Category Archives: Random Reflections

Random Reflections

Reflecting on: John Prine’s Self-Titled Debut

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Yes, many of you know that John Prine, one of the most beloved songwriters of our time, is currently on his ninth day in the ICU, critically ill and being treated for COVID-19. It is true that like so many, during the past week, I have been compelled to offer my love and support to him by playing his music, and that has sent me on a journey through his entire discography, to rediscover old gems and find new ones yet unexplored. But it’s more than that which keeps me replaying Prine records these days; there’s a hope in his songs that brings an unparalleled comfort and which has helped me greatly through this uncertain period. John Prine gives us reasons to smile when we have so few, and so with that in mind, this post goes out to my dear friend Ché Martin and all the others like us who find their smiles in a John Prine song.

Release Date: 1971

Style: folk

People Who Might Like This Album: fans of Jason Isbell, fans of Bob Dylan, fans of Ian Noe, those who value songwriting and clever turns of phrase

Standout Tracks: “Illegal Smile,” “Spanish Pipedream,” “Angel From Montgomery,” “Far From Me,” “Hello in There”

Reflections: It’s a good time to be listening to and writing about new music. Certainly, despite the number of albums being pushed back lately, there have been quite a few notable releases, especially in the past two weeks. Most of us are stuck at home with nowhere to go and no sports to watch and nothing to look forward to, and new music is one of the few remaining bright spots in our lives. AS a reviewer, I’ve got plenty of time on my hands to explore all of it, and yet, the general uncertainty and hopelessness of this strange time in history is often counterproductive; it’s difficult to empty an anxious mind to focus on a piece of art well enough to think critically about that art and lose myself in the analysis. A reflection is an easier task right now because we designed these to be personal accounts of our own musical experience rather than the broader evaluation necessary in a review. This isn’t to say there aren’t some new albums that have captured my attention as a writer and as a music fan, but it’s older, familiar songs that I find myself gravitating toward of late, beacons of certainty in a world where things are changing by the minute. And over and over, especially in the past week since we have learned of his diagnosis, I have found strength and comfort in the music of John Prine. I may do more of these reflections as I wander through his albums, but for now, I’ll start at the beginning with his debut.

It was “Angel from Montgomery” which first drew me to Prine’s music years ago and which remains one of my favorite songs of all time. As a disclaimer, I will say that I actually prefer Bonnie Raitt’s version, as she took this excellent showcase of songwriting and then made it into a soulful vocal masterpiece. But this song made me fall in love with John Prine because of his ability to capture this character, her desperation and regret as she looks back on her life as an old woman. He’s almost painfully perceptive, seeing into the hearts and minds of all of us so thoroughly that there’s peace in the sorrow because it’s so obvious that he understands. WE see that perception here in “Hello in There,” as he explains that “old people just grow lonesome” and allows us all a glimpse into the hearts of so many elderly people who just feel forgotten and ignored by the world. He makes us hurt for the veterans who come home wounded, broken, and forever changed in “Sam Stone,” and gives us insight into the hearts of the Appalachian people whose land has been ravaged by coal mining in the song “Paradise.” It seems that John Prine has a heart for all the disenfranchised, forgotten souls in this world, and there’s something especially comforting about that in a time like this when we’re all hurting together.

And yet somehow, Prine still manages to make us smile with his whimsical lyrics and clever turns of phrase. There is no other songwriter quite like him and may never be after. It’s the poetry of Bob Dylan and the relatability of Merle Haggard with a dose of the magic of Dr. Seuss sprinkled in for good measure. He says in the opener, “Illegal Smile,” when describing his lonely, boring morning, ” a bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down and won, and it was 12:00 before I realized I was having no fun.” And yes, in case you were wondering, his illegal smile that allows him to go on is indeed marijuana, so there’s that. There’s also some cheeky wisdom in “Spanish Pipedream,” as he advises us all to “blow up your TV, throw away your paper, go to the country, build you a home. Plant a little garden, eat a lot of peaches, try and find Jesus on your own.” Blowing up the TV and throwing away the paper sounds like excellent advice right now, and it’s lyrics like these that put a smile on your face despite everything else. And if you had any doubt about the DR. Seuss part of my analysis, try and unravel this verse from “Quiet Man: “Last Monday night I saw a fight between Wednesday and Thursday over Saturday night. Tuesday asked me what was going on, I said Sunday’s in the meadow, and Friday’s in the corn.”

