Since everyone is sharing this week (except Bookends!) Here are some albums that have recently fallen into my record player’s rotation:
Emmylou Harris : Pieces of the Sky
Released 1975
Most people that know me a little bit know that I loves me some Emmylou… but I can honestly say that every song on this recording is awesome. “From Boulder to Birmingham” is heartbreaking and beautiful, and her version of “Coat of Many Colors” is a fine tribute to Dolly. I bought this record for “From Boulder…” and was floored by how consistently great it is as a whole. Go buy it. Yesterday.
Roy Acuff: Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
Released 1978
Sorry, no photo. I heard a bit of Roy Acuff here and there growing up and liked his voice, and this double LP had cool packaging, so I picked it up. There’s a lot of the J-Bomb being thrown around, but it’s hard not to like Acuff’s (in all the good ways) delivery of classics such as “Wabash Cannonball” and “Turn Your Radio On” and the awesomely entertaining “Story Of The Violin”. I can’t seem to find this on CD, so I guess it hasn’t been released? Overall it’s a fine Saturday morning listen fo’sho’. The guy is a legend (R.I.P.) and definitely worth a listen for a lesson in the roots of country music.
Jimmy Herring: Lifeboat
Released: 2008
This is a jazz instrumental album by one of the best fusion (?) guitarists living and working in music today. He’s played with a bunch of rock bands, including the Allman Brothers and the Aquarium Rescue Unit. Anyway, this album shows off Herring’s ability to straddle the fence of high concept jazz and rock accessibility. Lifeboat also showcases Herring’s ample technical skill, though in a way that I found to be refreshingly unpretentious and free of wank. There are a few parts that are a little Smoov Jazz for my taste (just say no to jazz flute, people. Ron Burgundy über alles!), but I have to say that this album has really grown on me over the past couple weeks. The funky stuff and more old school numbers are the highlights for me.
The Long Winters: Putting the Days to Bed
Released: 2006
The Long Winters are one of my favorite bands, and this album is mighty fine. “Teaspoon” and “The Sky is Open” are two standouts. John Roderick can turn a phrase with the best of them, and musically his tunes range from wide open stompers to initmiate portraits, sometimes within the same song. “Clouds” is another good one that starts out simply but builds to a rolling, airy finish. Don’t write your name in the clouds from the ground!
That’s all for now.
