Tag: music
Pour Down Like Silver
This gem of a record by Richard and Linda Thompson came out in 1975 and I happened to listen to it again on the train this morning.
La Boheme
If you ever find yourself tempted to dip a toe in the water and attend a live performance, the classic La Boheme by Puccini would be a good place to start.
Joaquina Kalukango
Have you ever been moved to tears by a vocalist? If you’re lucky, it happens on a regular basis. Which would make the question: when was the last time?
In Praise of Musical Embellishments
A good song needs good bones: a pretty melody and a poetic lyric. After that it only takes a talented vocalist to bring those good bones to life.
The Music of Bruce Springsteen
When it comes to the music of Bruce Springsteen, I really miss the contribution of keyboardist David Sancious, who left the band to pursue his own thing a long time ago.
A Different Side of Bruce Springsteen
My interest in Bruce Springsteen as a singer-songwriter ended about 50 years ago. The high point for me was The Wild, The Innocent, and The E Street Shuffle, a record he released in November 1973. Along with a few cuts from his follow-up Born to Run album, released in August 1975. He has obviously gone on to enjoy a prolific career in the decades since, achieving world-wide superstar status. So mine is a decidedly minority opinion. But I can’t help it. His “mature” output has never done much for me.
Rachael & Vilray
You may know the voice of Rachael Price from her work with the group Lake Street Dive, who first met as students at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. That was about twenty years ago, and they’ve been recording and touring together ever since. They have a very relaxed “unplugged” sound, which puts the focus on the musicality of the music, if that makes any sense. Four friends sitting around riffing. Their original stuff is always fun, and they do some of the best covers around.