Music Diary, Vol. -7

For the rationale behind this mad effort, explanations here. The full series of Music Diary posts are here. The full playlist is above, also here.

Week of Nov. 20-26, 2023

Lyrics: Danny Kaye (Weill/Gershwin), "Tchaikovsky"

Song: The Pixies energy is strong on this joyously crunchy Bachelor track, just imagine there are two Kim Deals harmonizing.

Album: I can’t decide which violin concerto on this essential Ozawa/Perlman disc I love more: Berg’s expansive, spiky soundscape or Stravinsky’s frothy, unsettled tunefest. Luckily I don’t have to choose.

Lyrics: Rob Kendt, "Shelter From the Storm"

Song: I don’t remember much about THE HOT SPOT but its soundtrack—an unlikely summit of John Lee Hooker, Taj Mahal, Jack Nitzsche, and Miles Davis—is a deep-dish curiosity I’ve returned with bemused pleasure over the years. This is a signature cut.

Album: In 1995, Elvis Costello curated the Meltdown Festival, showcasing Jeff Buckley, John Harle, and June Tabor, among others. His own set was this gorgeous 7-song duo with Bill Frisell, with an eclectic mix of his own songs, a Mingus, and… “Gigi?”

Lyrics: The Jam, "Saturday's Kids"

Song: I wasn’t 100 percent sold on Sting’s first solo record at the time, but I’ve always loved this lean, mean kiss-off. The thudding bass tells you it’s coming from his gut, not his brain, and the modal melody sounds beautifully tossed off.

Album: From Lenny Welch to Buck Owens, today’s #dailyalbum is a playlist of all the songs The Beatles covered in their official recordings. I’ve done this in order of recording, and included a few multiples (“Twist and Shout,” “KC Loving”). Enjoy!

Lyrics: Bruce Springsteen, "Growin' Up"

Song: The inevitable Björk/Rosalía duet has dropped, and though it’s hardly earth-shattering—it sounds every bit like the VESPERTINE outtake it is—it’s a real thrill to compare and contrast their voices, which don’t blend so much as they entwine.

Album: I must credit the invaluable Strong Songs podcast for leading me back to the delights of Wes Montgomery. What I most love to listen for is the graceful way his head tunes and solos, though clearly demarcated, can seem to blur and overlap into a harmonic feast.

Lyrics: Len Cariou (Sondheim), "Epiphany"

Song: The way Moses Sumney’s otherworldly voice conveys both ecstasy and melancholy is a marvel. This tune (which I prefer in this alternate version) has an irresistible build that feels like both a lift (up) and a whirlpool (down).

Album: As often happens, this great soundtrack as originally released can only be reassembled on streaming via a playlist. The curated needle drops are a joy, but I especially love Alexandre Desplat’s plucky, wonder-filled score.

Lyrics: Kate Bush, "Love and Anger"

Song: The Nat King Cole trio’s rendition of the Rachmaninoff C# minor prelude is mostly a remarkably reverent reading, with some impish filigree—a total delight, in other words.

Album: I had the good fortune of a brief acquaintance with David Ackles in a musical theater workshop decades ago, but it was Elvis Costello’s posthumous advocacy that made me seek out Ackles’ records, starting with this stunning 1968 debut.

Lyrics: Bob Dylan, "I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine"

Song: Today’s scripture is Matthew 25:31-46, with the teaching about “the least of these,” which led me to this exquisite Matt Maher tune. I’ll be doing my best with it (in a lower key) at Greenpoint Reformed Church this morning.

Album: If this isn’t what the heavenly choir sounds like, not sure I want to go.