I’d encourage any of you anytime to check out the music of John Prine, but now is an especially perfect opportunity. He can empathize with the struggle and provide a moment of levity in almost the same breath, and we need both more than ever these days. If you’re new to Prine, send him your love and support by playing his records, and I promise that you’ll find love and support of your own coming from his timeless words.

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Random Reflections

Reflecting on: Turnpike Troubadours–Goodbye Normal Street

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Brianna and I are both huge fans of Turnpike, and between the two of us, we’ve managed to cover, either via a review or a reflection, each of their other three albums still in print. I’ve also covered their live shows. It seemed fitting to explore this album and complete the picture, especially since they’ve been so important to both of us.

Release Date: 2012

Style: Red Dirt

People Who Might Like This album: Red Dirt fans, those who love strong songwriting mixed with lively, upbeat instrumentation

Standout Tracks: “Gin, Smoke, Lies,” “Before the devil Knows We’re Dead,” “Good Lord Lorrie,” “Call a Spade a Spade,” “empty as a drum,” “Quit While I’m Ahead”

Reflections: It says so much about this band that we would want to feature all their albums here, for this is such a broad category that we only feature stuff we consider to be really great in our reflections. It’s meant to be more of a personal thing for each of us rather than an exploration of “classic” albums. Turnpike’s self-titled record from 2015 is my favorite and won our album of the Year, while Brianna prefers Diamonds & Gasoline and their latest, A Long Way From Your Heart. But unlike other artists where you search through a few good albums to pick one for a reflection and automatically throw out the rest, all of Turnpike’s material is good enough to be featured. And Goodbye Normal Street has its own special things that connect me with it.

“Gin, Smoke, Lies” is the first Turnpike song I ever heard, the one that immediately made me a fan. It shows off the strength of Turnpike, their ability to craft really genius lyrics while also making catchy songs. Their instrumentation, especially their propensity for fiddle, is one of my favorite things. “Before The devil Knows We’re dead” is a song about dying doing the things you love, and it’s somehow made happy because of the way they perform it, with fiddle and electric guitar running free. To all of you out there, take serious note: this is the song I want played at my funeral, not some hymn or tear-jerker; this is a celebration of life, and what a way to go, as Evan Felker sings: “Let’s leave the world laughin’ when our eulogies are read.”

When I was listening to this for this piece, I was stunned by the beauty in “Quit While I’m ahead,” a song I’ve played countless times before but have never completely noticed. It speaks again to the fact that people can listen to this band just for the music and the melodies and all that fiddle and never even pay attention to the songwriting genius. It’s the depth of writing of someone like Jason Isbell, but given to us in a way that’s more accessible and fun. And not to mention more country; they do blend country with rock as is common to Red Dirt, but a song like the duet with Jamie Lin Wilson, “Call a Spade a spade,” can’t be mistaken for anything other than three chords and the truth.

And for all you Turnpike enthusiasts and Lorrie apologists, looking to connect that Browning shotgun and those logging roads and piece together the story of this unforgettable character, she makes her first appearance here in “Good Lord Lorrie.” It’s a great song on its own, but now, in light of their more recent songs with references to her, it becomes even more intriguing, and essential listening for those trying to solve the mystery.

It’s so great to say that we’ve written about all the Turnpike albums still in wide circulation. It’s wonderful that their output has been so strong, not to mention significant to both Brianna and myself. Goodbye Normal Street completes the puzzle, at least until they grace us with a new record. That day cannot come soon enough.

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Random Reflections

Reflecting on: Trio by Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt

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My last reflection was on a Linda Ronstadt solo album, and I promised the next would be on this record, for the trio of Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, and Emmylou Harris is receiving a well-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Release date: 1987

Style: traditional country

People Who Might Like This album: fans of any of these three artists’ solo work, fans of any female group with three-part harmony

Standout Tracks: “The Pain of Loving You,” “hobo’s Meditation,” “Wildflowers,” “Those Memories of You,” “Telling me Lies”

Reflections: What a joy it was to revisit this record; I hadn’t listened to this in full in many years. As mentioned in the last reflection, Linda Ronstadt has been a really important artist to me personally, and she’s the reason I loved the Trio albums in the first place. Parton and Harris have been more important to country music, but it was Ronstadt whose music I loved first. Even to this day, I am not nearly as familiar with the discography of Emmylou Harris as I should be or as I’d like to be. This album, though, surpasses anything any of them could have done on their own, for it takes three already outstanding voices and puts them together in three-part harmony that can only be described as chilling.

