The knock on Kacey Musgraves’ sophomore album, Pageant Material is that it doesn’t stray very far from the formula that made her debut record so great.
That’s a tough criticism because it punishes the artist for doing what she does best. It’s also the sort of criticism that fades with time. Separated from the expectations of a much-anticipated new release, Pageant Material will one day be remembered as a collection of solid, enjoyable songs.
I forgot about Lorde.
Two years ago she was the biggest thing in music, wasn’t she? Her debut album was the hottest record out there and she epitomized the smart millennial mindset that scoffed at superficiality while grooving to Beyoncé and Drake.
She was cool, weird, talented and on her way to super stardom before she even turned 18.
John Mellencamp released 1993’s Human Wheels 17 years into his successful career. It’s been 22 years since. I’m a casual Mellencamp fan at best, but from a distance I view this record as a turning point for him.
He had certainly released his share of hits before Human Wheels. In fact, the seven albums prior to this one went platinum, and five of them went 3x or 5x platinum. But the songwriting and production on this record was on a different level, or at least a level that more directly connected with me.
Here’s a track from the debut Traveling Wilbury’s album, a favorite album of mine.
‘Congratulations’ finds Bob Dylan in crooner mode, a combination that shouldn’t work but often does. According to the publishing credits on the album, Dylan wrote this song as well, which might explain why he got lead vocal duties over, say, Roy Orbison.
The Random iTunes Fairy is aiming for a theme weekend, it seems. As with Nellie McKay, yesterday’s selection, Fleet Foxes are a band I abandoned years ago only to second-guess my decision.
The difference is that McKay has continued to record in the ensuing decade, while Fleet Foxes released one more album and have since unofficially split.
Meet Me In Montauk 