The records that made me

Wanted to pull together a list of all the records / artists that really shaped me as a songwriter. There are a lot, but these are the core ones:

• Nick Drake - there was a period of three years where i basically only played nick drake and elliott smith, obsession to say the least. Fave songs River Man, Things Behind the Sun, when the strings come in during River Man, oh man, it wrecks me.

• Elliott Smith - I can't really listen to Either / Or or XO (or any Elliott Smith) at this point cuz i've just run the songs into the ground and also it reminds me of a rather difficult time in my life, so that double whammy prevents me, as much as I want to from revisiting him. When he died, he was the only person I haven't known personally that I cried over.

• Sunny Day Real Estate - arguably had a bigger influence on my songwriting than any other band. Or rather they came along at a time when i was learning how to write songs and shape my own sound. They showed me how to push the boundaries and just focus on what hits you in the gut.

• Radiohead - Kid A was a huge record for me. I remember being out on tour and listening to that record as the sun was coming up, driving through Oklahoma or Kansas, and just feeling insanely overwhelmed by the combination of the music and the orange sky.

• Massive Attack - the dark soundscapes had a big influence. The Mezzanine record, especially the song Angel that kicks off the record, had this strange slow draw... and the way it builds... damn.

• Pet Sounds - As far as songwriting perfection (emotional songwriting), this is up there. There are certain songs that kill me. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) is so beautiful. And the harmonies... immaculate.

Love, J. xx