Lovely Little Albums

"When you're close to me
It is all right,
When you are close to me, I can forget"

Mission of Burma - Forget

Lovely Little Albums

We all have them. You know that record that simply brightens up a trip into town on a rainy day? That’s one. That album you have on in the background whilst waiting around at home after ordering a curry? That’s another one right there. In fact, chances are, you’re probably listening to one right now.

This column is a celebration of these records and the people behind them. A unique species of LP, they are characterised by their general niceness, quirkiness and (in most cases) unobtrusiveness.

Sure, they don’t soundtrack life’s ecstatic climaxes or crushing disappointments. They just perk up the minutiae of the everyday. But that’s OK, because you somehow know they’ll always be there for you.

It’s almost inevitable. Girlfriends will leave you, friends will let you down. The Lovely Little Album however, is practically guaranteed to do none of these things. Because, for 36 minutes or so, you know exactly what’s coming; the next verse, the next melody, the next song. And its all good.

No matter what the place or time, The Lovely Little Album sounds just as good now as it did when you first heard it. It takes you back. It helps you forget, yet amazingly, still allows you to get on with things. It is this perfect combination which makes these albums rank amongst the best ever made.

Kittypants