NanciNet Digest 1-29-02


// In which we discuss great music, and great music...
// Enjoy!  [BP]


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Subject: NN: Great albums 
Date: Sun, 27 Jan 02 10:14:10 +0000 
From: "John Edward Graveling" (kai21@dial.pipex.com> 

Tony Cox has undoubtedly opened up a "con-o-worms" with this particular 
debate. First of all, what constitutes a 'great' album? Well many of 
those he listed from 1968 and 1970 were not deemed 'great' upon their 
release. I can remember the 'disappointment' amongst many when "Astral 
Weeks" came out. Nick Drake received very little media attention, until 
he died. Many of the records Tony listed became 'great' or 'classics' 
with the passing of time. I once was quoted as saying, "it is impossible 
for a record to attain 'classic' status until it had been out for at 
least 5 years".

I would argue that in Kasey Chambers case the record has not been out 
long enough for anyone to make a marked judgement. At first I was not too 
keen, it is a distinct change from "The Captain", but on repeated listens 
it starts to reveal a depth that was not evident on "The Captain", so she 
is undoubtedly growing as an artist. I liked "Essence", but did not 
really appreciate it's power and intensity until I saw Lucinda perform 
the songs live. It is interesting that in a recent interview she said 
that writing short, snappy, emotional songs, like those on "Essence", was 
infinitely more difficult than the narrative type songs that permeated 
"Car Wheels". It is also worth noting that she has written a good number 
of songs for her next record, which she is hoping to record with her 
current road band in late spring/early summer, for release, hopefully, by 
the end of the year.

So while I have many of the records from both 1968 and 1970 that Tony 
listed, and agree with much of what he said, hindsight is a wonderful 
thing. To say that there is no great music being produced today though is 
a gross mis-statement. I struggled to contain my 'best-of' list for 2001 
to fifteen cd's, there were at least a dozen more I could have put in 
there. Let's look back in 2006 at what we listened to in 2001 and see 
what has stood the test of time. Only then can we say if the year 
produced 'great', or even 'classic' albums.

John Graveling


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Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 12:11:08 +0000 
From: "Tony Bloomfield" (tonyb@reading.u-net.com> 
Subject: NN: Missing Nancinet members? 

I've been trying to contact the following Nancinet members:

Colin.Russell@equant.com (email bounced)
mk.pearson@ntlworld.com (no response)

If you're still around, and still interested in the Nanci tapes, please
contact me.

(Replies to me direct please (tonyb@reading.u-net.com), not the Nancinet.

Cheers,
TonyB

NP - LeeAnn Womack, I Hope You Dance. Don't know how I missed out on 
buying this before. It's every bit as great as I expected.

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From: tgill@igc.org 
Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 17:18:10 -0500 
Subject: Re: NN: fyi 

>BIG DISAPPOINTMENTS FROM 01 
>Mary Chapin Carpenter. TIME* SEX* LOVE. Columbia 
>Wow-About half of us thought this was a TOP 10 album.=3D20 

Yes, I must be out of tune too, because I thought MCC's TIME*SEX*LOVE was 
a throwaway, Bob Dylan's new album was incomprehensible pap, and Lucinda 
Williams' "Essence" was a total letdown.  Probably the most disappointing 
year for new music in memory.  
Even Nanci's album was her worst since the album that came before 
"Storms."  On the  other hand, Suzanne Vega's album last year was an 
unexpected, stunning masterpiece.

(Come on now, tell'em whatcha REALLY think...)

-Tom Gill
 tgill@igc.org
 Lubbock, Texas


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Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 13:08:04 -0500 
From: "Tony Cox" (tonycox@pacific.net.au> 
Subject: NN: 'Great' albums 

> (Come on now, tell'em whatcha REALLY think...)

Well, I'm not usually backward in coming forward, so... :)

I'd add that Kasey Chambers' and Gillian Welch's releases were also below 
expectations, and, to damn it with faint praise, the only consolation for 
me was that it was a better year than 2000, from which I don't own a 
single album (The Captain and Gretchen Peters I categorised as 1999 & 
2001).

