Album Cuts

CD single photo of artist
Musician Anton O’ Donnell answered the following question: If he was alone on a desert island which five CDs would he most want with him and why?

Blood on the Tracks
Bob Dylan
There are loads of Dylan albums I could have chosen but ‘Blood on the Tracks’ is just one of those albums that’s made the biggest impression on me; apart from the music being great, and the poetry running over the top, I love the recording of the whole thing – it kind of feels like you’re in the room while it’s being played/recorded.

Bone Machine
Tom Waits
It was a toss-up between ‘Bone Machine’ and ‘The Heart of Saturday Night’. I was pretty late to the TW party, but totally blown away once I was in. Like Dylan, his poetry is just out-of-this-world; the social commentary, the love songs, the depravity, and absurdity, and hope of this whole experience of life, Tom’s pretty hard to touch in most cases on these topics. And that vocal delivery – it would scare you into believing Santa Claus was real!

Legend - The Best of Bob Marley & the Wailers
Bob Marley
A desert island - it’s the tropics, man. There’s no way no one could survive in the tropics without a touch of that ‘island time’ vibe.

Exile On Main Street - 2010 deluxe edition with ‘Plundered My Soul’
Rolling Stones
It was a toss up between this, and ‘Sticky Fingers’. The Rolling Stones have always been a wee bit of a constant in my life – one of those bands/artists (like Bob & Tom) that I always lean into when I dive into a good drinking session, they have all the things that you want from music; some gritty, dirty rock n roll, heart worn love songs, contemplative lyrics, great delivery. ‘Plundered My Soul’ is one of those very tracks.

Simple Dreams
Linda Ronstadt
I just love Linda’s voice - it’s smooth, and powerful but there’s a crack of vulnerability in there that just grabs you, I dig that kinda thing. And it has one of my all-time favourite songs on there, ‘Blue Bayou’.