The Evening Of My Best Day - Rickie Lee Jones

Okay, so now I've listened on speakers - just the once mind. Most intrigued. The playing is beautiful but I struggle to follow the lyrics in places and I can't help thinking that people are raving here about songs that don't actually carry fantastically strong melodies and yet... and yet... something is drawing me in. I feel the need to go back to it. This is always a good sign but, on this occasion, I'm not sure why.

I tend to switch off on these fora when people start talking solos and musicianship. I always start from the point that the above is meaningless without the material. I also feel many of us are guilty of liking things because they sound impressive on our hi-fi and that we're prone to failing to distinguish between impressive and actually good. I live in fear of becoming that person.

So, that said, why am I expending this effort here? Well, this album really does have "something". I'm not sure what yet but I suspect I'm going to keep on working on it.

Can someone explain this phenomenon?

Mike

quote:

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Originally posted by Mike Hughes:
Okay, so now I've listened on speakers - just the once mind. Most intrigued. The playing is beautiful but I struggle to follow the lyrics in places and I can't help thinking that people are raving here about songs that don't actually carry fantastically strong melodies and yet... and yet... something is drawing me in. I feel the need to go back to it. This is always a good sign but, on this occasion, I'm not sure why.

I tend to switch off on these fora when people start talking solos and musicianship. I always start from the point that the above is meaningless without the material. I also feel many of us are guilty of liking things because they sound impressive on our hi-fi and that we're prone to failing to distinguish between impressive and actually good. I live in fear of becoming that person.

So, that said, why am I expending this effort here? Well, this album really does have "something". I'm not sure what yet but I suspect I'm going to keep on working on it.

Can someone explain this phenomenon?

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Mike, it's precisely the fantastically strong melodies which draw me in, as well as equally compelling harmonies, textures, and rhythms, all rendered in complex, emotional performances. Brilliant musicianship, yes, but always in service of the stories.

Some of the lyrics, which I find very moving, are a bit hard to make out, but this will help:

http://furnitureforthepeople.com/lyrics/

Fred,

You are too kind (and it's your fault I gave in and bought the damn thing).

I'm on play number three now and I'm still not convinced and yet here I am still muttering about it.

The lyrics are an odd element in all of this. They absolutely fit my stereotype of RLJ in that you get one great verse, a catchy chorus, a great deal of moaning and some vamping on the chorus (a tad harsh perhaps but you get my drift) and that's it... and yet there are lines which are simply beautiful "the depth of democracy" line kind of leaps out unavoidably.

I'm not so sure those are great melodies IMHO but it sure as hell has "something".

I like this. I like anything I can't quite get a handle on; anything that just won't be boxed into good or bad so easily as the rest of the stuff we get fed. So much more stimulating to have my eardrums and brain challenged so I can get my head around it and nail its appeal. So, I shall persevere and see where it gets me.

Thanks Fred, I was supposed to be online for study with it on in the background and here I am again.

Mike

Fred - thanks for the RLJ recommendation.

I am enjoying giving it a spin - a good record that would have passed me by....

Cheers