No Reconciliation Necessary: Doug McCombs' Favourite LPs | Page 8 of 14 | The Quietus

Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

7. Crime & The City SolutionRoom Of Lights

I become aware of Crime & The City Solution when I was working in the record store. I guess there’re a few reasons I chose this over Nick Cave. I had heard that Simon Bonney’s original version of this band had influenced the Boys Next Door before they even left Australia. And there’s Cave himself, whose personality always tends to eclipse the people he’s working with.

This record is hazy and strange but it’s right up there with the best Birthday Party/Bad Seeds. I guess the main reason I chose it is because of the guitars. This is the apex of Rowland Howard and Mick Harvey as a guitar duo. Sonic Youth – Sister came out maybe a year later and at that time there was no better guitar playing being played than Howard/Harvey and Ranaldo/Moore.

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