It stopped me in my tracks when Bill Peete, whose knowledge and views on 
all things musical always demand to be taken seriously, rated Dylans' 
"Love And Theft" at no.2 - and many other critics whose charts we were 
presented with put it 'up there' among the best for the year.  This must 
be one pig of a year, I thought.  I've long been one of the world's 
tragically obsessed Dylan-heads, but if this collection of mediocre
(albeit well-played) bar-room blues dirges and tea-room jazz crooner 
ballads rates as among the year's best output, then imagine then how great 
was the year when, say, Blonde On Blonde was released (1966) - a year 
which also gave us Revolver, Aftermath, Pet Sounds and Sounds Of Silence, 
inter alia.

Donate passed a comment recently about them not making music like they 
used to, and at risk of being branded with terminal fogeyness, I'd have to 
say that I agree.  To lend credence (no, not them!) to this contention, I 
compiled a list of albums - by year - which are generally considered to be 
'great'.  I'm sure many of you will be as blown away as I was to note just 
HOW great some of these years were, so I'm taking the liberty of listing 
just two of those years to stimulate some eye-popping incredulity!

1968:
Beatles - White album
Rolling Stones - Beggars' Banquet
Van Morrison - Astral Weeks
Byrds - Notorious Byrd Bros & Sweetheart...
Bob Dylan - John Wesley Harding
The Band - Music From Big Pink
Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends
Steve Miller Band - Sailor & Children...
Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland
Small Faces - Ogden's Nutgone Flake
Velvet Underground - White Light...
Fairport Convention - first 2 albums
Cream - Wheels Of Fire


and if that didn't blow your socks off, here's some treats from 1970:
Van Morrison - Moondance
Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge...
Tim Buckley - Star Sailor
Marvin Gaye - Wha'ts Going On
Derek & the Dominos - Layla
James Taylor - Sweet Baby James
Joni Mitchell - Ladies of the Canyon
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
Led Zeppelin III
Nick Drake - Bryter Later
Grateful Dead - American Beauty & Workingman's..
Captain Beefart - Trout Mask Replica
The Doors - Morrison Hotel
Neil Young - After The Goldrush
Elton John - first album
CSN & Y - Deja Vu

and I've probably missed quite a few, especially in the 'minor league' of 
'our' genre - artists like Joan Baez, Tim Hardin, Tom Rush etc etc.
Now how the @#^%# do you pick a Top 10 from one of THOSE lists, huh?  Most 
of these are major landmark albums.  What's the last year or two given us 
by comparison? 
(Rhetorical question.)  How many will be recognised as seminal works in 
years to come?  
(Ditto)  And lest it be said that I've listed many outside 'our' genre, 
where are the albums with real staying power in the wider arena these 
days?  The Strokes?  Not bad, but...The White Stripes???  I don't think so!

Many of the albums of the 'golden era' (1964 to 1977, arguably) are of 
such a quality that those that lived through it had their lives changed.  
It's why Bill Peete and so many others became music writers.  It's why 
record fairs exist.  It's why many of us in the 40+ category don't want to 
(can't?!) grow up - we're still obsessing over music in the hope of 
discovering anew some of that magic.  And the occasional work still does 
hit the spot, it's true - like Flyer, for instance (I knew I could work 
Nanci in here somehow).

A thirty-something musician friend of mine opined that most of the good 
rock/folk music songs have now been written, that there's only so much you 
can do with a certain format and it's now been done.  There may be some 
truth in that.  There's a hell of a lot of GOOD music out there - perhaps 
more than ever - but there's very little GREAT music, the sort that "kicks 
open the door to our minds", as Springsteen said of Dylan's "Like A 
Rolling Stone", the sort that we'll still be digging out in ten or 
twenty years time and playing to the next generation of music fans.

And yet there's just enough magic out there to keep me hooked on the 
quest.

Tony (where did my Sunday morning go?!)


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From: "Ken Stiffler" (ksmsc@kmsx.net> 
Subject: NN: RE: 'Great' albums 
Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 23:14:59 -0500 

Tony gave us a list of great albums from 1968 and 1970. And I would agree
with his musician friend that the landmarks have already been marked, so 
to speak. Rock branched out into so many directions in the 60s that it 
became acceptable to experiment with all sorts of configurations of 
musical styles.
Synthesized music only expanded the possibilities. We've even gone through
the stage where roots have been returned to. Now, you could say that 
someone has placed most of the dots and the numbers on the canvas and 
pretty much all that remains is to fill in the lines between the dots and 
paint over the numbers.

