From: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org (mad-mission-digest) To: mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Subject: mad-mission-digest V5 #212 Reply-To: mad-mission@smoe.org Sender: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk * If you ever wish to unsubscribe, send an email to * mad-mission-digest-request@smoe.org * with ONLY the word unsubscribe in the body of the email * . * For the latest information on Patty's tour dates, go to: * http://www.quackquack.net/pattyg * OR * go to http://www.amrecords.com * then click "tour" and fill in the blanks :) * . * PLEASE :) when you reply to this digest to send a post TO the list, * change the subject to reflect what your post is about. A subject * of Re: mad-mission-digest V4 #xxx or the like gives readers no clue * as to what your message is about. mad-mission-digest Thursday, August 23 2001 Volume 05 : Number 212 Today's Subjects: ----------------- MM: Re: Lori McKenna [Rongrittz@aol.com] Re: MM: Re: Lori McKenna [JRMinMA@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 07:11:49 EDT From: Rongrittz@aol.com Subject: MM: Re: Lori McKenna >> I am aware that she has two cds out there. Both received great reviews... but, the reveiws don't give much insight. I am curious if any fans on the list could help me? I am thinking of ordering both cds... just wanted to know what I am in store for. << You're in store for magic. Only twice before in all my music-listening years did a new artist blow me away like this one. First Dar Williams. Then Patty Griffin. Then Lori McKenna. And frankly, I was surprised. Not so much that she was as good -- no, great - -- as she was, but that she didn't turn out to be another one of those whiny "Janey One-Note" sleep-inducing girls-with-guitars. And there wasn't a tattooed, nose-ringed, magenta-haired, armpitically-hirsute, Ani-esque "look how different and independent and angry I am" gimmick to be found. Lori McKenna is as original a singer as I've ever heard. Who does she sound like? No one. Yeah, some will say you'll hear a bit of Patty Griffin's edge, and you'll probably hear more than hint of Alanis Morissette's cracked phrasing, and maybe you'll even hear a bit of Nanci Griffith (that is, Nanci Griffith before an ill-advised series of producers EQ'd the character in her voice right out of existence). But -- like me -- mostly you'll find yourself saying that you've never heard anyone like her. Her first CD, "Paper Wings & Halo," rings with the resonance of the some of the great first CDs I've ever heard, which means "The Honesty Room" and "Living With Ghosts." It's almost as stripped down as "LWG" -- mostly Lori and her guitar, with a bit of piano, bass and mandolin, and a hint of harmony. But it's always Lori in the forefront, never even close to getting buried under layers of overproduction. And those songs . . . I barely know where to start. Maybe with "Ruby's Shoes," tracing the plight of a young black girl fighting bigotry on the long walk to her all-white school. Or perhaps with "Would You Love Me Then," recounting the terrible knowledge that sometimes no matter what you do to keep a loved one just isn't enough. Or even with the one song she didn't write, "Paying the Price," which may be the most devastating "I'm still in love and you're not and I don't think I'm gonna get over this, no way, not in THIS lifetime" song I've ever heard. But in a few years, when Lori's basking in the glow of her third CD and the denizens of LoriList are talking about HER song for all-time, HER "Forgiveness," the song they'll talk about is "Hardly Speaking a Word." Over three simple guitar chords and Kris Delmhorst's (who also has a wonderful new CD just out) aching cello, Lori says all there is to say about parenthood. To carry rather than push. To whisper rather than yell. Look, maybe I don't know what I'm talking about -- I don't have any children and most likely never will. But I spent three years of my life in the presence of a little boy who's the closest thing to an angel on this earth, and this is a song that I'd give the world to sing to him. Near the end of the song, the guitar fades away and Lori sings over the stunningly beautiful cello. And then the cello fades away and Lori sings over nothing but . . . air . . . and it takes your breath away. Then the voice and the guitar and the cello again meet up again for the final note . . . and what you have is a song to rip your heart out. Her newest CD, "Pieces of Me," is almost as strong, with a hearbreaking tribute to her mother, "Never Die Young" (not the James Taylor song), with stunning harmony by Richard Shindell. It also features a re-recording of her song from the "Respond" CD, "Fireflies," with backing vocals by Ellis Paul, and the kick-ass "God Will Thank You." Everyone should own these CDs. RG P.S. Lori's also been known to cover Patty's "Sweet Lorraine" in concert, BTW . . . ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 13:04:12 EDT From: JRMinMA@aol.com Subject: Re: MM: Re: Lori McKenna In a message dated Wed, 22 Aug 2001 7:13:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Rongrittz@aol.com writes: >> You're in store for magic. >>... > Everyone should own these CDs. > > RG > > P.S. Lori's also been known to cover Patty's "Sweet Lorraine" in concert, > BTW . . . I agree wholeheartedly with Ron. I have had the pleasure of seeing Lori perform many times at the truly excellent venue the Blackthorne Tavern south of Boston. For quite a while, she had a standing Sunday brunch gig there and more often than not she was there with part of her family. She is more than a bit of local phenom in the Boston area now and, among other things, won a Boston Music Award for best new folk artist a few years back and won the local slot at one of the Lilith Fair concerts. She has "graduated" to headlining shows at the Somerville Theatre and plays out at Club Passim as well. She thankfully does still play at the Blackthorne every now and then as well and there was a very warm, packed house at the CD release party/performance earlier this year. Lori has a great sound and I would definitely recommend both CDs. Paper Wings made a few Boston journalist's top ten lists the year it came out and "Hardly Speaking a Word" is clearly a stand out on that effort! . I hold a special place in my heart for "Fireflies" which as mentioned is on the Respond CD (a great double disc for any folk lover, and for a good cause too) as an acoustic version and is on the Pieces of Me CD with full band. Even with (or maybe just despite it) all of the success, Lori McKenna really seems to have the same warm, easy-going stage presence and is great to hear live or on disc. Go get the discs! joe. ------------------------------ End of mad-mission-digest V5 #212 *********************************