From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V9 #43 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 Tuesday, April 3 2007 Volume 09 : Number 043 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [RS] Delia highlights ["Gregory Dennis" ] [RS] Delia. [Rongrittz@aol.com] Re: [RS] Delia. [Amy ] [RS] Delia's gone, one more... oh, wait, that was Johnny Cash [Jim Colber] [RS] Delia ["John McDonnell" ] [RS] and, well, they always find money for floods... [Jim Colbert ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2007 11:04:36 -0400 From: "Gregory Dennis" Subject: [RS] Delia highlights I'll join the chorus on the new album. It's amazing. "Born in the USA" takes on all kinds of new meaning, and I loved the way Richard has remade the on. I hope it's a hit for him (whatever it means to have a hit these days). "Northbound 35" shows why Jeffrey Foucault deserves way more attention then he's gotten so far. "Texas Rangers" has that lovely combination of rhythm and melodicism typical of much of Richard's best work. And for me, it brings back memories of the early 1960s version of this chestnut by Ian & Sylvia. Only Richard could make "Deportee" seem new again. One quibble: why do so many singers feel the need to bury the voices of their amazing accompanists? I've seen even as talented a singer/songwriter as John Stewart do this, at various times, with Stevie Nicks, Nanci Griffith and Linda Ronstadt. And Richard does it here with both Lucy and Eliza. But again, that's just a quibble. This CD is really exceptional. If all Richard ever recorded in the future was covers, I would dearly miss his originals but I could live with it. He's a rarely talented interpreter. - -- Greg - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kristen Myshrall" To: Sent: Monday, April 02, 2007 9:09 PM Subject: [RS] Delia!! > Oh my god. I got the cd today and went for a long drive to listen to it > (as that's the only appropriate way to listen to a new cd!). > My exact words when I got out of the car..."That is the best f***ing album > I have ever heard in my life!!" > It is absolutely stunning. The songs chosen, the way he interpreted them, > the music, harmony, and his vocals (OH HIS VOCALS!!!) are absolutely > perfect. His voice is seriously perfect on this album with amazing > intonation at just the right spots. > I am completely blown away and I love his intro note inside the cd. > It was very worth the wait. It is so good I would have waited another 2 > years for it ... ok maybe that's pushing it. > > > A very brief review... > > Acadian Driftwood is beautiful...very similar to how he's been doing it in > concert for the last year (or as it been two?) though slightly slower. > Seqor is just absolutely fantastic! Not many people can do Dylan and make > me happy but that is the best Dylan cover I have ever heard. > Humback Whale has amazing vocals! > When I first heard Born in the USA live from RS I wasn't sold on it being > sung that way. Now, it has more than grown on me, I love it! > Mercy Street is breathtakingly beautiful and literally brought me to tears > with the vocals. > Storms on the Ocean is > Northbound 35 is one of my favorite songs and he did it justice. Having > Lucy on background vocals is perfect and Sara and Lucy really add that > finishing touch. > Sitting on Top of the World surprised me when it first came on because I > had heard him do it live very differently. He obviously went back and > reinterpreted it and after listening to it a second time, I can see why. > Texas Rangers is just perfectly done. I still prefer it a capella like he > did it in Northampton but it sounds great. > Deportee is one of my favorite songs of all time and he more than did it > justice. Eliza's harmonies on it are unbelievable. > With Solo le Pido a Dios you would have thought he spoke spanish his > entire life! Beautifully done with many Argentine musicians (and a NY > fiddle player) that just makes it perfect. > Lawrence, Kansas makes me so happy. I love love love that song but > honestly, I can't stand Josh Ritter's voice so having Richard cover it > makes me blissful! It is the perfect end to the theme of this cd. > > _________________________________________________________________ > MSN is giving away a trip to Vegas to see Elton John. Enter to win today. > http://msnconcertcontest.com?icid-nceltontaglin ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2007 12:25:40 -0400 From: Rongrittz@aol.com Subject: [RS] Delia. Two comments that have me shaking my head . . . >> "That is the best f***ing album I have ever heard in my life!!" << That would mean this is actually better than a CD made up of songs that Richard Shindell actually, you know, WROTE, and I have a difficult time believing that. Obviously everyone's entitled to his/her opinion, and it's easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of a new Richard Shindell record (and in the interests of full disclosure, I haven't heard anything but a few clips of the new songs), but you're telling me this is better than "Somewhere Near Paterson," "Sparrows Point" and "Vuelta?" Oooooo-kay. >> "Sitting on Top of The World" is the saddest song I've heard in a long, long, time << We talkin' about the same song here? Patty Griffin's "Top of the World," maybe . . . RG ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2007 12:38:12 -0400 From: Amy Subject: Re: [RS] Delia. Thank you, Ron. I was going to keep my mouth shut. But really, this is a very good album full of very good songs as interpreted by a bunch of very-good-to-fabulous musicians. It's not, like, the second coming or anything. Hope SD is treating you well. I miss the east coast...the midwest is overrated! Cheers, Amy Amy Cocuzza, MILR Juris Doctor Candidate, May 2009 University of Michigan Law School cocuzza@umich.edu On Apr 3, 2007, at 12:25 PM, Rongrittz@aol.com wrote: > Two comments that have me shaking my head . . . > >>> "That is the best f***ing album I have ever heard in my life!!" << > > That would mean this is actually better than a CD made up of songs > that Richard Shindell actually, you know, WROTE, and I have a > difficult time believing that. Obviously everyone's entitled to > his/her opinion, and it's easy to get wrapped up in the excitement > of a new Richard Shindell record (and in the interests of full > disclosure, I haven't heard anything but a few clips of the new > songs), but you're telling me this is better than "Somewhere Near > Paterson," "Sparrows Point" and "Vuelta?" Oooooo-kay. > >>> "Sitting on Top of The World" is the saddest song I've heard in a >>> long, long, time << > > We talkin' about the same song here? Patty Griffin's "Top of the > World," maybe . . . > > RG ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2007 13:05:51 -0400 From: Jim Colbert Subject: [RS] Delia's gone, one more... oh, wait, that was Johnny Cash I gotta chime in, too. It's nice to have a new CD... and I think Greg and Richard did a real nice job with the production of the disc. There's some real good songs here, and absolutely quality musicianship throughout. Some of the harmonies are quite nice indeed. But I'm personally never going to get as excited about ANY disc of covers as a whole, from a songwriter I so respect. And b*tch, b*tch, b*tch, I still would have like to have seen some old favorites included here: Louisiana 1927, Making plans, Farewell to St. Delores... I also always used to enjoy his takes on Bleeker St and America, but i guess those were songs from another time, following 9/11. (Hmm, it strikes me that America may have been the only time I've ever heard Richard encourage people to sing along.) Course, what do I know. I LIKE bouzouki, like on the old Fast Folk take on May! Your mileage may vary... Jim, somewhere near Mt. Nittany ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2007 13:51:57 -0400 From: "John McDonnell" Subject: [RS] Delia Hey All, RG wrote: >> "Sitting on Top of The World" is the saddest song I've heard in a long, long, time << We talkin' about the same song here? Patty Griffin's "Top of the World," maybe I will confess to a purely subjective and visceral reaction to the song, and to a line in particular which colored my view of the rest of the song. When he sings "The levee broke, the water rose .." I could only think of Katrina victims--sitting on their rooftops when everything was covered by the flood waters must have felt like sitting on top of the world. It made me view the title as ironic and full of despair. Even without the Katrina overlay, I still think it's a sad song, though that may have been the Malbec talking (which I opened in honor of RS and the new record). John McD. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2007 16:02:50 -0400 From: Jim Colbert Subject: [RS] and, well, they always find money for floods... (snip) I will confess to a purely subjective and visceral reaction to the song, and to a line in particular which colored my view of the rest of the song. When he sings "The levee broke, the water rose .." I could only think of Katrina victims--sitting on their rooftops when everything was covered by the flood waters must have felt like sitting on top of the world. John, I think you would probably really like Richard's take on Louisiana 1927 if you ever have the chance to hear it, for much the same reasons. - -jim ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2007 16:14:55 -0400 From: "Kristen Myshrall" Subject: RE: [RS] Delia. >Two comments that have me shaking my head . . . > > >> "That is the best f***ing album I have ever heard in my life!!" << > >That would mean this is actually better than a CD made up of songs that >Richard Shindell actually, you know, WROTE, and I have a difficult time >believing that. As a whole...yes, yes it is...to me at least. While I love Vuelta and Blue Divide is (well was) my favorite RS album, this one takes the top position as a whole. Perhaps it's because he chose many of my favorite songs and the message behind them but the way in interprets them...it has the potential of becoming my favorite album ever. Sorry to disappoint some of you but I personally don't like Transit and inwardly groan when he closes every show I go to with it so to each his own I suppose! _________________________________________________________________ Exercise your brain! Try Flexicon. http://games.msn.com/en/flexicon/default.htm?icid=flexicon_hmemailtaglineapril07 ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V9 #43 **********************************