others of past times “timeless”. Thank you Ray LaMontagne for keeping this art alive. As one of your deep tracks suggests, “this song will never be played on the radio”. Well, modern radio is not worthy of you, sir.
The band choose:
Amy Winehouse | Back to Black
We all agree that Back to Black is a stellar record through and through. From the deep grooves and instrumentation of the Dap-Kings, to the production team of Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson, and of course the incredible emotive vocal stylings and lyrical truths of Amy Winehouse. This record is a classic and will stand up forever as being timeless in every way. This body of work sounds like nobody, yet pays tribute to so many influences; a true gem of a record, possibly one of the greatest ever.
Vintage Trouble are about to embark on a six-date tour across the UK. The full dates are:
22 June at O2 Forum Kentish Town, London
23 June at Waterfront, Norwich
25 June at The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow
27 June at Leamington Spa Assembly, Leamington Spa
28 June at Tramshed, Cardiff
29 June at Southampton Engine Rooms, Southhampton
You can buy your tickets right now at Ticketmaster.co.uk.