You can only originate "Folk Rock" once. You can only originate "Country
Rock" once. You can only originate "Rap" once - but why would you want 
to?. :)   And so on.

The cover story in this week's "Port Folio", a local Hampton Roads weekly
magazine is on the collapse of the music industry. How 2001 saw a nose 
dive in record sales and concert attendance. One of the major points they 
make is that there is no new musical style waiting in the wings to jump 
start the industry. Apparently Creed had the only blockbuster new release 
of the Christmas season. And Contemporary Christian and Gospel is the only 
musical niche that is seeing an increase in sales.

But there is, as Tony points out, still good music being made. Some of it 
is the same as something else, but still sounds good. Some of it is a 
slight extension of previous sounds. But there is still a lot of new music
happening that hits home, that goes straight to the heart.

I'm going to include here some comments that I made on the Nields Nook 
about six months ago:

>>
Having immersed myself in Nields music to the point of noticing a *LOT* of
intricacies and layers to their musical variety (the more I listen, the 
more I hear), I've come to a conclusion:

The Nields are THE best band today (that I've heard, anyway (added 
1/26/02>) at fulfilling the musical promise of The Beatles' legacy.

By that, I don't mean a Beatles IMMITATION, ala Bad Finger or Oasis (or
Robbie Williams imitating Oasis imitating The Beatles) - and, by the way, 
I like all of those (well, I like Oasis' first two CDs - the third one put 
me off and I haven't listened to anything else they've done).

What I do mean is: Taking the growth that The Beatles achieved over the 
span of that band's existence, and creating something 25 or 30 years later 
that encompasses that growth and adds other influences and imagination and 
the personal musical needs of the band members to come up with something 
that expands on that base that was laid down long ago in a way that is 
still true to that base.

This includes the musical range - simple pop/rock along side more
complicated musical layering; the lyrics - good lyrics in a general sense
plus some lyrics that take on issues and make you think; the attitude - 
some seriousness, some humour; and a lot of energy.
((

Back to 2002 here:

The problem is that The Nields are still too close to something that has
been heard before, so the mass public doesn't notice them. And even I
wouldn't put any of their records in the "Great" category, at least not in
the sense of being a landmark, though "Play" rates pretty doggone high by 
my personal rating system, and none of the others are any too shabby -
IMPNHEO.
(that's In My Probably-Not-Humble-Enough Opinion.)   :)

And one more comment on The Nields: Unfortunately, it looks like the full
band Nields is on a long hiatus, if not totally defunct. But they've left 
a great recorded legacy and Nerissa and Katryna Nields are still out there
performing. The two sisters may no longer have the pop/rock and harder 
edge of the full band (at least not live, where it's one acoustic guitar - 
have to wait for the album on March 5th to hear what they've done in the 
studio), but they still have Nerissa writing new songs - and her writing 
is a large part of why I think they are a true descendent of The Beatles.


Ken "still hooked on the quest, too - and a fun quest it is" Stiffler

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From: "Ken Stiffler" (ksmsc@kmsx.net> 
Subject: RE: NN: RE: 'Great' albums 
Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 00:40:45 -0500 

Tony,

"Play" is definitely a good place to start. "Play" and "If You Lived Here,
You'd Be Home Now" are the only ones that are readily available unless you
order from www.bulletproofstore.com.


"Play" is the hardest rocking, but there are still some great slow and
mid-tempo songs.
"If You Lived Here, You'd Be Home Now" is the only one where they used the
studio to do something they couldn't reproduce pretty closely live.
"Gotta Get Over Greta" has some of their best "pop rock" sounding songs,
though with some pretty non-pop lyrics.
"Bob On The Ceiling" is more of a folk to folk-rock sound.
"'Mousse" probably shows their greatest range.
And "Live From Northampton" is a good "Best of".

Not a weak record in the lot. Not even close. The only drawback is there 
Is not one single record that shows all their strengths. Each record gives 
you something more to discover.

