Sunday Music Roundup
March 5, 2023
I thought I’d try another new feature here and go the way of the major publications and use space on a Sunday for some reflections and “what’s ahead” moments. Sunday seems to work nicely for that sort of thing—end of one week, setting the tone for the next, so why not? Here goes:
New: This past week the first single and a video was released for Rodney Crowell’s new record, The Chicago Sessions. Why, pray tell you ask, is this album named after my hometown? It was recorded at The Loft, Wilco’s Chicago studio space and produced by Jeff Tweedy. Ah now you say, you understand my interest. Partially, sure, but also Rodney Crowell is a songwriting legend and a participant in the salon style atmosphere curated by Susanna and Guy Clark in their Nashville home in the 1970s, alongside the likes of Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, and Townes Van Zandt. Guy, Susanna, and Townes are all gone, so when the likes of one of the names above releases something new, it’s noteworthy. The new track, cowritten with Tweedy, is great and I look forward to hearing the full release when it comes out in early May. The connecting of different generations of songwriters has always fascinated me. And, if you look at the credits, the torchbearers that follow Tweedy’s generation make appearances on the record too, with the likes of Jeff’s son Spencer, multi-instrumentalist and Tweedy band bassist Liam Kazar, and solo artist/one-third of the band Mountain Man, Molly Sarlé.
Old, but new: You may have heard the news that De La Soul’s catalog is finally present on streaming services! So enjoy the genius that is 3 Feet High and Rising, and don’t stop there! This comes after a catalog dispute that dragged on for years that ultimately had to do with the legality of sampling. Finally the legendary hip hop group owns their music and the world is better for it. Of course, the news is bittersweet with the recent passing of Dave “Trugoy” Jolicoeur. This group’s importance to hip hop cannot be overstated and hopefully a new generation of acolytes can now have easier access to their work.
Current Obsessions: I recently added a bunch of the artists who are playing this year’s High Water Fest in Charleston, SC to my latest Spotify playlist. We’re heading to the festival next month and I want to get a sense of some of the artists I’m not as well-versed with—Orville Peck, Bully, Black Opry Revue, Kyshona, and She Returns From War. Who else will be there? Angel Olsen, Beck, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Tre Burt, Madi Diaz, Guster, Big Boi, and some band from Chicago called Wilco. I’m pretty psyched for this fest. I’m also excited for the potential “music travel guide” entries that I’m hoping to get out of the experience. Stay tuned!
Random Thought: How good were The Kinks? I recently bought Village Preservation Green and man it’s such an enjoyable listen! It’s a very British record thematically speaking and a bit out of the ordinary for it’s time, but these are great songs that hold up as well or better than songs from comparable artists. “Picture Book” is certainly the most recognizable track off of it, but there are plenty of gems from start to finish. It just makes me re-appreciate this band, which is something once every few years, I seem to do.
Alright, that’s the roundup for this week! Next week we’ll be taking in a Jayhawks concert which I hope to report back to you on. I’m also working on a piece related to my trip to SXSW 2008, which is almost exactly 15 years ago. It was an important landmark in my music fandom/music writing history, so I’m eager to share with you some of the bits that I still remember! 15 years goes by startlingly quick!
What are you listening to this Sunday? Leave a comment with a recommendation for me! Thanks for reading and have a great week!