Ironically, as I’ve been listening to this album, I’ve also been giving the new self-titled El Coyote record multiple spins. I should have a review on that project soon, but what I keep coming back to with the trio is that groups like El Coyote and others that are carrying on this tradition of three-part harmony in these modern days overwhelmingly lean toward the folk end of the spectrum. That’s no disrespect to any of these groups or to folk music, but there’s something about hearing Parton, Ronstadt, and Harris singing in perfect harmony with fiddle and steel and country chords supporting them that’s just beautiful and irreplaceable and hard to find in 2018. And to those that discount Linda Ronstadt as a singer of pop and rock who only crossed over into country briefly, this record and the other Trio material should solidify her place in country music history. It doesn’t get much more traditional than the Ronstadt-led “Hobo’s Meditation,” a song penned by Jimmie Rodgers.

It is true I came to appreciate these records first because of Linda, but each of the three has a highlight on this album. “The Pain of Loving You” is an excellent tune led by Emmylou Harris, and the Dolly Parton-penned “Wildflowers” is another standout. More than their individual highlights, though, this record is about the magic of these voices together, an album that none of them could have made without the others. It’s hard enough to write duets, let alone songs that fit three voices. Then, it’s difficult to make sure the voices all blend well, and care must be taken to ensure that each element of the harmony can be heard. They do all this perfectly, and bring character to these songs that none of them could have achieved on their own. Their star on the Walk of Fame is well-deserved, and this album has earned its iconic place in country music history.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aHcDD3H964

Random Reflections

Reflecting on: Linda Ronstadt–Simple Dreams

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It is a happy coincidence that this reflection comes the week of Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt being granted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and yes, in honor of that distinction, the next one of these will be on the Trio record released by the three of them in 1987. But even as iconic as Parton and Harris are to country music, it’s Ronstadt who’s been important to me, and she deserves her own piece. It’s been a long time coming, and this coincidence only makes it more necessary.

Release Date: 1977

Style: vintage pop, soft rock, and traditional country

People Who Might Like This Album: fans of Whitney Rose’s blend of country and vintage pop, fans of the vocals of Courtney Marie Andrews and First Aid Kit

Standout Tracks: “Blue Bayou,” “Carmelita,” “Tumbling Dice,” “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me,” “Old Paint”

Reflections: Before we had crossover stars like Faith Hill and Carrie Underwood, and before we had Americana types like Whitney Rose and First Aid Kit reimagining this blend of classic country and vintage pop, there was Linda Ronstadt. She’s often overlooked by the country industry because she was the opposite of someone like Faith Hill, making pop rock albums and then crossing over into country instead of starting in the country format. But Linda Ronstadt records are more country by far than anything we’d call pop country today, probably than anything we’d have called pop country twenty years ago. I’ll get to more of why she deserves her spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame as much as the one she’s earned in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame when I talk about Trio, but for now, it’s the pop rock aspect that I want to focus on more.

That’s because it’s the rock side of Ronstadt I knew and loved first. I’ve talked before about how I didn’t come to country music until I was in school. That came from my grandma’s car radio. My parents listened to classic pop and rock, and my earliest memories of music are of this style. Linda Ronstadt is the first singer I can remember listening to and the first artist I loved. It was years later that my grandma introduced me to the trio, and later I did come to associate her with country, but it was the pop and rock stuff that initially made me fall in love with her music. But as a country fan through and through, I came to appreciate those Linda Ronstadt albums later in life for having as much songwriting substance and crying steel guitar as any country record. I came to understand that Linda Ronstadt is one of those rare artists who transcends genre, whose voice cannot be contained or limited to just one style.

It’s that voice and her ability as an interpreter which should make any music fan a fan of Linda Ronstadt. Courtney Marie Andrews gave me chills the first time I heard her sing “How Quickly Your Heart Mends” because the resemblance to Ronstadt is uncanny, and anyone who knows anything at all about Andrews will understand that that’s a high compliment to Linda because Courtney’s voice is one of the best in modern country and Americana music. Sometimes, First Aid Kit can sound like two copies of Courtney Marie Andrews, and their blend of pop, rock, and country hearkens back to Linda Ronstadt’s style as well.

