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 edition of Desert Island Discs comes courtesy of Megan Slankard, whose latest album, A Token of the Wreckage, is out now. Visit her official site for samples of Megan’s music — after reading her Desert Island picks, of course!
1. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles
I was about 10 years old when this album first blew my mind. I would sit in front of the stereo some nights with the CD or record cover (we had both) in my lap and stare at it throughout the duration of the album. It was absolutely magical. And, to this day, its chord progressions and melodies are part of the fibers that make up my being.
2. Graceland – Paul Simon
Maybe this is also an obvious choice, but it’s a very sentimental record and a part of growing up for me. I swiped most of my parents’ records, and this is one that my dad would play while working in the home office. It was on all the time, and I know it inside and out.
3. August and Everything After – The Counting Crows
I’ve never been very good with dates, but I remember the exact moment I first heard this record. My friend Dave came over one day to play guitar and he brought August and Everything After with him. In lieu of jamming, we ended up listening to the entire album. “Go out and buy it,” he said. My usual reply is, “yeah, maybe,” but this time I went out and slapped down $15.95 the very next day.
4. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John
This record made me want to sing. Every song has the most ingenious melodies and lyrics. I may have the title track stuck in my head permanently, like tinnitus.
5. Spilt Milk – Jellyfish
This record just begs me to ask the question, “what?” over and over again in disbelief. The songwriting — oh, the songwriting. Everything about this record is perfect. Stunning. It almost makes me weep, especially to think that Jellyfish broke up and Andy Sturmer went on to write music for a strange Japanese pop band called Puffy AmiYumi…
“A Token of the Wreckage” – Megan Slankard (Official Video) from Matthew Ward on Vimeo.
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