But to me, on "Play" the band is at their peak. "Easy People", "Snowman",
and "Tomorrowland" are among my favorite songs by *anybody*.

Have fun listening.

Nanci content? If I had to choose between "Play" and "Poet In My Window" 
to take to a desert island, it would be *very* hard to leave "Play" 
behind. But it would be an easy choice.


Ken

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Subject: Re: NN: 'Great' albums 
Date: Sun, 27 Jan 02 08:17:45 +0000 
From: "John Edward Graveling" (kai21@dial.pipex.com> 

I think most people would find it hard to categorise Nick Drake's "Bryter 
Later" as a great album back in 1970. Nick Drake was virtually ignored 
when he was alive, and even when Island put out his three albums, with 
four 'outtakes', as a box set (1979), long before box sets became some 
sort of norm, he will still ignored. In that time he sold a mere handful 
of albums. Now sales have never equated to critical acclaim, or 
greatness, in the world of music, but one leading British music 
journalist once opined that Nick Drake would have disappeared without 
trace had he lived. His death created part of the mystique and it is only 
in the last ten years or so that 'new' writers/musicians have strated 
quoting him as an influence.

John "food for thought" Graveling

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From: "Ken Stiffler" (ksmsc@kmsx.net> 
Subject: RE: NN: 'Great' albums 
Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 10:43:11 -0500 

John Graveling wrote:
>>one leading British music journalist once opined that Nick Drake would
have disappeared without trace had he lived.
((

Some of us would still have appreciated him. And, judging by the material 
on the fourth CD - the one that contains the songs he was working on for 
his next record, he was probably only going to get better. Had he produced 
more output, maybe he would have been noticed even sooner.

Ken

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From: "Ken Stiffler" (ksmsc@kmsx.net> 
Subject: RE: NN: 'Great' albums 
Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 11:03:26 -0500 

>>In fact, in today's market he would probably have been dropped after his
first or second records, due to the total lack of sales.
((

Luckily for all of us who like a lot of "old" music, this wasn't so much 
the case back then.  :)

Pink Floyd were selling a half-way respectable number of records, but had
leveled off at an only passable level, until their seventh or eighth 
record became Dark Side Of The Moon. Seems that, in today's market, Dark 
Side Of The Moon and The Wall might never have been recorded.


Ken

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From: Tricia9999@aol.com 
Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 21:45:26 EST 
Subject: Re: NN: Great albums 

kai21@dial.pipex.com writes:

> . I can remember the 'disappointment' amongst many when "Astral 
> Weeks" came out.

I don't remember this. I remember that those of us that didn't listen to 
top 40 radio were wowed by this record from the get go. Those that wanted 
more Brown Eyed Girl type songs might have been disappointed. Was then and 
still is one of my desert island discs.
Music is subjective, that is certainly true.

Tricia

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Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 09:12:14 -0800 
From: "Susan Peete" (suepeete@cruzio.com> 
Subject: NN: Re: 'Great' albums 

At 01:08 PM 1/27/02 -0500, Tony Cox (tonycox@pacific.net.au> wrote:
>It stopped me in my tracks when Bill Peete, whose knowledge and views
>on all things musical always demand to be taken seriously, rated Dylans'
>"Love And Theft" at no.2 - and many other critics whose charts we were
>presented with put it 'up there' among the best for the year. 

This makes me think of Jerry Jeff Walker's song "The Other Jerry Jeff",
because there must be another Bill Peete. Because the Bill Peete I know 
and love, for one, he never submitted a "top ten" list this year. And for 
two, he never even bought "Love And Theft". Or was that why he snuck out 
back in September to steal some Love, and here I thought he was having an 
affair.
And for third, "always demands to be taken seriously" Since When?! And
lastly, knowledgable, well... I'll leave that one up for debate.

>Tony Cox wrote, as well:
>It's why Bill Peete and so many others became music writers.

huh?

Well, I gotta go and chase down that other Bill Peete. Gee... I wonder if
it's that person that goes by Petop@aol.com that's impersonating Bill 
again.

