Our Desert Island Discs
As Queen Kirsty Young hands over her Desert Island Discs microphone, we take the opportunity to name the three discs we’d each save from the waves.
Freya:
1) Bill Whelan: Riverdance, A Symphonic Suite
Riverdance and a full orchestra? Thank you, yes please. Its closing movement, Cloudsong, will forever get my toes a-tapping. On the desert island, I’d love to make moonshine and carry on the Parr sisters’ tradition of getting legless and doing Riverdance to this great symphonic masterpiece.
This majestic choral work opened the 2017 BBC Proms. Cycling every evening to the Royal Albert Hall together to hear world-class orchestras perform for just a few quid was a total joy. This piece — with its rich, dense wall of sound — always takes me back to that incredible summer of music with ma fave dude.
3) The Fisherman’s Friends: South Australia
When I’m on the desert island, I’ll need something to sing with gay abandon as I nurse a bottle of rum. This tune not only reminds me of my lovely grandma, I’ve done some pretty extensive sea shanty research on my pilgrimage of the southwest and this is categorically the best.
Alex:
For me, this album is rock perfection. The Boston four-piece combine surrealist lyrics with infectious bass-lines, angular guitar hooks and visceral vocals. It’s a masterpiece from start to finish — no wonder the band have the late David Bowie’s blessings.
2) Edward Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius
Once described as a ‘massive lad’ live on BBC Radio 3 a few years ago by none other than me and a few other friends, I’m including Elgar because he is, in fact, a lad. The Dream of Gerontius tells the story of a man’s journey to heaven, with a stunning orchestral and choral accompaniment.
3) Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp A Butterfly
Freya may lob this disc back in the ocean if we ever did find ourselves stranded on a desert island together, but for me this album has everything: politically-motivated rap, stunning jazz instrumentals and some seriously catchy pop thrown in, too. What more do you need?