As for this particular album, I chose it because it has my favorite Linda Ronstadt song, “Blue Bayou,” which reached the top three on the pop, adult contemporary, and country charts and is just a timeless, beautiful song. It’s where anyone should start with Linda’s music. Her different styles are showcased well on this record, from the staunchly country “Old Paint” and “I Never Will Marry,” a duet with Dolly Parton that became a top ten country hit and foreshadowed the magic of Trio, to the slightly Latin-influenced “Carmelita” to the pop rock cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Tumbling Dice.” Modern country fans who loved Terri Clark’s “Poor, Poor, Pitiful Me” may not know that this was originally a Linda Ronstadt hit, but Linda’s version was the first I heard and the first I loved.

These reflections are meant to be short, and I’ve just written many more words than I intended to about her, but it speaks to the love I have for Linda Ronstadt and the importance her music has had in my life. She’s an artist who wasn’t trapped by genre lines, but rather than blending them all into something unrecognizable, she just stayed true to all of them and interpreted each style excellently. She’s an artist any serious fan of music should appreciate and check out, and Simple Dreams is a great place to begin.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNY2FQ9ufxo

Random Reflections

Reflecting on: Keith Urban–Golden Road

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The only thing remotely good about the atrocity that is Keith Urban’s latest album, Graffiti U, is that it’s made me want to listen to a lot of older Urban music, mainly to cleanse myself of that horror and to prove to myself what quality output he used to provide us. I’ve recommended him more than once as a modern pop country artist whose past material has been overlooked, underrated, and forgotten in light of the recent, generally appalling turns his music has taken. I realized I have never reflected on a pop country record before, so this seems like a really worthy place to start.

Release Date: 2002

Style: pop country

People Who Might Like This Album: any fan of 00’s country, those who like more modern sounds in country but still prefer organic instrumentation and lyrics with some substance

Standout Tracks: “Raining on Sunday,” “Somebody Like You,” “Who Wouldn’t Wanna be Me,” “Whenever I Run,” “What about Me,” “You’re Not my God”

Reflections: Man, this is just a really good album, and what a case for the fact that pop country isn’t inherently bad. When I was going back and spinning multiple Keith Urban records in an effort to drown the memory of his latest, I was struck by quality songs on all his first six albums, and I debated strongly within myself on whether to feature this one or Be Here. You can’t go wrong with either, but this one is just so enjoyable all the way through.

I mentioned that it’s mostly organic in instrumentation, and that’s the huge difference from this version of Keith versus the one we have now–his trademark sound is banjos mixed with electric guitars, something he’s talked about being rejected for by a record producer back in the 90’s. It was a sound that was thought to be too modern and progressive, and God, I wish he’d regress right back to it. He seems to be enjoying himself so much when playing these instruments, and he can’t seem to stop himself from adding extra vocal flourishes as well. I never noticed how little he does that anymore until I listened to this and noted the amount of random “ohs” and “mm’s” thrown in, not in the manner of today’s pop country, where it’s the whole chorus, but just because he seems to not be able to help himself from these inflections. His charisma and enjoyment has totally been lost on his recent output, and that’s a real shame.

As for the songs themselves, it’s embarrassing how far mainstream country has slipped since this came out. Some of the singles from this include “Somebody Like You,” a smart, infectious love song, “Who Wouldn’t wanna be Me,” an actual song about driving around on back roads that isn’t completely stupid, and Keith’s version of “Raining on Sunday,” which is one, definitely one of his best songs, and two, possibly the sexiest song in country music. Listening to this now, I can’t imagine why “What About Me” was never released as a single as well since it’s just as infectious and catchy as any of them. And if you doubted me about Keith’s general charisma and enjoyment of making music that came out all over this album, just give the final track, “You’re not my God,” a listen. And if you’ve heard this song and that last sentence makes no sense in light of it, you’re not listening hard enough…

I wish we could have this version of Keith Urban back. If we did, the state of modern pop country would be noticeably improved. As I say, his first six records are solid, and if you are someone who doesn’t mind modern sensibilities when the instrumentation is organic and the lyrics substantive, Urban’s discography is a good one to check out.

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