Cheers,

Sue

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Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 08:47:24 -0500 
From: "Tony Cox" (tonycox@pacific.net.au> 
Subject: Re: NN: Re: 'Great' albums 

Susan Peete wrote:

> Well, I gotta go and chase down that other Bill Peete. Gee... 
> I wonder if it's that person that goes by Petop@aol.com that's 
> impersonating Bill again.

Yes, that's the chap - the one who submits a Top 100 every year!  I always
thought that was Bill Peete .  Not so?  Hmmm - apologies for the mistaken
identity.

Tony - still confused (after all these years)


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From: kjohns2001usa@netscape.net 
Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 13:47:14 -0500 
Subject: NN: Great music 

I am probably going to say this all wrong and get people mad at me or 
something, but, what the heck, here is my two cents worth on the 'great' 
as opposed to merely 'good' music.  
It is all summed up in three little words...'what moves ya'.
Ok, ok...so I know it sounds trite, but it is still valid.  Great music 
moves the listener, and the listener is an individual.  There may be a 
whole lot of individuals moved by certain pieces of music, making it 
popular or a financial success, but it still comes down to each single 
member of the group being moved by the music at one point.

Now then, why am I pointing this out?  Simple.  The reason we all have our  
top 10 lists is that we each listen for, and hear, different things in the 
music we listen to.  What makes an album 'great' for one person will leave 
another person cold.
This is why we have so many different kinds of music, and style variations 
within those genres.  And what makes it so much fun to explore the 
wonderful world of music. 
So each of us should be happy we have albums that are 'great' to us, and 
be happy that we can share our passions with others in the hope that some 
of them will share our obsessions.
Best,

DJ...who's ten top albums right now playing on the computer are...
Janis Ian...'Miracle Row'
Janis Ian...'Between the Lines'
Beth Wood...'Late Night radio'
Jennifer Licko...'Cave of Gold'
Soundtrack albums for the tv show 'Due South' vols 1 and 2
Nanci Griffith....'Little Love Affairs'
Nanci Griffith...'Blue Roses From The Moon'
David Ball...'Amigo'
Alison Krauss and Union Station....'New Favorite'

Not in any particular order, just as the mood hits me.
Next up to be added to the computer...every Cheryl Wheeler CD I own.
Take care all.  ;-)
-- 

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From: "Helen Shapiro" (helen200k@hotmail.com> 
Subject: Re: NN: Great music 
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 09:17:50 -0500 

>DJ...who's ten top albums right now playing on the computer are...
>Janis Ian...'Miracle Row'
>Janis Ian...'Between the Lines'

Janis Ian writes a column in Performing Songwriter magazine.  In the 
current issue, she mentions that "Between the Lines" is a bad album that 
she was forced to release by her manager and record company.  She says 
she's embarrassed to this day about the quality of the album.

Helen

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From: "Dave" (davebrons@home.com> 
Subject: Re: NN: Great music 
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 12:25:47 -0800 

(forced to release by her manager and record company.  She says she's
embarrassed to this day about the quality of the album.>

Could mean she doesn't get any $ from that one
Ever notice that in interviews the artists "favorite" album is always the
latest one (the one they want you to buy) :)
Dave

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Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 12:53:21 -0800 (PST) 
From: "Reid Mitchell" (reidmitchell@yahoo.com> 
Subject: Re: NN: Great music 

--- Dave (davebrons@home.com> wrote:
> Ever notice that in interviews the artists
> "favorite" album is always the
> latest one (the one they want you to buy) :)

True enough, Dave, but another thing I've noticed is
that artists' aren't necessarily the best judge of
their own work.  I suppose Dylan is one of the most
notorious in this regard--sitting on the 1966 live
shows for so many years, keeping songs like "Dignity"
and "Blind Willie McTell" off the albums for which he
recorded them, and so on.  The ability to create isn't
always the ability to evaluate.  I never much let it
trouble me when an artist disparages her own work.

As for the Sixties vs. the Aughts in terms of great
music, I've no countervailing evidence, but I'm not
convinced that there isn't a lot of good stuff that
folks my age (46) just don't get, like my parents
never got Dylan or the Beatles (though Ella singing
"Can't Buy Me Love" helped a little).  "It's like
trying to tell a stranger about rock and roll."

