If you had to go away for awhile and you could only take five of your favorite albums with you, which ones would you choose? Yes, we know it isn’t a fair question, but that hasn’t stopped us from asking music fans who happen to be recording artists in their own right. This week’s Desert Island Discs list comes courtesy of singer/songwriter Carey Ott, currently promoting his latest release, Human Heart . Take it away, Carey!
I’m actually planning on moving to a desert island soon. So thanks for helping me pack!
1) Magical Mystery Tour – The Beatles
This album blew my mind when I was seven years old, and it still does today. “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane” and “I Am the Walrus” and “All You Need Is Love.” Need I say more?
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2) Oh, Inverted World – The Shins
When I’m on my desert island, I’m gonna need something that can keep me occupied for a while. Something lo-fi and dreamy, naive and pure. Something that speaks to my inner nerd.
With its bizarre word-picture lyrics and uniquely sweet melodies leaping and soaring, this album clocks in at just over 31 minutes. But these weird, beautiful songs have surprising legs and true staying-power. Try “Girl Inform Me” and “Weird Divide.”
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3) Head Hunters – Herbie Hancock
This record is straight-up FUNKY. Masterful performances and VIBE from dudes who jam heavy. No joke. Gotta have it. Probably my favorite band Herbie ever assembled. Is Harvey Mason the coolest drummer ever? Try “Chameleon” and “Watermelon Man.”
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4) Funky Kingston – Toots and The Maytals
Gotta have some good reggae. This guy is one of my heroes. He’s like a reggae version of Ray Charles crossed with Otis Redding. It doesn’t get any better. The guy’s got serious soul. Try “Funky Kingston” and “Time Tough.”
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5) Odessey and Oracle – The Zombies
A lot of people only know of The Zombies for hits like “Time of the Season” or “She’s Not There,” but these guys have so many other great songs. My favorites from Odessey and Oracle are “Care Of Cell 44” and “This Will Be Our Year.” Love the singer’s voice and the keyboard player, Rod Argent, is an absolute master.
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Carey Ott’s new album, Human Heart, was released in October. At 20 songs and more than 73 minutes in length, it’s a whole bunch of music for $8.99 — and more importantly, the music has quality to match its quantity. Check out Carey’s latest tour dates, blog posts, and more at his official site, and get a taste of the new album right here:
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