If there is a theme to the majority of my favorite musical discoveries this month, it may be my leaning more toward somewhat Celtic, bucolic American folk and country sounds that stimulate a taste for adventure, storytelling, and hitting the open road. Perhaps my COVID-19 pandemic weariness is now inspiring dreams of a great American road trip, including forests, mountains, and streams. It’s a big country. And when one finally runs out of road in America, there is always Mexico. I’ve still never been south of the border (or to Texas for that matter).
While it’s good inspiration for music, the American West has always made me a bit uneasy. It’s so vast and beautiful but also unforgiving. It may sound silly but part of me thinks most of the West’s inhabitants are only living there because they or their ancestors were square pegs who could not- or would not- fit in back in those places they left. The oddball troublemakers left Europe and came to America, and then the oddball troublemakers left the East Coast and moved west, and so forth (which may explain why the West Coast is the way it is now).
The longest road trip I ever took was from New York to Colorado- and back to New York- in the summer of ‘98. Most of the trip was quite flat and nothing really stands out in my memory except seeing the Rocky Mountains, visiting Coors Brewery, and passing a sign for Salina, Kansas which is where my German-American grandmother was born. Seeing that sign made me happy. Nana eventually moved east, a decision that- decades later- led to my birth in New York. Here are some of my most recent and favorite musical discoveries. Enjoy the summer- it can’t be any worse than last year’s (I hope)!
01. The Decemberists – “June Hymn” (2008)
02. Joan Baez – “Long Black Veil” (1970)
03. Johnny Paycheck – “Colorado Kool-Aid” (1977)
04. Soul Stirrers – “Wade in the Water” (1960)
05. Grateful Dead – “The Race Is On (Live)” (1980)
06. Bob Dylan – “When I Paint My Masterpiece (Demo)” (1971)
07. Townes Van Zandt – “Pancho and Lefty (Live)” (Unknown)
08. Robert Maxwell – “Nature Boy” (1963)
09. Jimmy Dean – “I Won’t Go Huntin’ with You Jake (But I’ll Go Chasin’ Wimmin)” (1961)
10. Irish Nights – “Whiskey in the Jar” (2008)
11. Charles Robison – “New Year’s Day” (2004)
12. Willie Nelson – “Mountain Dew” (1972)
13. Joshua Hedley – “Weird Thought Thinker” (2018)
14. Drive-By Truckers – “Bob” (2008)
15. Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen – “Seeds and Stems (Again)” (1971)
16. Paul McCartney – “Calico Skies” (1997)
17. Jerry Jeff Walker – “Navajo Rug” (1991)
18. Enya – “Portrait” (1987)
19. The Flying Burrito Brothers – “Colorado” (1971)
20. Norma Tanega – “Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog” (1966)
Listen to the playlist on Spotify...
Recommended Links:
No comments:
Post a Comment