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Baker's Dozen

Northern Uproar: Tanya Tagaq's Favourite Albums
John Freeman , November 30th, 2016 10:06

With the release of her phenomenal new album, Retribution, the Inuit throat singer talks to John Freeman about the albums that make her laugh and cry. And laugh some more.

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John Fahey - America
It was my producer, Jesse Zubot, who turned me onto this album. You must listen to this record, if you haven't heard it. It is just Fahey and his guitar. It is an album that is so staggered and full of unexpected twists. He has a brilliant way of expressing himself. The way he plays is full of unexpected emotions and the way they are expressed is very unexpected, yet he has a way of maintaining a solid ground. He is just incredibly talented. I would always paint while listening to this album, because listening to America made me completely unafraid to make very forward decisions. Do you do much painting? Well, I am not public about my painting, as it doesn't happen very often. I paint when I get some down time from my music. John Fahey influences my painting more than he would influence my albums. Jeff Buckley helps me paint, as does Radiohead. Someone like Nina Hagen would influence my music career more than those artists. There is a particular type of music that will help me visually and other music that helps me sonically, or emotionally. With Fahey, it is almost like synaesthesia.