Editor’s Note: Welcome to Quarantainment, Vanyaland’s new series on what to watch, what to hear, and how to deal as the world engages in social distancing to combat the spread of coronavirus, or COVID-19. We’re all at home, we’re all online, and we’re all in this together. #StayTheFHome
There’s an old adage that suggests that “if you’re bored, you’re boring,” and Tim Burgess is certainly neither of those things. To help us adjust to times of isolation during the ongoing pandemic, the Charlatans frontman — who in February released a new solo tune we loved a lot — has taken to Twitter to host listening parties for classic British albums. And he’s got the players of those albums on board for commentary.
Burgess kicked off the series on Monday with The Charlatans’ own Some Friendly, and last night he brought in Alex Kapranos to celebrate Franz Ferdinand’s masterful 2004 debut. Tonight, he raises up Blur’s 1994 Cool Britannia standout Parklife, with Blur drummer Dave Rowntree on board to guide us through it.
Thursday spotlights Ride’s Going Blank Again, and Friday hoists up Oasis’ Definitely Maybe. Next week’s record batch includes LPs by Sleaford Mods, Lightning Seeds, The Fall, and others. With the start time pegged as 10 p.m. in England, that means we here in Boston get the socially distanced listening parties at 6 p.m. this week, then 5 p.m. next week as British Summer Time hours take hold.
“Play your copy of the album (or stream it) at 10pm on the dot on the given day,” Burgess says. “Follow the special guest(s) who will be hosting each session and tweet questions/ memories etc.”
From one to another, that sounds like a plan.