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Baker's Dozen

Swells A Rebellious Heart: Vashti Bunyan's Favourite Musical Phrases
The Quietus , November 13th, 2014 12:14

Following the release of her final album Heartleap last month, the folk singer-songwriter delves into her favourite records to pick particular moments of music that have stuck with her, from Beethoven to Brandy & Monica stopping by JJ Cale, Talking Heads and Bill Callahan on the way

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Bill Callahan - Woke On A Whaleheart - 'Sycamore'
The opening notes of this song delighted me when I first heard it. I hear the guitars as just ever so slightly out of tune and I really like that. Partly because a few years ago I found a 1972 Gibson J-50 guitar in Los Angeles - a battered old thing that is really way too big for me but it forgives my quiet playing and is generous in its tone. The further up the neck I have the capo the worse the tuning gets, and so I didn't feel I could use it for live performance. I went and got myself a new Martin so I could rely on the intonation. Hated it. I went back to my imperfect old Gibson because the intro to this song of Bill Callahan's - apart from it being the most beautiful song altogether - made it feel alright to risk being a little out of tune.