Ahead of their outdoor show on 27th August at Collins Barracks in Dublin, New York-based new wave trio Nation of Language take us through a thoughful selection of tracks that have left a lasting impression on them, from Kraftwerk to Yo La Tengo.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – Electricity
This song kind of has to lead things off because it’s the song that made me start this band (specifically the DinDisc version). This song had played a lot during my early childhood in our house, but then after years and years it came on in the car driving around with my Dad and it really transported me back. It also broke through a misplaced aversion I had at the time towards synth music – I mostly wanted to just hear guitar punk, but this song shattered that. I could hear the simplicity and roughness of the music, and the song was about the evils of fossil fuels. Where I had previously seen synth music as the purview of smarter people with more technical knowledge, this song made it feel manageable and raw.
Kraftwerk – Neon Lights
After getting back into OMD I started noticing that both they and their contemporaries were all really into Kraftwerk. I had heard of Kraftwerk before but had told myself that music that was mostly instrumental probably wasn’t for me. How wrong I was. The more I explored, the more I was drawn in by their choice of sounds and their rhythmic inclinations, and they really became a guiding light in those departments, and still are to this day.
The National – Sorrow
This is a band that really knows how to write a bummer song, and this specific one kinda tops the list for me. The atmosphere is haunting and I’ve turned to this song for many years during dark personal times. It doesn’t really… help me out of those times, but it does make me feel seen in my misery, which is all you can really ask for sometimes.
Radiohead – Idioteque
I just found an old ticket stub from 2003 when I went with my family to see Radiohead and this was the only song I knew (weirdly) but I was obsessed with it. All of the rhythmic sounds still just activate something in my brain that makes me want to move like a freak. I think it kind of scared me as a kid… there was a certain kind of menace to it that created a heightened sense of drama around everything.
Neon Indian – 6669 (I Don’t Know If You Know)
This song opened me up to the psychedelic side of synth music, with a simple melody that I couldn’t turn away from since the first time I heard it. It’s so bleary and woozy and has a youthful romanticism that calls to me.
Brian Eno & John Cale – Spinning Away
I really love John Cale’s voice – there are many songs I could’ve chosen but the vocals on this song are just so good, and there is a real end-of-the-movie quality to the song that is deeply satisfying and something I definitely try to capture in my own writing.
Yo La Tengo – Tom Courtenay
If I had to choose a favorite band, I would probably have to select Yo La Tengo. This song is such a great example of how they can blend an inherent tenderness with chaotic guitar noise. They are the kings (and queen) of the indie-slacker vibe and I spent a great deal of time blasting this song delivering pizza in New Jersey.
Amen Dunes – Miki Dora
I’m a big fan of Amen Dunes, and there are some grooves on this record that really inspired me during the writing process of our latest record Strange Disciple. One can often find me listening to this song backstage before we go on to put me in the right state of mind to perform.
Nation of Language play the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks on Tuesday 27th August with Gossip and Sprints, as part of Wider Than Picturesseries of events. Click here to buy tickets.