Oh, I forgot who on this list recommended Juliette
Turner, but you were right.

Reid "uncharacteristicly benign" Mitchell

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Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 19:50:19 -0800 (PST) 
From: "Deb Thornton" (timpcoyote@yahoo.com> 
Subject: Re: NN: Great music 


--- Reid Mitchell (reidmitchell@yahoo.com> wrote:
> True enough, Dave, but another thing I've noticed is
> that artists' aren't necessarily the best judge of
> their own work.

Eudora Welty--i should say the late, exquisite, wise,
hilarious Eudora Welty--claimed that creating and
evaluating are separate gifts. And i suppose that the
artist's vision of his or her work becomes less
objective when the commercial interest is piqued.

deb "Kenn Lippert lives" thornton


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From: kjohns2001usa@netscape.net 
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 16:49:01 -0500 
Subject: NN: Between The Lines 

Talk about not agreeing with a review...and a review by the singer 
herself! I have listened to this album for 27 years...my god, has it been 
that long???? Since this album was produced back in 1975 I guess it 
has...anyway, I have played it on my record player, in my cassette player 
and now my CD player and on my computer an average of once or twice a 
week.  I know that sounds a bit much, but it is true.  I absolutely LOVE 
this album.  If forced to pick ONE album that would be the only one I 
would ever get to play again the rest of my life, it would, without a 
doubt, be the one I would pick.  
No matter what mood I am in, I listen to this album...and even after all 
these years I find new nuances in the music.  It has been listened to for 
pleasure, comfort and therapy...and has been a recommendation of mine to 
everyone who has ever asked me what album they should buy for themselves 
or for gifts from the day I bought it.
Nanci's album 'Once In A Very Blue Moon' has run second only by a slim 
margin.  I would like to hear others out there give the top two or three 
albums they listen to on a steady basis, and, just to make it interesting
...and to limit the field...lets say for at least 20 years, or more.  If 
nothing else it will give us all an idea of what albums the Nancineters 
feel have staying power.
Best to all.

DJ
-- 

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Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 15:09:33 -0800 (PST) 
From: "Bill Page" (bpage3@yahoo.com> 
Subject: Re: NN: Between The Lines 

--- kjohns2001usa@netscape.net wrote:
> I have listened to this album for 27 years...my god, has it been that
> long???? Since this album was produced back in 1975 I guess it
> has...

I've had the album that long, too...copied it to cassette and eventually 
wore out the cassette.

And I've found that the songs that meant a lot to me when I was 21 don't 
have nearly the same impact at 48...now it just seems whiny, so much of 
the time
("But Bill, it's folk music! It's supposed to be whiny!").

BP

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 14:10:57 -0800 (PST) 
From: "Reid Mitchell" (reidmitchell@yahoo.com> 
Subject: Re: NN: Between The Lines 

--- kjohns2001usa@netscape.net wrote:
> I would like to hear
> others out there give the top two or three albums
> they listen to on a steady basis,
 
Dylan, HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED
Abdullah Ibrahim, AFRICAN MARKETPLACE
Irma Thomas, I WISH SOMEONE WOULD CARE

Reid Mitchell

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: ConorMG@aol.com 
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 18:26:29 EST 
Subject: NN: The 3 for 20 years deal 

I find it's only Beethoven, Bach and Dvorak to whom I go back regularly, 
but the top three for me in popular music would be:     
Andy Irvine and Paul Brady's only album
Boz Scaggs's second album
Sandy Denny,  Best of 

What makes a classic is quite complicated. How much would it take to 
persuade anybody below thirty that the 1960s albums listed in that 
wonderful mail from Tony Cox are better than the best of today?  I think 
they mainly appeal to people who attach contemporary experiences, 
aspirations, fantasies and so on to them, and will mostly not survive the 
people who had the thrill of discovering or seeing them at the time. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: kjohns2001usa@netscape.net 
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 19:46:26 -0500 
Subject: RE: NN: The 3 for 20 years deal 

