Posted on Wednesday 25th March 2020 at 17:00
Each week we’ll be sharing the alt. tickets Social Distancing Survival Guide.
The concept is simple: we choose three records and explain why they mean so much to , three movies, a boxset to binge and a podcast.
We all have our favourites that we always go back to, but it is always a good idea to try something new – especially right now – so be sure to keep up to date with our choices and let us know via Twitter which albums, movies, series and podcasts you recommend.
This week, alt. tickets Marketing Assistant Callum takes you through his favourites!
Usually found taking care of sharing the newest alt. tickets news - from exciting confirmations of your favourite acts across our social media platforms to providing regular content via the alt. blog – Callum lists The National's Trouble Will Find Me, John Cusack's performance in High Fidelity and the crazy ongoings at Waterloo Road amongst his essentials.
Check them out below.
3 Records and why
The National – Trouble Will Find Me
I think I first discovered The National when High Violet was lauded as their greatest collection of tracks way back in 2010. What journalists around the world didn’t know was that just three years later, Trouble Will Find Me would come along and blow High Violet out of the water and leave me in awe of every single track.
Between High Violet and TWFM, I went back through The National’s discography and familiarized myself with their sound, so when TWFM was finally released I could compare it to their earlier works and see how much they’d developed as a band.
From Matt Berninger’s snarling vocals on Graceless and Bryan Devendorf’s commanding drums on Sea Of Love, to the blissful piano-led Hard To Find and the pining Pink Rabbits; Trouble Will Find Me has it all and it is this versatility that makes it THE most essential record to pack when social distancing.
Frightened Rabbit – The Midnight Organ Fight
One of my favourite albums and artists of all time, Frightened Rabbit’s The Midnight Organ Fight is a record that has stood the test of time and whenever I listen to it, I find something else to obsess over until it spins once again. From the second The Modern Leper kickstarts where Scott Hutchison’s pining vocals are superbly showcased to the sway provoking Good Arms vs Bad Arms, Frightened Rabbit provide elegant poetry throughout.
Celebrated recently by everyone from Biffy Clyro and The Twilight Sad to Daughter and Death Cab For Cutie, The Midnight Organ Fight has proved influential to numerous creatives and we even chose Fast Blood as one of our wedding songs.
A sensational record from front to back and one that, although painful to listen to since Scott’s tragic passing, will always be an essential listen.
The Gaslight Anthem – Handwritten
Before I heard The Gaslight Anthem’s Handwritten, I didn’t really have any interest in Springsteen-esque rock n roll, but when I first heard ‘45’ I was gripped. With punchy, in-your-face anthems from start to finish, it is hard to think that it took four records for me to finally appreciate The Gaslight Anthem.
Packed with Brian Fallon’s signature raspy vocals and roaring distorted guitars, Handwritten is everything you’d expect from a New Jersey rock band. Stonewashed denim jeans, leather jackets, no pretense, slick vocals and crashing drums; The Gaslight Anthem not only have all of those, but they make each and every element their own.
Across 11 tracks they sing ballads and anthems, but in the likes of Mae and National Anthem, Fallon lays himself bare and creates an emotive track that would rival Bruce Springsteen’s I’m On Fire.
3 Movies
Mistaken For Strangers
Directed by Tom Berninger (brother of The National’s frontman Matt), this half-documentary/half-point a camera and hope for the best feature length shows The National’s 2010 and 2011 tour and what really happens behind the scenes. Featuring tantrums, studio sessions and logistics that you probably don’t think about when buying a ticket (making sure the band are on the bus at the right time and not left behind) – this is a must see for fans of both The National and live music in general.
High Fidelity
Adapted from Nick Hornby’s fantastic novel, John Cusack features as record shop owner Rob who goes on a conquest to find out why he is always seemingly so unlucky in love. Jack Black’s character of Barry is brilliant from start to finish – intense, compulsive and an all round music snob, he is everything you hate (but secretly expect) from a record store worker.
500 Days of Summer
A rom-com with a killer soundtrack (Regina Spektor, The Smiths, Doves, The Temper Trap to name just 4) – what’s not to love? It is a classic story of boy meets girl, but without the fairy tale ending. Brutal. There are plenty of memorable lines and beautiful cinematography throughout – particularly in the scene where Tom’s expectation of meeting Summer is the complete opposite. No matter how many times I watch it, I always want his expectations to match up.
1 boxset
Waterloo Road
When re-watching Waterloo Road now, it seems massively implausible that any of the storylines could/would happen in a school. From high speed chases in the headteacher’s car to gripping, emotionally charged plots – Waterloo Road had the lot and the good news is that all 10 series are on iPlayer now.
1 podcast
That Peter Crouch Podcast
If you’ve read either of Peter Crouch’s books, you’ll already know that he has plenty of tales in his locker. Now retired and looking for something to do (other than buy blossom trees and slides – if you know, you know), Crouch teams up with Tom Fordyce and Chris Stark to talk about what goes on away from the 90 minutes a week that we see.
Expect anecdotes about almost killing Dirk Kuyt with a go-kart, hiding from Mickey Rourke after a night out in Miami and plenty more hilarious stories.
Listen to That Peter Crouch Podcast now via BBC Sounds.
