From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V3 #477 Reply-To: shindell-list@smoe.org Sender: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk shindell-list-digest Monday, December 24 2001 Volume 03 : Number 477 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [RS] Courier highlight ["Vanessa C. Wills" ] [RS] top cd's and shows [Pfleary@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2001 21:52:57 -0500 From: "Vanessa C. Wills" Subject: Re: [RS] Courier highlight "I am a citizen of the moment. I have built my white picket fence around the now." --The Tick On Sun, 23 Dec 2001, Norman A. Johnson wrote: > Well for me, the highlight of this album (at the moment, I reserve the > right to change my mind) is "Fishing". There's a certain snarl in Richard's > voice that is not as prominent in the other versions (BLUE DIVIDE, > Postcrypt). Agreed! I was listening to this album today (surprise, surprise) and I had the same thought. "Fishing" is so much more aggressive here. That interrogation room just comes so much more fully to life. Thinking about "Fishing" made me think about "Money for Floods" and see it in a totally different way. I admit to never giving this song the attention it deserves. I recall reading a review where the author wrote that MfF was a song reflecting Richard's political views--Richard decrying the money our goverment spends on disaster relief. Of course, that seemed silly to me, then (and it still does). Now, I think that Eliza simply resents the goverment's gestures at compassion and helpfulness only when the cameras are turned on (a flood as bad as this one would surely make the national news, yes?) It's like, "Where were you all these years that I needed your help?" She probably also begrudges some of the people in her community the goverment aid that they are receiving ("Everyone knows rivers will swell..."). Basically, I see her as a very hurt and angry woman, consumed with despair (It's beginning to feel like the water may never surrender the fields...) with a well-earned chip on her shoulder the size of Texas. Oh, well--just felt like putting my thoughts out there, because now I can't believe I ignored this song for so long. I think I always thought "Huh? Anti-flood relief song? OK...." and hit the skip button. What a dufus am I. Her pain is totally compelling. This may be one of Richard's best songs. - --V ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2001 00:15:51 EST From: Pfleary@aol.com Subject: [RS] top cd's and shows Okay, I know I'm a little late on this thread, but hey the year is still not up. I bought some CD's this year, but nowhere near as many as some. I guess the plus side of this is that I wasn't disappointed by any! Here's a list of new CD's I bought, basically in order of how much I liked them: Dave and Tracy--Drum Hat Buddha Richard--Courier Greg Brown--Covenant Lucy--Every Single Day Various--O Brother Soundtrack John Gorka--The Company You Keep Gillian Welch--Time (The Revelator) Various--Nod to Bob Various--If I Had a Golden Thread Wow! That's even fewer than I thought. I usually tend to get CD's and/or gift certificates for Christmas and spend money I get for Christmas on CD's, so I appreciate seeing all the lists that have been posted here. I also thought it would be fun to list my top five shows for 2001: #1 Falcon Ride Folk Festival--After hearing about this for years here and on the dar-list, I finally made it all the way from Northern California to upstate NY for this wonderful gathering. Although Richard was not there it was great seeing all the other artists and finally getting to meet people from the lists I'm on. #2 Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer--Little River Inn, Little River, CA--Great artists, beautiful venue on the north coast of CA, overnight lodging, and my wife's birthday made this show a high point of the year. #3 Dar Williams--Warfield Theater San Francisco--Much better live experience of Dar than her album! She walked on water at this show. #4 John Gorka--Freight and Salvage, Berkeley, CA. I love the Company You Keep. Sat in the front row with a new friend and loved this show. #5Tie: Richard Shindell--Freight and Salvage Berkeley, CA Lucy Kaplansky--Powerhouse Sebastopol, CA I liked both of these shows a lot, but thought both artists gave better performances when I saw them in 2000. I know that they were both dealing with stressful travel situations this time around, so I think they both were just a slight bit off on the nights I saw them. Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and great year. I really enjoy this list more and more the longer I am on it. Peace, Peter ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V3 #477 ***********************************