I really hope you are wrong in your assessment of today's youth.  I know 
that I enjoy many of the songs of yesteryear...as in songs dating from the 
1600's...and absolutely adore the jazz of the 20's and 30's. 
I hope that when the kids of today get older they will start looking for 
music with meaning and explore the ever growing musical archives for songs 
and music that speaks to them.
Of course, given that I have a son who just turned 18, my biggest hope is 
that they have enough hearing left to HEAR music when they get to my 
advanced years.  
{{{SIGH}}} Oh well, we old hippies made it through the heavy metal days 
with some hearing left so maybe there is hope for them yet!
Best wishes to all,
DJ

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Dave" (davebrons@home.com> 
Subject: NN: Re: The 3 for 20 years deal 
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 17:07:15 -0800 

> the top three for me in popular music would be:
> Andy Irvine and Paul Brady's only album

You know it was just a couple weeks ago I discovered Paul Brady.  I heard
him singing back-up on a song by Mary Black (I Will be There - which, I
found out, he wrote)  I loved his singing and immediately looked for info 
on him.  I read that he was "one of the most respected artists" in 
Ireland.  I felt a real fool for not knowing his music, though I soon 
found out he had written several songs I knew including "Luck of the Draw" 
by Bonnie Raitt.

If anyone is as dense as I was (probably not), and hasn't had the pleasure
of discovering Paul Brady's music.  I'd recommend you do so.

I know I put myself up as a target of scorn from my european friends.  But 
I thought I'd throw this out there :)

Dave (can't remember Paul Brady being discussed onlist, but maybe I just
missed it)Bronsveld

ps. He does a wonderful version of "The Lakes of Pontchartrain" ..."to try
and paint her beauty, I know would be in vain, so handsome was that Creole
girl by the Lakes of Pontchartrain"

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Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 14:40:17 -0500 
From: "Tony Cox" (tonycox@pacific.net.au> 
Subject: Re: NN: The 3 for 20 years deal 

Not sure about the 20 year thing, but my 3 for a desert island would be:

Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home
Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet
Nanci Griffith - Flyer

To everything there is a season, as the song (oh yeah, and some book or 
other) says, and with the collection of songs on these three classics I 
would have just about every shade of mood or inclination covered, I 
reckon.

Tony

PS  I got a Dean Martin compilation out of the library today, tomorrow 
night I've got a free pass for the White Stripes performing a rooftop gig 
at a local radio station and then on Friday I'm seeing Natalie Merchant in 
concert.  Eclectic or what??


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From: "David Mahaffey" (musemaker@innocent.com> 
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 22:20:48 -0500 
Subject: NN: Utopian "Late Night Grande" 

"Late Night Grande Hotel" being one of my favorite Nanci songs, I jumped 
on the recommendation recently posted to the list regarding the version on 
Utopia (apparently one from the infamous Revisited remixes). And now, I 
can second that recommendation. Many thanks to the original poster.

At the risk of rekindling a dormant debate about the remixes...
Is the vocal performance new? It certainly sounds that way, and is very 
fresh. I've always wanted a more...alone...feeling for the song. The piano 
is perfect, and bassoon and oboe are a great idea. And very subtle backing 
vocals, much preferred over the original (actually my least favorite 
version of the song).

Just got 3rd row seats for two concerts: Joan Baez (with Richard 
Shindell!) as well as Nanci herself, performing within two weeks of each 
other here in Asheville NC. This, just after front row for last week's 
Down from the Mountain tour stop in Spartanburg SC. My musical cup runneth 
over.

David Mahaffey

Where the sun comes up about ten in the morning
And the sun goes down about three in the day
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinking
And you spend your life digging coal from the bottom of your grave
~~Darrell Scott
-- 

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From: "Lorrie Chase" (lchase@webshoppe.net> 
Subject: NN: gillian welch cd? 
Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 20:21:36 -0600 

Ok guys, I've been watching Gillian Welch on CMT all weekend, time to 
buy an album.  Any suggestions on where to start?

Lorrie Chase

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From: "The Kimbros" (kimbroj@charter.net>
Subject: NN: Re: gillian welch cd? 
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 00:42:43 -0500 

Lorrie --

Her latest CD is called "Time, the Revelator" and is apparently outselling
previous releases.  It's much more introspective and, in my opinion, lacks
the retro-earthiness of her first two.  That's probably a minority opinion
though.  My two favorite cuts are "Elvis Presley Blues" and "Red Clay 
Halo," mostly because I think both fit in better with her earlier 
material.

