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Baker's Dozen

Critic's Round-Up: Mark Kermode's Favourite Albums
Marc Burrows , February 11th, 2014 08:20

The film critic, television presenter and skiffle bassist sets aside his DVD stack to talk top records with Marc Burrows

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Scritti Politti - Songs To Remember
I know this is a slightly knobby choice, but I remember hearing Songs To Remember in the 80s on vinyl and being really astonished by the songwriting, thinking the lyrics are really clever and the tunes are gorgeous and soulful, but thinking, "it won't last". And then for years I didn't have a copy of it anymore, but I kept thinking, "I wonder whether Songs To Remember sounds as good as it used to?" A few years back I was in a CD store and I came across it, and it sounded every bit as good as it had done, it had really lasted. I love Green Gartside's voice, I love how the lyrics were pretentiously political but they also sounded like love songs and funk songs anyway. The vinyl copy, the sleeve was unbelievably tasteful. I think it stands up as a really great record. I bought some other Scritti Politti stuff afterwards and it was good but never quite on the same level.