Everybody got some favourite albums. Music that accompanied yourself through difficult times, records that acted like a friend when there was real one around. Whether it was the sound around the times of your first kiss or the starting point of your own attempts to take a deeper look into new musical territories. We all have this record somewhere in our hearts and private collections. In this category NOTHING BUT HOPE AND PASSION lets the artist’s do the writing as they share their personal stories and feelings on their most loved record with us.
Acclaimed two-piece BOY recently released a great second studio full-length called We Were Here which immediately became NOTHING BUT HOPE AND PASSION’s ‘Album Of The Week.’ It proved that Valeska Steiner and Sonja Glass haven’t lost the sparkling magic of their 2011 debut Mutual Friends while also being open to new ideas. We heavily advise you to grab the last remaining tickets for their forthcoming fall tour which we also present. Find all the dates at the bottom of this article. And if you are interested to know what BOY leading lady Valeska Steiner listens to off the stage we’ve got the answer right here as she opens up about her favourite album of all time, an almost forgotten singer/songwriter gem that dates back 19 years…
Shawn Colvin – ‘A Few Small Repairs’ (1996)
Do you remember the time when you bought that record?
A friend gave this record to me when I was fifteen. He played guitar at the concerts of my singing school where we used to sing popular soul- and funk-songs. I had a good time doing that but I was never really good at it – that kind of vocal acrobatics. When I heard SHAWN COLVIN’s album for the first time, it was like a revelation. I had never heard any music of the singer/songwriter genre before and I really liked how this singer didn’t seem all that interested in showing what she could do with her voice, but in telling stories in a simple, sincere way instead.
Please explain in a few words why it is so special for you?
Probably because back then, it was like a complete new world to me. I loved singing before, but suddenly I realized that in addition to that, you could write lyrics that mean something to you and tell stories that connect with the listener on a different level. And it made me discover other Singer/Songwriters that became a big influence, like Suzanne Vega for example.
What’s your favourite song on the album and why?
It changed all the time, I really liked most of them. My favorites were The Facts About Jimmy, New Thing Now, Trouble and If I Were Brave. I listened to them on my way to school, on my way home from parties, at home before falling asleep. They were with me for most of that year.
Why should one listen to that record today? Anything about the album that speaks to the people today as well?
The record is a pretty classical singer/songwriter-folk-pop album. I don’t think it’s very experimental musically. But I think the nice thing about songs with good lyrics is that they never get old. People will always be able to relate to a good story that touches the heart, like The Facts About Jimmy for example.
Any other work by the artist you can recommend? Or any other album you’d like to give some credit right here?
I really only know that record of Shawn Colvin. After that, I stumbled upon many other bands and records that I found beautiful and inspiring, like The Bends by RADIOHEAD, Parachutes by COLDPLAY, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by PHOENIX, The Greatest by CAT POWER, For Emma, forever ago by BON IVER, and so many more. My latest greatest rediscovery after I saw the beautiful BBC documentary about the record was Graceland by PAUL SIMON.
NBHAP Presents: BOY on tour
29.10.2015 – DE – Bremen – Schlachthof
30.10.2015 – DE – Düsseldorf – New Fall Festival
31.10.2015 – DE – Erlangen – E-Werk
02.11.2015 – AT – Vienna – Arena
03.11.2015 – AT – Graz – PPC
04.11.2015 – AT – Linz – Ahoi! Pop Festival
05.11.2015 – DE – Ulm – Roxy
07.11.2015 – DE – Frankfurt – Gibson
08.11.2015 – DE – Stuttgart – Im Wizemann
09.11.2015 – DE – Munich – Muffathalle
10.11.2015 – CH – Berlin – Bierhübli
12.11.2015 – CH – Luzern – Schüür
13.11.2015 – CH – Basel – Volkshaus
14.11.2015 – CH – Zurich – Kaufleuten
15.11.2015 – DE – Heidelberg – Halle 02
17.11.2015 – DE – Frankfurt – Gibson
18.11.2015 – DE – Dortmund – FZW
20.11.2015 – DE – Osnabrpck – Hyde Park
22.11.2015 – DE – Leipzig – Werk 2
23.11.2015 – DE – Berlin – Tempodrom
24.11.2015 – DE – Hannover – Capitol
25.11.2015 – DE – Hamburg – Große Freiheit 36
30.11.2015 – DE – Bremen – Schlachthof
01.12.2015 – DE – Hamburg – Mehr! Theater
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