My favorite is her first CD called "Revival."  The first two songs, 
"Orphan Girl," and "Annabelle," are fantastic, as are nearly all of the 
other songs. When a disc hits me right, I always have a hard time deciding 
if I want to replay the previous song or listen to the next.  If I make up 
my mind to replay, and the next song starts and I can't turn it off, I put 
it on top of my list.  That's what "Revival" does for me.  If you're in 
the mood for a mind-altering experience, try renting the 1958 B&W movie 
"Thunder Road," then turn down the TV volume and slide up the CD fader on 
"Revival."

All my best,
-Shawn

http://mountainsoul.cjb.net

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From: "Barry Medway" (barrymedway@ozemail.com.au> 
Subject: NN: Kasey Chambers Update 
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 13:49:22 +1100 

Hi from Oz,  At the Australian Country Music Awards in
Tamworth NSW last Sat Kasey took out "Golden Guitar"
awards for Best Song" with "Am I Not Pretty Enough",
& "Best Selling Album" with "Barricades & Brickwalls.
Kasey,to everyones surprise did not win Female Vocalist or
Album of the Year. A case of sharing the gongs around
maybe.

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From: Brimpls@aol.com 
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 18:39:55 EST 
Subject: Re: NN: The 4 for 20 years deal 

It's a good question.  Here are four  "popular" albums which live on (as 
CDs) and which I play often, year in and year out, since they first came 
out:

Joni Mitchell: "Ladies of the Canyon" (1970)
Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young: "Deja Vu" (1970)
Joni again:  "Blue" (1971)
Jackson Browne: "Late for the Sky" (1974)

Interestingly, they are all related to each other in an almost incestuous 
way!  

Sabrina in Mpls.

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Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 22:53:47 -0600 
From: "Bill Page" (bpage3@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: NN: The 3 for 20 years deal 

Among the albums that I think are still great 20+ years later are:

Carole King: Tapestry 
Billy Joel: Piano Man
Phoebe Snow: Poetry Man
Simon and Garfunkel: Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Peter, Paul & Mary: Ten Years Together
Chuck Mangione's first album

And to go back even farther:
Ella Fitzgerald's Gershwin Songbook
Ella's Live in Berlin
Brubeck's Time Out
Johnny Mathis' Open Fire, Two Guitars
Sergio Mendez and Brazil 66
Getz and Jobim 
Sarah Vaughn's After Hours 


Bill Page

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From: Asherman73@aol.com
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 06:19:24 EST 
Subject: NN: no 'Great' Albums...

...Just sweet music.

Susie Burke's Lucky Stars CD arrived in the mail yesterday--along with a
hand written Thank You note!
She does a lovely rendition of Song of Bernadette.
Other songs included: Make Room for Me
                      Angels
                      Who Walks In
                      A Sailor's Prayer
                      Goodbye, So Long 
                      Will You Come Home
                      Nobody But You
                      Rhumba Woman
                      Lucky Stars
                      Goodnight, Ladies

Still awaiting my Jennifer Warnes and Jane Monheit CDs from Amazon. It's
been over a week since they filled the order. ?????  

I love Joni, Ella, Sarah, and yes, Johnny Mathis.


Ash 

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From: "Kaczmarczyk, Peter A" (pkaczmar@indiana.edu>
Subject: NN: Classic albums 
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 10:16:14 -0500 

These don't all meet the 20 year criteria, and are more than 3, but
while I agree with the sentiment that an album must be alowed to age to be
classic some times you just know.

Fear - Toad the Wet Sprocket - 1991
Lamb Lies Down On Broadway - Genesis - 1975
Goodbye Jumbo - World Party - 1990?
Jethro Tull - Aqualung - 1971
Nanci Griffith - One Fair Summer Evening - 1988
Jesus Christ Superstar - 1970

Peter Kaczmarczyk
SerCat - Main Library
Council For Environmental Stewardship
BICYCLe Chess
www.hungersite.com - Visit Every Day!

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