I’ve now written about all but two of Linda Ronstadt’s 31 studio albums, and I thought the final two would group together nicely at the end.
First up is the oddest recording of her career, 1996’s Dedicated to the One I Love. This is a collection of rock songs performed in the style of children’s lullabies. If you’ve ever wanted to hear Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’ sung against the backdrop of a crib mobile, this is the album for you.
Artists of all stripes put out new Christmas albums each year, but the country singers are particularly fond of the holiday. This year alone, Brad Paisley, Trisha Yearwood, Mickey Guyton, Hunter Hayes, and LeAnn Rimes released new holiday records.
Rimes is so enamored of Christmas music, in fact, that her newest album is titled Greatest Hits Christmas and features songs from the handful of other Christmas projects she’s released over the years (in addition to some new material).
When I wrote yesterday that Ladies of the Canyon was my favorite Joni Mitchell album so far, I didn’t realize she released Blue just a year later. So that was a short-lived stint at the top of that particular list.
Blue, released in 1971, is widely considered not just Mitchell’s best album but one of the best albums of all time. Rolling Stone recently placed it at #3 on their list of the 500 greatest albums. It redefined the singer-songwriter genre, inspiring countless artists to this day.
Natalie Merchant, both with 10,000 Maniacs and in her solo career, has created some of the most beautiful and emotional songs I’ve ever heard.
Her unique, emotive vocals blend so well with the well-produced acoustic piano pop. It’s music you can chill out to or cry to. Today’s Random SOTD is a great example.
Meet Me In Montauk 