So sad to hear that Trish Keenan has died from complications caused by the H1N1 virus. I think I get a bit blasé about “celebrity” deaths, as the people seem so distant and unreal, but this really shocked me. Trish was relatively young and creatively active; I saw her on stage at the South Bank Centre only nine months ago.
I first heard Broadcast in 1999, when they were releasing the initial singles for their second album ‘The Noise Made By People’ (arguably it was their first proper album, as ‘Work and Non Work’ was essentially a singles collection). It was one of those instantly captivating musical introductions… Trish’s warm, rich voice combining with analogue synths and an obvious love for 60s psychedelia and cool, obscure library music.
While their sound gradually developed along more purely electro lines, they never stopped captivating me, and much as I love all their music, that second album remains special for me. It cuts through any feelings of jaded cynicism, turning me back into a wide-eyed teenage music fan. It’s the archetypal “favourite album”, where every note is perfect, both intimately familiar and fresh-sounding.
The only redeeming fact about the deaths of our favourite musicians is that we still have their work to enjoy. If you haven’t heard Broadcast, Youtube is currently your best bet for a free sample… start off with ‘Come On Let’s Go’, ‘Papercuts’, ‘Echo’s Answer’ or ‘Unchanging Window’, then try ‘Black Cat’, ‘Pendulum’ and ‘Colour Me In’.