5 Albums I Can’t Live Without: The Ting Tings

Name  Jules & Katie 

Best known for  The Ting Tings

Current city  Ibiza

Really want to be in  Nashville [in an] old wooden studio recording with a full Nash band. 

Excited about  Our new album called Home and shows in ‘25. Been a while since we ventured back on stage and our new sound is a challenge, pushing us further as singer-songwriters than ever before.

Our current music collection has a lot of  Easy-breezy soft rock, yacht rock. Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan, Christopher Cross.

And a little bit of  Folk.

Preferred format  (Jules & Katie) Vinyl, CD. At home and [the] studio we gathered up all our vinyl and set up our record deck to return to the importance of its sound and how we value choosing the records we play, one by one. Having that time to enjoy the music is another level. 

With CDs, we drive an old ‘91 Toyota Land Cruiser which has a CD player, only loads one CD at a time. Often, the same CD sits in the player for a month on heavy rotation with the CD case on the back seat or more often on the floor. 

5 Albums I Can’t Live Without:

1

The Nitefly, Donald Fagen

A fan of Steely Dan greats, Donald Fagen’s solo breakout record is simply an anytime listen. The combo of analogue and [the] desire to be synchronised created, for me, a perfect left-of-centre pop record. He dropped the guitars from Steely and took his synths into a tape-saturated wonder world full of harmonics. One of my all-time go-to driving albums, never ever fails. — Jules

2

Rumours, Fleetwood Mac

How could it not be! The level of songwriting with three prolific songwriters in one band is insane, the feel and mood it creates in the room or car makes it one of the best albums ever made. Dreamy, nostalgic songs that last forever. — Katie

3

Off the Wall, Micheal Jackson

From the moment I first heard this recording I knew it had set an incredible standard on all fronts. [It’s] one thing being a major superstar surrounded by controversy and mayhem, but another thing to deliver groove and sound and hits at this level. [The] Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton, and Jackson combo is flawless. There’s something about records of yesteryear, the way they were performed and recorded outshines the sophisticated tech of today. As recording artists, we use today’s tech for our advantage, but time has been taken out from the art of music-making and albums like this show that putting in the time pays off long term. — Jules

4

A fresh take on soft rock with beautiful lyrics that stop you in your tracks…and great taste in visuals. We love that they are siblings! Keep it in the family! Super talented bunch. — Katie

5

Graceland, Paul Simon

Just feels so unique and still new. I remember years ago Jules tried to get me into this album and I just wasn’t in the place in my life to fully appreciate it. I needed to mature and learn how rare and progressive an album like this was. To push yourself forward creatively and sonically while songwriting…is not an easy place to get to and stay in. They are fleeting treasured moments in your life. Listening to albums like this inspires. — Jules & Katie

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