What better way to brighten up your Monday morning than our daily Socially Distant Spins? Today, Glasgow based presenter and founder of the JimRiex music blog, Jennifer Imrie reveals her favourite lockdown albums. Jennifer is a key influencer in the music world as a regular guest on BBC Radio Scotland and co-host of the ‘From Under The Duvet’ Podcast alongside Catrina Rose and Craig Gornall. She has an incredible expertise regarding the local music scene and we are thrilled to have on the series! Find out what album’s she’s had on repeat throughout the lockdown below…
This is nearly as hard as the “Essential 9 Albums” thing going around on instagram just now, but since this is what I’ve listened to the most in the last couple of weeks in lockdown instead of albums that I couldn’t live without, I don’t feel as guilty for leaving some favourites out!
Album 1: All Time Low – Wake Up Sunshine (April 2020)
Why did it make the list? Okay, so, this album’s only been available to the world for like 10 days but I’ve loved All Time Low since I was a fourteen year old emo kid; it’s been included as I’ve not stopped playing it since it came out. I was so excited about the singles they were dropping on the run up to the album release – I played ‘Some Kind of Disaster’ and ‘Sleeping In’ to death for a few weeks. Instead of pushing the release date back like a lot of musicians (understandably) have been doing during quarantine, they released a new track every week until we had a five track mini EP of the start of the album. They did live streams and all the other isolation social media entertainment that have become the norm just now, and at the end of all that, we had Wake Up Sunshine.
FAVOURITE TRACK: This literally changes daily because it’s an album full of brilliant tracks, I think I’ve managed to have each one as a favourite at some point by now. I’m gonna go with ‘Glitter and Crimson’ or ‘Safe’. No, wait, ‘Monsters’ ft Blackbear.
Album 2: Kelsea Bellerini – Kelsea
Why did it make the list? Another new release; Kelsea Ballerini’s third album! It’s a bubbly country-pop album and I’m obsessed. Even on the first listen, at midnight on the Friday it was released, it put an instant smile on my face. Singles ‘la,’ ’club’ and ‘hole in the bottle’ had already been released, but honestly, any of the tracks could have been lead singles for this album and sold it to me. Recently Kelsea did a CMT Crossover gig with Halsey (another fav), and I’ve spent a lot of time in the last few weeks watching those videos back. They played some of Kelsea’s tracks and some of Halsey’s tracks, collaborated on a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams and also my favourite track from this album ‘the other girl’ which Halsey features on. Kelsea has the same kind of writing skill as I find with Taylor Swift; every track on the album is relatable in one way or another and it’s just nice to be reminded that you’re definitely not alone in the midst of all the quarantine chaos!
FAVOURITE TRACK: ‘the other girl’ ft Halsey
Album 3: Alanis Morrisette – Jagged Little Pill
Why did it make the list? I have the “30 Day Song Challenge” to thank for this one. I’d managed to get myself into a bit of a down mood for a few days last week, and wasn’t really doing much to get myself out of it – until the instagram challenge had me hunting for a ‘song that’s a classic favourite.’ “You Oughta Know” was up there in my shortlist. One listen through to Jagged Little Pill (screaming along, obviously) and I’d swapped my joggies for jeans, put a full face of makeup on and was off outside bopping up the street with it blaring in my headphones in the sunshine. Since then I’ve made a point of putting it on every morning so far. Alanis fixes everything.
FAVOURITE TRACK: ‘You Oughta Know’
Album 4: LANY – LANY
Why did it make the list? I came across LANY when they were playing a support slot in 2016 and I’ve been fully obsessed since the first track they played (‘Walk Away’ if I remember rightly). Their self titled debut album came out in 2017 and it’s been a comfort blanket album for me ever since. There’s a track for every mood and I always go back to it. This album reminds me of the end of summer/beginning of Autumn 2017 when I was just getting to start doing what I wanted in radio & music and it was all really exciting. I’ve been using it in lockdown to remind myself that even though everything’s on pause just now, it’ll all start back up again eventually, and hopefully be just as exciting as the start again. LANY were also one of the very first bands I got to interview and I’m still amazed we managed to pull it off without having the biggest fangirly moment in front of them. Also, fun fact; the wee waning crescent moon tattoo I have on my wrist is partly a nod to their second album, Malibu Nights, too. While you’re on LANY, listen to their single “Where the Hell Are My Friends” very apparent at this point in time, although not on an album!
FAVOURITE TRACK: ‘Purple Teeth’ or ‘Good Girls’
Album 5: The Pretty Reckless – Light Me Up
Why did it make the list? I wish I had a reason to explain my re-obsession with this album, but honestly, ‘Make Me Wanna Die’ came on one of the last times I was in a pub, reminded me about my Taylor Momsen obsession and made it come crawling back. This is their first album and I remember downloading it in 2010 and listening to nothing else for weeks. To be honest I really would like that fashion phase to come back around – studs on everything, denim shorts with tights (the more writing and crosses on the better)… Guess who’s spend lockdown trawling through old photos? If you’ve not listened to this, you need to have it on full volume and perfect the TayMom sassy headbang/hairflip by the time you get to the end of it. I’ve also seen a lot of people binge watching Gossip Girl again – guess who plays Little Jenny? Maybe that’s another reason I’ve been addicted to this album again.
FAVOURITE TRACK: ‘Goin Down’
I’m gonna cheat and add some singles cos I’ve been looping these tunes too; Nothing But Thieves – Is Everybody Going Crazy, Push Baby – thenineteenseventyfive, Hannah Slavin – I Don’t Give a Fuck About You, Hayley Williams – Over , Alice Bentley – Perfect Stranger, FLETCHER – Forever, MUNA – It’s gonna be okay, baby, Conan Gray – Wish You Were Sober, Mura Masa ft Ellie Roswell – Teenage Headache Dream
Thanks for having me, and getting my brain working again for a bit, The Music Files!
You can find me on socials – @jimrieX, and if you didn’t hate this ramble, I’m on jimriex.com too!
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