My Quest for Breaking Everything: John Cale's Favourite Music | Page 10 of 14

Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

9. Joan Armatrading‘Love And Affection’

I was traveling back and forth between London and New York during this period and I ran across this recording. I’d heard about Joan as she was becoming popular in the UK but it wasn’t until I was back in the US that I heard this strange melody. [It] didn’t fit any real category; the voice so unique, beautiful yet sad, acoustic guitar and quirky male vocals popping in and out creating a kind of bass line in the arrangements. Then the string part comes in and the melody changes with an entirely different feeling and the repetitiveness of the lines ‘Give me love, give me love, sing it, sing it…’ 

PreviousNext Record

The Quietus Digest

Sign up for our free Friday email newsletter.

Support The Quietus

Our journalism is funded by our readers. Become a subscriber today to help champion our writing, plus enjoy bonus essays, podcasts, playlists and music downloads.

Support & Subscribe Today