I’m done writing for the semester, and just in time. The
I came a little late to the Patty Griffin party. Some of my friends were totally pumped to see her play Calvin my first year (I was pumped for the opener: Over the Rhine) but she blew me away, and I bought her then new album 1000 Kisses. It’s ten tracks of beautiful, kids. I’ve been variously obsessed with “Mil Besos,” “Tomorrow Night,” “Rain” and “Making Pies” but to be honest, whenever any of the tracks comes up in Party Shuffle I’m likely to go “I love this song!” And it will be true
Here are some reasons why Patty, and this album, are awesome: Patty’s voice is wrenching, warm and honest. The instrumentation is rootsy, warm and spacious. The writing is lovely – emotional and evocative, but broad enough that you can feel like you relate to it in a variety of situations. For example, “I'm not looking for the rest of your life/ I just want another chance to live” or “I wish you could see the way I see me in my dreams/ the way I laugh there way up high/ the way I look when I fly/ the way I laugh the way I fly.” Other songs, like “Chief” and “Makin’ Pies” draw us into a character with a story. I didn’t know until recently that “Tomorrow Night” was a cover, and had been recorded by Elvis (I know, that’s probably heretical) but I just listened to Elvis’ version on YouTube and Patty’s is better.
This is a good album for a rainstorm, a car trip or an afternoon of reading. Or any other time, really. You should listen to it.
Past Reviews:
Sixpence None the Richer
Transatlanticism
Neon Bible
Details
Why Should the Fire Die
Achtung Baby
Ohio
6 comments:
Am I out of it that I've never heard of PG? I'm going to have to check her out. Very persuasive review!
Kristen, I will SO make you a mix cd.
Way to jump on the trendy bandwagon. As always, you made an inspired selection. I'm about to post something on my blog about the incredible* concert I went to last night. (*by "incredible" I mean utterly hilarious)
I talk a big game? Oh that's it! And Patty Griffin sucks!
jk, bff.
Regardless, you're right, I do need to post one soon. I'll do that.
1000 Kisses instead of Living with Ghosts!
If I were one to use multiple exclamation points and question marks at the end of a sentence, you'd see that I would take Living with Ghosts. They're both great, but Living with Ghosts is just in a league of its own.
Maybe our affinities have to do with the order in which we became acquainted with Patty. I first knew Living with Ghosts, and I don't think I'll ever think anything she produces would be comparable.
Hope you are well. Thanks for a Patty post to bring me out of blog-reading silence. :)
Yeah, Megan, this selection is autobiographical, although I stand by it as an excellent album.
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