August 20, 2007

When do you listen to music? I always thought that getting into the music business would mean I would have nothing but time to listen to album after album but in truth, the exact opposite happened. Don't get me wrong, music is playing in my office 98% of the time but I don't consider that listening. So, I can't listen in the office. Guess I will listen at home. Yeah right! By the time I get home from work, feed my boys, do homework with them, get them bathed, read with them and put them to bed, the last thing I want to do is anything remotely involving my job. So basically, that leaves one place that I can actually listen to music, in my car.

For this reason, I look forward to any road trip I have to take as I know I can get a lot of music listened to without interruption. Last week, I hopped on the interstate and headed out for the weekend. During my 5 hours in the car, I was able to listen to 15 or so CDs and enjoyed every second of it. Of those CDs, these are the ones that stood out and got me excited.

1) Ani Difranco - Canon - 2 disc set (Righteous Babe)

Simply put, Ani Difranco had me as a music lover the moment I heard her perform with Andi Stochansky at the University of Texas Ballroom back in the early 90's during SXSW. If you were at that set, you know what I am speaking of. It was nothing less than magical. 18 years and 18 albums into her career, Difranco releases a retrospective that will make her fans smile and hopefully turn a whole new group of fans onto her prolific work. The entire set is skillfully assembled and beautifully sums up this renegade artist's career. My personal favorites are 3 of the 5 songs that Difranco reworked and rerecorded for the retrospective, "Napoleon", "Both Hands" and "Overlap". This little taste of three of my favorite Difranco songs redone left me wanting to hear even more. Ani, if you read this, please re-issue some more of your songs from the early years as these updates made me fall in love with the songs all over again.

2) Joe Henry - Civilians (Anti-)

Truth be told, I am not a huge Joe Henry fan. While I appreciate and admire his artistry, I have never really been captured by one of his records, that is, until now. It was if "Civilians" fell from the heaven's just to be with me on my drive. The CD is enchanted and haunted by the spirits of Waits, Dylan, Robertson, Newman et al. Listening to it warmed my insides and made me want to drive another 200 miles. My faves include "Civil War", Time Is A Lion", "You Can't Fail Me Know" and his opus "Our Song". Check out these lyrics:

"I saw Willie Mayes at a Scottsdale Home Depot looking at garage door springs at the far end of the 14th row
His wife stood there beside him, she was quiet and they both were proud
I gave him room but close enough that I heard him when he said out loud

This was my country, this was my song, somewhere in the middle there oh it started badly and it's ending wrong
This was my country, this frightful and this angry land, but it's my right if the worst of it might still somehow make me a better man

The sun is unforgiving and there's nobody would choose this town but we've squandered so much of our good will that there's nowhere else will have us now
We push in line at the picture show for cool air and a chance to see a vision of ourselves portrayed as younger and braver and humble and free
This was our country, this was our song, somewhere in the middle there oh it started badly and it's ending wrong
This was our country, this frightful and this angry land, but it's my right if the worst of it might still somehow make me a better man

I've started something I can't finish and I barely leave the house it's true, I keep a wrap on my sores and joints but I guess I've had my blessings too
I've got my mothers pretty feet and the factory keeps my house in shape, my children they've both been paroled and we get by on the peace we've made
I feel safe so far from heaven from towers and their ocean views, from here I see the future coming across what soon will be beaches too

But that was him, I'm almost sure, the greatest center fielder of all time, stooped by the burden of endless dreams, his and yours and mine
He hooked each spring beneath his foot, he leaned over and he stood up right, testing each against his weight for one that had some play and some fight
He's just like us, I want to tell you, and our needs are small enough, something to slow a heavy door, something to help us raise one up

This was my country, this was my song, somewhere in the middle there oh it started badly and it's ending wrong
This was God's country, this frightful and this angry land, but if it's his will the worst of it might still somehow make me a better man
If it's his will the worst of it might still somehow make me a better man

"Our Song" - Joe Henry

That is fucking brilliant! Artistry at its finest! As masterful a piece of American poetry as I have read/heard in decades. Put "Civilians" as one of my frontrunners for 2007 Album of The Year!

3) Sons Of William - What Hides Inside (Red Lick Records)

For a moment Friday night, it was 1976 and I was riding in the back seat of my mother's Kelly green Karmann Ghia listening to 70's rock at its finest and reveling in my youth. The Sons Of William have captured a sound that I haven't heard on wax in a long time. As a matter of fact, the last time I heard anything close was Lenny Kravitz's "Let Love Rule" back in the late 80's. Oh, I know, plenty of bands have tried to capture that sound but few master it, The Sons of William have. This is a fun listen, real, raw rock in roll focusing on love, sex, hope, dreams. Listening to "Message", Easy To Love", Lucifer Hands", "Independence Day"...will make you want to grow your hair out, put on a floppy leather hat, get in the convertible and go!

4) Allison Krauss/Robert Plant - Raising Sand (Rounder)

Need I say more? You heard me right, Krauss and Plant. Go ahead and mark this one on your calendar. A must have for anyone who cares anything about music.

Can't wait to get in the car sometime soon as you never know what gems you will find in the mounds of promos sitting on your desk. Hopefully the next drive will be as fruitful a listening experience as this one was.

Peace,
Reg

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