A lot of people take the stance that they like Bob Dylan’s music but they just can’t stand his voice.
I can appreciate that argument, as I feel exactly that way about both Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. I often say that I would love an album of their best songs as sung by somebody (pretty much anybody) else.
I’ve been living a lie.
On April 19, 2012, I posted a song from Fiona Apple’s When the Pawn…. It was during a countdown of my favorite albums of the 90s, and Apple’s sophomore effort was #2 on my list.
That was Song of the Day #1,376.
The following day, I posted my #1 album of the 90s. It was Ben Folds Five’s self-titled debut.
That was Song of the Day #1,378.
The second Tift Merritt album on this list is her finest record yet, 2010’s See You On the Moon.
I love this album so much I almost ran out of songs to feature on the blog. Of Merritt’s five studio albums, this is the one that best captures her Joni Mitchell-meets-Emmylou Harris sound and spirit.
Last week I wrote about Kacey Musgrave’s excellent debut album. Well, Brandy Clark is the woman I hope Musgraves grows up to become.
The 35-year-old Washington native has carved out a career writing songs for other people (most notably Miranda Lambert and The Band Perry) but her solo debut, 12 Stories, is a true work of art.
Jenny Lewis has taken a couple of stabs at greatness over the eight years of her solo career.
2008’s Rabbit Fur Coat is a folk rock pleasure, charming if ultimately forgettable. Acid Tongue, released in 2008, was a more ambitious effort, dabbling in blues rock and featuring a duet with frequent collaborator Elvis Costello. But it, too, had trouble sticking.
Meet Me In Montauk 