Had a good week? Mine couldn’t have started any better….
On Monday night I went to the Concert Hall to see Randy Newman. He was on fine form. Higlights……Life Isn’t Fair, The Great Nations of Europe and Marie + a very funny rap on Toy Story. It broke my heart to be in London on Wednesday knowing that Randy was playing there and I had to miss it as I was interviewing some very special guests for the show. More of these fine women over the next few weeks.
However, there’s something about Mary…..
When I got the word that we were expecting a familiar visitor I had the warmest feelings of nostalgia. Last January there was a great run of artists in the studio during Celtic Connections. One particular day I was lucky enough to welcome Mary Gauthier. So it was a real joy to know that she was coming back to see us.
The last time Mary had told me she was writing and recording a concept album. Tricky to pull off. For some reason, whenever these two words are spoken I usually think of this.
Needless to say there’s no pomp here. If you want to know what Mary was forecasting back in January 09 you can archive the interview here. It’s nice when an artist promises you something then delivers it almost within a year. Mary’s new album……
……..is about to come out. She’ll be in session on Friday joined by her guitarist, Ed Romanoff and also by Barry Walsh on piano who had, apparently, never heard the songs before! However not only do we have Mary singing but I’ll also have a long chat with Mary about the huge emotional journey to make The Foundling as well as the physical trips north to Toronto to record the record.
Also…….. Avett Brothers, Local Natives, Bob Dylan, Phosporescent and George Jones.
That’s funny that you linked to Rick Wakeman – I had his King Arthur material in mind before I clicked on the link. It’s utterly excruciating and often hilarious, but I’ll spare everyone a link to that too!
Having listened back to last week’s superb show – one of the very best yet – I too was sad to have missed Randy Newman in London this week. Note to self that I must see him next time he’s in town. Looking forward to Mary Gauthier this week, and I have a feeling it will lead to me pre-ordering ‘The Foundling’!
And, if you’ll indulge me, another word or two on another Mary…
I think I may have ranted a little about Mary Chapin Carpenter’s new album here a few weeks back, but since then it’s really gotten under my skin and I’m absolutely loving it. It occurs to me it would be perfect fodder for Another Country too, not least as she was recently awarded the Spirit of Americana Award (http://americanamusic.org/index.htm?inc=5&news_id=18089). She very rarely seems to get airplay anywhere these days, and that’s a real shame as in my opinion she’s turned out most of her best work since leaving the major labels and veering away from the country pop sound with which many people still seem to associate her. Always thoughtful and, on recent albums, ever more personal with her lyrics, her latest – “The Age of Miracles” – is typical of her more recent output, more in the folk singer/songwriter territory than mainstream country. There are collaborations with Alison Krauss and Vince Gill on this latest album, as well as songs about such disparate subjects as Hemingway’s first wife (a plaintive, aching beautiful piano-led song) and a Chinese soldier in Tiananmen Square, but moreover it’s an album about personal resilience, emerging as it did from a time when Mary Chapin was quite ill herself. I’d just love for this album to get a little more recognition, so here’s a personal plea that we might get to hear something of it on Another Country soon. I may just have to mail in a copy!
Great stuff Adam – right on the mark with MCC, she is fantastic and is a brilliant collaborator with Shawn Colvin and many others. iain Anderson has been playing the new album a lot and excellent it is too.
Really looking forward to tonights show, Mary Gauthier with Carrie Rodriguez was absolutely one of the highlights at Celtic Connection in 2009 and I have been looking forwared to hearing this lp as it has been getting rave reviews all round (even in some of the more mainstream rock publications).
Thanks, Norrie. That’s my bad, then, for not listening to more Iain Anderson!
What a wonderful image ‘xen calvinist’. It’s a kind of big McKarma and chips. Well done to Dundee United (even though I’m saying it through gritted teeth). The song about Hamish McAlpine reminds me of Ally Donaldson – do you remember the time at a frosty Tannadice when he let a pass back from the half-way line go through his legs for a bizarre goal?
Ricky – I think the time on you’re server needs correcting – I’ve just posted a comment at 7.15am and the message has a time of 11.22pm on th site.
Brilliant show – Mary Gauthier was just fantastic and of the other music played I particularly liked the Phosporescent track – I have been listening to them on myspace and am going to try and get to the Glasgow gig. Really thought they were Steve Forbert when Ricky was playing the track Mermaid Parade. Really good stuff.