albums of the decade - 14. David Holmes - Bow Down To The Exit Sign

14. David Holmes - Bow Down To The Exit Sign (2000)

This is a concept album in the sense that it's a soundtrack for a film that never was. The styles ooze from vintage soul to psychedelic rock and the aesthetic is grainy and gritty like a great film. It's Holmes' ode to NYC and he quite frequently would go downtown with a dictaphone and record the eccentric characters and then add his beats and melodies to proceedings. There are a wealth of guests to add their own footprint. Bobby Gillespie from primal Scream sounds all punky and barks like a dog on heat in 'Sick City', Carl Hancock Rux, who appears elsewhere on this list, sings a very psychedelic soul song called 'Compared To What' and Jon Spencer features on the severe and damaging heartsickness of 'Bad Thing.' It's a dark experience but the climax of 'Hey Lisa' offers a beacon of light on a raw album of stunning virtue.