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Post reprint. Still apt.
Having heard most of the songs listed above I’m going to dismiss nearly all of them as lightweights in terms of crashing depression.
At this point I'll reveal that my record collection (which is seriously vast- over 1000 albums in fact) largely comprises of some of the most emotionally ravaged songs ever committed to vinyl. I can't get enough of them- in fact I have often bought records by people I've never heard purely on the strength of a single review describing the object as traumatic listening. Most of which I've loved.
I'm not talking about angst or adolescent moping here. What I looked for was music made in the very grip of emotional breakdown- the sound of somebody literally pouring their soul into music and ripping their guts out in the process. I suppose it could be likened to drug addiction in that I was always looking for the stronger hit, and rejecting lesser depression in the process.
When pressed on the subject I came up with the analogy that listening to such music was like picking at a scab- painful, self-destructive, self-indulgent and morbidly fascinating. Which sums it up really, although there's a fair bit of emotional voyeurism involved as well. It's a glimpse into the chasm, the edges of which I have danced along from time to time. I can't get enough of it- I love the bleakest and most grief-stricken of music and seek it out whenever I can. Sad songs are fab. So what do you lot think?
In the meantime here's a quick guide to a few songs guaranteed to kill any party stone dead.
"Hardly getting over it"- Husker Du. Just ordinary everyday heartbreak. The scariest part is that this song describes things that are almost certainly going to happen to all of us.
"Kathleen"- American Music Club. Mark Eitzel is godhead of grief and he really tears into himself on this one. It's almost emotionally crippled. It's almost scary.
"United Kingdom"- American Music Club. Eitzel goes to the other extreme. Psychotically numb.
"24"- Red House Painters. Feeling young and fresh? Play this and hear the reaper sharpening his scythe especially for you. Growing old inevitably.
"The letter"- Kristin Hersh. A first-hand account of what happens during a schizophrenic crisis, when an already imaginative person is no longer able to distinguish reality from fantasy. Think about that. If that doesn't terrify you nothing will.
"It's all over"- The God Machine. So much has drained out of this song it's left barely moving and colder than the arctic.
"Man to child"- House of love. Pure resignation, and beautiful with it.
“She can see the angels coming”- Grant Hart. If this doesn’t put a lump in your throat you’re not human.
“I want you”- Elvis Costello. The ultimate in frustrated obsession
The strangest thing about these songs is that they tend to be astonishingly beautiful.
If, on the other hand, you’d like to go to the true extremes and hit the point where they become harrowing, and a genuine ordeal to experience- try these.
“The kids”- Lou Reed. Off “Berlin”. The sounds of children screaming on this were obtained by the producer Bob Ezrin coming home, telling his two children that their mother was dead (falsely), and locking them in a cupboard with a microphone. For a whole album of real depression, buy “Berlin”. It’s a real heavyweight.
“Don’t play cards with Satan”- Daniel Johnston. Johnston is a genius songwriter but crippled by manic-depression. He wrote this at the absolute pit of depression and it’s very frightening.
“The bloodbells chime”- Current 93. Current 93 are a disturbing prospect at the best of times , and this is a monster. As is “Broken birds fly”, also by C93.
For whole albums of depression I recommend these….
“Berlin”- Lou Reed
“Down Colorful Hill”- The Red House Painters (though it has one happy song….)
“Engine”, “California”, “United Kingdom” or “Everclear”- all by American Music Club. Sadness is their life.
“1990”- Daniel Johnston.
At this point I'll reveal that my record collection (which is seriously vast- over 1000 albums in fact) largely comprises of some of the most emotionally ravaged songs ever committed to vinyl. I can't get enough of them- in fact I have often bought records by people I've never heard purely on the strength of a single review describing the object as traumatic listening. Most of which I've loved.
I'm not talking about angst or adolescent moping here. What I looked for was music made in the very grip of emotional breakdown- the sound of somebody literally pouring their soul into music and ripping their guts out in the process. I suppose it could be likened to drug addiction in that I was always looking for the stronger hit, and rejecting lesser depression in the process.
When pressed on the subject I came up with the analogy that listening to such music was like picking at a scab- painful, self-destructive, self-indulgent and morbidly fascinating. Which sums it up really, although there's a fair bit of emotional voyeurism involved as well. It's a glimpse into the chasm, the edges of which I have danced along from time to time. I can't get enough of it- I love the bleakest and most grief-stricken of music and seek it out whenever I can. Sad songs are fab. So what do you lot think?
In the meantime here's a quick guide to a few songs guaranteed to kill any party stone dead.
"Hardly getting over it"- Husker Du. Just ordinary everyday heartbreak. The scariest part is that this song describes things that are almost certainly going to happen to all of us.
"Kathleen"- American Music Club. Mark Eitzel is godhead of grief and he really tears into himself on this one. It's almost emotionally crippled. It's almost scary.
"United Kingdom"- American Music Club. Eitzel goes to the other extreme. Psychotically numb.
"24"- Red House Painters. Feeling young and fresh? Play this and hear the reaper sharpening his scythe especially for you. Growing old inevitably.
"The letter"- Kristin Hersh. A first-hand account of what happens during a schizophrenic crisis, when an already imaginative person is no longer able to distinguish reality from fantasy. Think about that. If that doesn't terrify you nothing will.
"It's all over"- The God Machine. So much has drained out of this song it's left barely moving and colder than the arctic.
"Man to child"- House of love. Pure resignation, and beautiful with it.
“She can see the angels coming”- Grant Hart. If this doesn’t put a lump in your throat you’re not human.
“I want you”- Elvis Costello. The ultimate in frustrated obsession
The strangest thing about these songs is that they tend to be astonishingly beautiful.
If, on the other hand, you’d like to go to the true extremes and hit the point where they become harrowing, and a genuine ordeal to experience- try these.
“The kids”- Lou Reed. Off “Berlin”. The sounds of children screaming on this were obtained by the producer Bob Ezrin coming home, telling his two children that their mother was dead (falsely), and locking them in a cupboard with a microphone. For a whole album of real depression, buy “Berlin”. It’s a real heavyweight.
“Don’t play cards with Satan”- Daniel Johnston. Johnston is a genius songwriter but crippled by manic-depression. He wrote this at the absolute pit of depression and it’s very frightening.
“The bloodbells chime”- Current 93. Current 93 are a disturbing prospect at the best of times , and this is a monster. As is “Broken birds fly”, also by C93.
For whole albums of depression I recommend these….
“Berlin”- Lou Reed
“Down Colorful Hill”- The Red House Painters (though it has one happy song….)
“Engine”, “California”, “United Kingdom” or “Everclear”- all by American Music Club. Sadness is their life.
“1990”- Daniel Johnston.
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