In My Port Sight, In My Tail Light

Sad news today – Nikki Sudden has crossed over suddenly, at the age of 49. Zoilus has a fine rundown of why you should care about Sudden if you don’t already, so there’s little for me to add. Instead, some music. (The playlist is a little weighted toward the past; I’m sorry to say I haven’t been keeping up with Sudden’s recent work.)

• Swell Maps, “Spitfire Parade.” From their debut, A Trip to Marineville. Volted to life on the same great rock & roll current that the New York Dolls siphoned from for “Pills.”
• Swell Maps, “International Rescue.” This one’s a bonus track on my Mute copy of Marineville.
• Jacobites, “Big Store.” From the first of a few albums for Sudden and co-Jacobite Dave Kusworth, in which he gives up the art ruckus of the Swell Maps for a debauched-rocker stance. This and the ache-inspiring following song are probably the most instantly lovable ones on the record, but the whole thing is worth knowing.
• Jacobites, “Silver Street.” What a drag it is getting old.
• Mercury Rev, “Silver Street.” The same weary rue as the original, but ghostlier, translucent. Let’s say the Jacobites record the sickbed watch, and Mercury Rev snaps the soul moments after it’s left the body. (From a radio session & put out on the B-side of one of the Deserter’s Songs singles, I think.)
• Epic Soundtracks, “Sad Song.” Epic Soundtracks was Nikki Sudden’s brother and fellow Swell Map. Late in his life – he died at the age of 38 in 1997 – he made some lovely solo records that recall the work of a couple other doomed & troubled (respectively) souls, Pete Ham & Brian Wilson. This is from the first of those records, Rise Above.

You can buy some Swell Maps here, some Jacobites here, and some Epic Soundtracks here.