"Did you forget how much I love you"

So there this musician. With a strong country tradition. And she's been in the business for more then 10 years with only marginal success, as far as money and name recognition. Then suddenly, she puts out a masterpiece album. Every track is perfect, from beginning to end. Word of mouth spreads, and suddenly her album is on EVERY critics' top ten list for the year. She has huge crossover success and radio airplay. She wins awards. People think she's the best "new thing", despite her previous years of producing songs and albums and live performances.

Then it's 2001 and she releases a followup. And after so much hype from the last album, folks might seem a bit disappointed. "It's not the same". "Why does she sound different?"

Shelby Lynne, meet Lucinda Willaims. Y'all should go have a beer -- you have a lot to talk about.

Fuck alt country. Fuck neofolk, jazz-blues, soul fusion. To quote Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, "this is rock and roll!" That's really what "Love, Shelby" is -- a rock-n-roll album. Sure there's still jazz and blues and soul and country and folk in each song. But that's what rock music is supposed to be -- it's just recently been taken over by Papa Roach and other pop-wanna-be-punk acts.

Now, you're still asking: is this album as good as "I Am Shelby Lynne"? No. It's not. Sorry. Don't waste my time. But it's still pretty damn good. The opening track is appropriately titled "Trust Me" -- as if she knows that we're thinking and wondering and hesitant to open ourselves up to her new music. So she gently coaxes and seduces us into believing her.

The beauty of "I Am" was the ability to be lush and full and rich in sound without crossing over the line into saturation. But "Love Shelby" at times seems over-produced. After the strings, the swell, the back-up singers, and the horns, did you HAVE to throw in the steel pedal guitar at the very end of the song? I think she should have backed off a bit and kept things a tad more simple on the mixing board. Some may argue that she didn't cross the line -- and others may say the blew past it and is currently residing in "camp". But then again, I think it's brilliant to channel Dinah Shore on some of the instrumentation.

Her lyrics aren't quite as tortured and painful this time around -- she's gotten over the lover from "I Am" and is now struggling with the ups and downs of a new love. Her ability to convey intimacy is still amazing, and I find myself longing to be on the receiving end of her words, only not through a discman on a commuter train, but rather at night under the covers after a long confusing day. The last track, a cover of John Lennon's Mother, stands out in a different way. Shelby already fooled the world when she thanked her parents at the Grammys last year. Now she's twisting the knife of sympathy that folks might be feeling for her. She uses her fucked up past as inspiration for herself, but ONLY herself. She's not letting other folks' perception of her life control her music. She brings something a bit new to the song -- John sang with a lot of anguish, while Shelby sings with a lot of anger. But in her sardonically sweet way.

Or maybe this song just hit me more because of my own familial difficulties.

But that's why I love the Shelby album, despite any flaws. It speaks to my own difficulties and imperfections. She's not perfect, and I don't want her to be.

I got issues like toilet tissues....

But whatever.

Became somewhat inspired today after having lunch with a co-worker who went to Creating Change. Slighlty rejuvenated me re: work, and there's possibility for more. I also had an interesting idea, that I haven't though out completely, but want to write down, lest I forget. The office was approved for the position of Outreach Assistant, but it got put on hold because of september 11th budget restructuring. But maybe by next spring/summer, it would be back up. So I was thinking about the possibility of working that position. It would be part-time. And maybe I could stay on insurance. I would be doing more fun stuff, like resources, talking to people, netwokring, building coalitions, etc. etc. And the rest of the time not working here I could work on music. Hmmm. So anyway, that's my random thought of the day. I'm not sure how feasible, or even if it's what I want -- maybe I'm being resistant to make a clean break. Or maybe I'm being sensible by keeping some sort of steady income. It would only pay something like $10, 000 a year, but I would probably only work 3 days/week, not even for 8 hours. And it would be better than retail as back-up income. And I could stay active. So anyway, that's my random thought for the day.

I really need to get going on my own studying. I also need to stop being scared and actually contact some recording studios in the area and talk to people. Why am I so scared to talk to people when I'm a beginner? I can't stand to just call someone up and ask them to tell me things that I don't already know. Why? I have no problems with people doing it to me. Argh. So I need to get over that. It will help when I actually complete some sections of my course and my textbook and then I will have at least some knowledge, and I can just ask questions regarding what to do with said knowledge.

Tonight is home time for real. Lots of chores to do, and I want to get started (and possibly finished) on my cocktail party invitations.