MusicHead

The primary way I build my digital music collection is by maintaining a playlist called, “The Rotation.” On this list, I load albums of artists I’m interested in hearing; mostly new-to-me artists or albums. Because I need some organizational principle to conduct this survey, I go by the alphabetical listing of the artist. I typically move from earlier records to later records, although there are exceptions. If I’m excited to hear a new album by a favorite artist I’ll add it in an apparent random placement to hear it sooner than later. From this list I’ll select tracks to add to my collection. It’s rare that I DNF a record, and uncommon for me to not select a single track from it. I’ve been doing this for a while and am currently on my 9th trip around the alphabet. Below are the albums heard in a given session and what thoughts, if any, I have about them. These are mostly first impressions, so don’t expect in-depth analysis.

Asterisks (*) after the album title indicate that it is a new-to-me record.

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Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings: SOUL TIME! (2011)*

Another one I can’t remember if I’ve heard or not. I’m still heartbroken that she’s passed on and we can’t see her perform. I never got the chance or was even aware of her while she was living. At least we have these recordings so that her music will live on.

Three tracks in and I really DON’T think I’ve heard this before.

WOO-HOO! NEW SHARON JONES!

Collected Tracks

• Genuine, Pt. 1
• Longer and Stronger
• He Said I Can
• I’m Not Gonna Cry
• When I Come Home
• What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes?
• Settling In
• New Shoes

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Shawn Colvin: STEADY ON (30TH ANNIVERSARY ACOUSTIC EDITION) (2019)*

A fully acoustic rerecording of her debut album (1989) of the same name. This was recorded with just her and her guitar, performed live, rather than in the original studio-style manner of the original. I’m such a big Shawn fan that I’d listen to her sing the phone book. This doesn’t come across as self-indulgent at all.

Collected Tracks

• Steady On
• Diamond in the Rough
• Something to Believe In

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She & Him: VOLUME ONE (2008)

I’m certain I’ve heard this record before, and I was always on the fence with this group. Curiosity has gotten the better of me, again, and I thought I’d dip my toes back in.

Collected Tracks

• Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
• This Is Not a Test
• I Was Made for You

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Sheryl Crow: 100 MILES FROM MEMPHIS (2010)*

Like Sarah McLachlan, I’m a solid LIKE with Sheryl Crow. Some really great songs, but pretty “meh” with the rest of her stuff. This is the earliest of her records with which I am wholly unfamiliar. I’m looking forward to it, though.

A note about Sheryl. Briefly, back in the 80’s or early 90’s Sheryl lived in St. Louis, Missouri, (my native city) where she worked as a substitute teacher to bolster her income as a musician. Because she was briefly a St. Louis metro resident, some people insisted that she was “from” there. She wasn’t. She was from the bootheel of Missouri, nowhere near St. Louis. But some in St. Louis are so desperate for cultural relevance that they held on to this idea far too stringently and held a kind of emotional ownership of her. I remember hearing her give a radio interview about this record saying that Memphis was the closest city to her where she grew up and “going to the city” for her family was going to Memphis (i.e. not St. Louis). Even though it’s almost certainly not true, I imagine this record to be a sort of cultural middle-finger to those St. Louisans who (probably still) act like Sheryl owes them something.

Collected Tracks

• Our Love Is Fading
• Sign Your Name
• Summer Day

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Shovels & Rope: SWIMMIN’ TIME (2014)*

A fun little band I recently discovered. After the Saskwatch disappointment I just had to check to make sure they’re still together. They are!

Collected Tracks

• Bridge on Fire
• Fish Assassin
• Coping Mechanism
• Pinned
• Save the World