Top ten 2009 - Soulsavers, Broken

The more I listen to this album, the more I’m touched by the intricacies that make it a classic: the relentless lead guitars played by someone who just doesn’t know when to say enough is enough; the understated vocal support from Red Ghost that tempers the emotion of lead vocalist Mark Lanegan; or the subtle clinking of ice cubes as two of rock's finest share a microphone over a whiskey.

I’ve already given this album its dues (see Where Have I Been?), so let’s move on. The end of the year is nigh.

What to listen out for.
Unbalanced Pieces, Some Misunderstanding, Praying Ground

When to listen to it.
After a break-up. This will guide you through all the necessary highs and lows and eventually leave you rejoicing.

Will we hear them again?
Undoubtedly. Soulsavers have a strong cult following and their third album will have done enough moments to pique the interests of the mainstream.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRomQF_eBuk

Where have I been?

There’s only so much you can do. You can read all the music periodicals. You can download free MP3s suggested at LastFM. You can join album clubs. Sometimes bands just slip through the net. I’ve come late to more great musicians than I’d care to admit, but I’ve always made up for lost time.

I heard my first Tindersticks album in 2006 – 14 years after their debut. The Hungry Saw blew me away. I immediately set out to piece together the back catalogue of a band that was more in tune with my emotions than my own inner monologue. It was a lot, and 14 years of my life seem irretrievably gone.

Nick Cave is another. I always knew he was there, but I never knew why. And then Abattoir Blues was put in front of me and it all came together. I fiercely examined the history books and tracked down my lost heritage, immersing myself in some of music’s most audacious lyrics and seemingly impossible melodies.

A musical saviour
And now there’s Soulsavers. It’s funny how some bands capture their sound and mood in their name so effortlessly, when others get it so hopelessly wrong. Listening to Broken, Soulsavers’ latest offering, I genuinely feel like my spirit has been retrieved from an abyss.

This is a superb album. Mark Lanegan’s gruff vocals create a mood dark and foreboding. An extravagant use of minor chords raises inexplicable emotions. The lyrics leave you contemplative and brooding. Yet somehow you walk away from it feeling uplifted. It might have something to do with the pervasive, gospel-esque backing vocals throughout.

This time I’m not as out of the loop as I have been: they’ve only been going since 2003 and their back catalogue comprises two other albums. Nonetheless, that’s six years of my life that could have been a whole lot more special. The Relentless Garage next week will bring it to life. In the meantime, I’ve got some catching up to do. And I can’t wait.