Tori Amos. To quote Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars, “Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.”
The indie singer-songwriter released her 16th album, Ocean to Ocean, last month. And while I feel like she has been missing since her heyday in the early 90s, this is actually her fifth new studio album in the past decade. In fact, the four years between this record and her last is the longest she’s gone between releases in her career.
Lana Del Rey is back with her second album of 2021, following the release of Chemtrails Over the Country Club in March. The new record, titled Blue Bannisters, features 15 new tracks. This deluge of material reminds me of Taylor Swift’s one-two punch of Folklore and Evermore last year.
It’s great to witness artists peaking creatively and channeling that inspiration into new albums. Often when I look back at the careers of big stars from the 70s, I’m amazed to see how often they released albums during their heyday. Feels like we’re seeing the same sort of thing with Swift and Del Rey.
‘Tis the season for Christmas albums by random artists. First out of the gate, at least in the circles I follow, are Pistol Annies with a new album titled Hell of a Holiday.
I don’t typically go for these Christmas releases, even when they come from acts I really like. Aimee Mann delivered a nice one with 2006’s One More Drifter in the Snow but, apart from a lovely rendition of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’ it didn’t grab me beyond a couple of listens. Same goes for Bob Dylan’s 2009 Christmas in the Heart.
I haven’t done the math, but on a per-album basis, is there a more successful female artist than Adele? She currently sits at #10 on the all-time sales list for women based on the performance of just three albums. Everybody above her has released at least twice as many.
Even more impressive is that she makes those numbers with seemingly very little effort. She just emerges every 4-5 years after being almost completely out of the spotlight, drops a new song, and watches it break every streaming record in the book.
Loretta Lynn has released 50 studio albums during her nearly 60-year career, including one the 89-year-old released this past March.
It’s funny how traditional notions of retirement don’t really apply to the arts. You don’t see a popular musician hit 65 and hang up the guitar to settle down in Florida.
I guess if the money is good and you love what you do, why stop?
Meet Me In Montauk 