For the first time ever, an Elvis Costello album project left me so cold I have no plans to listen to it a second time. I am excited by the Al Green and Baby Rose recommendations, though. If I didn't have to go to a meeting in a few minutes, I'd listen to them right now.
I have to share my favorite Arlo Guthrie story. I saw him play back in the late 80s or early 90s at Westport Playhouse, which was a theater in the round with a stage that revolved. Arlo was playing solo, and having a good time except for one guy who kept shouting out "Play Alice's Restaurant." Early on, Arlo explained that he loves that song, but it's 18 minutes long, and he had a whole lot of other material he felt like playing so he wasn't going to do it. But the guy kept shouting for it until finally, while Arlo was on the other side of the theater with his back to the dude, security removed him for being so disruptive. A huge cheer went out in the middle of whatever song Arlo was singing, and when he was done, he asked why. "You mean that guy who wanted to hear Alice is gone?" Immediately (and I'm sure while the thrown-out guy could hear it as he went through the exit), the familiar chords started playing and we were treated to an enthusiastic 18-minute delight.
Loved the Al Green track, and can't begin to say how disappointed I was by the Costello-Burnett collaboration. And this read is worth it alone for a single line: "Fucking with the familiar under cuts nostalgia by definition." Thank you for that.
Just wanted to send some post-Thanksgiving greetings from the Twin Cities (current temp 17 degrees and falling) and say I'm grateful for all the new music highlighted in Turn It Up.
The Al Green cover is a treasure and a salve. Would love to see him record a whole album of REM covers. Imagine what he could do with those opening lines of "Cuyahoga": "Let's put our heads together/and start a new country up."
For the first time ever, an Elvis Costello album project left me so cold I have no plans to listen to it a second time. I am excited by the Al Green and Baby Rose recommendations, though. If I didn't have to go to a meeting in a few minutes, I'd listen to them right now.
I have to share my favorite Arlo Guthrie story. I saw him play back in the late 80s or early 90s at Westport Playhouse, which was a theater in the round with a stage that revolved. Arlo was playing solo, and having a good time except for one guy who kept shouting out "Play Alice's Restaurant." Early on, Arlo explained that he loves that song, but it's 18 minutes long, and he had a whole lot of other material he felt like playing so he wasn't going to do it. But the guy kept shouting for it until finally, while Arlo was on the other side of the theater with his back to the dude, security removed him for being so disruptive. A huge cheer went out in the middle of whatever song Arlo was singing, and when he was done, he asked why. "You mean that guy who wanted to hear Alice is gone?" Immediately (and I'm sure while the thrown-out guy could hear it as he went through the exit), the familiar chords started playing and we were treated to an enthusiastic 18-minute delight.
Ha! That's a great story.
Loved the Al Green track, and can't begin to say how disappointed I was by the Costello-Burnett collaboration. And this read is worth it alone for a single line: "Fucking with the familiar under cuts nostalgia by definition." Thank you for that.
Thanks so much, Glenn!
Just wanted to send some post-Thanksgiving greetings from the Twin Cities (current temp 17 degrees and falling) and say I'm grateful for all the new music highlighted in Turn It Up.
The Al Green cover is a treasure and a salve. Would love to see him record a whole album of REM covers. Imagine what he could do with those opening lines of "Cuyahoga": "Let's put our heads together/and start a new country up."
Thanks for the new tracks AND bringing the Massacree back into my life.
Elizabeth Nelson is always worth reading, but she’s in so many places these days it’s hard to keep up. Thanks for linking to the Dylan piece.