People try and hide the light underneath the covers.

Every now and again I’ll listen to Arcade Fire –Funeral. As an album it’s a stunning piece of work, but partly the reason which I love it so much is because it’s just packed with happy feelings. I got the album roughly just as spring was starting to be punctuated by summer. I’d broken up messily with Jennifer and I pretty much moped and twitted around aimlessly for months as is my way, I think I thought that I was being cool by wandering listlessly around doing nothing in particular.

The nothing in particular meant staying in a lot on weekends. I was 17, probably could have gotten into clubs but couldn’t afford it even if I’d got past the door. I really was skint, very very. It seems strange looking back on that now because somehow back then I could make ten pounds work for me so well, yet now I spend that on a hat. Regardless, I was super skint, super boring and pretty much super depressed.

Whilst watching Jools Holland, I happened upon a band, there were loads of them, they were dressed up smartly, spoke politely and played their first song, Power Out with passion and gusto, “more from them later” kept me from going to bed and kept my attention fixed upon my televisual box. As shallowly did the pretty blonde violinist. Regardless, for their finale they played Rebellion (Lies). I think it took 5 seconds for me to decide that this would be my favourite song in a long time, I hit record. I went on to watch that video numerous times, I knew what must be done.

I spent £12 pounds on a little paper card covered album, with gold embossed. It felt like a golden ticket, I pondered it on the bus back, what would it sound like? Would the other songs be as good? I noted that Rebellion (Lies) was to be the second to last track.

I scuttled up to my attic, hot and bright but the only place I could play music loudly uninterrupted, and I needed no diversion, this album I had decided must be heard from start to finish.

I’m no good at describing music, but it’s sumptuous. And it evokes new emotions from me every time I listen to it, currently, writing this Crown of Love has new resonance. (But I’ll square with you; I’m still waiting for Rebellion Lies). Nothing much changes. That’s not even slightly true, everything’s changed for me since I first heard this album and fleeting happiness has been exchanged for lasting smiles, my heart is open and my head is held high.