No right to take my joy, I want it back.

[raybear]

I understand that when I discover something and all excited about it, I'm prone to hyperbolic enthusiasm. I know. But. People. This morning, I was listening to Bettye LaVette's new album, The Scene of the Crime, and it is so good, and making me so happy, so I get greedy and start looking for more, and I came across her last album of covers, "I've Got My Own Hell To Raise". People. Good people. Ok, first of all, this is Bettye, if you don't know [Warning: there is audio, of music and of her talking, don't be startled, but LOOK at her belt buckle. For her press shot!]

Secondly, here's the tracklist:

1. "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" by (Sinéad O'Connor) – 2:11
2. "Joy" (Lucinda Williams) – 3:55
3. "Down to Zero" (Joan Armatrading) – 3:10
4. "The High Road" (Sharon Robinson) – 4:29
5. "On the Surface" (Roseanne Cash) – 3:26
6. "Just Say So" (Cathy Majeski/John Scott Sherill) – 4:29
7. "Little Sparrow" (Dolly Parton) – 4:41
8. "How Am I Different" (Aimee Mann) – 4:28
9. "Only Time Will Tell" (Toni Brown) – 4:33
10. "Sleep to Dream" by (Fiona Apple) – 3:46

To paraphrase Aimee Mann, it is saving my day.

This has been a week of intense grief, but in an ultimately positive way, I think, and listening to lots of blues and soul music is a good way to transform myself on this Friday. I'm about to take a bath and make a phone call. Also, ComEd has this new commercial campaign for changing your bulbs to efficient commpact ones, and it is all about light bulb jokes, and they amuse me to no end (and I think of cocolola too) and this morning I saw a new one.

Q: How many blues singers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: It doesn't matter, because nothing is the same now that the old one is gone.

Comments

[unscrambled.livejournal.com]

I saw her after "I've got my own hell to raise" came out and I was disappointed, though that record was good. Lack of a good band sinks a soul singer like a frigging stone. I'll check this record out though, I didn't know she had a new one.

[raybear.livejournal.com]

i would say you could get it from me from soulseek, but we know how that turned out. maybe i can zip it up and just e-mail it to you.

Disappointed?

[(Anonymous)]

That's strange. I've never heard of ANYBODY walking out of a Bettye LaVette concert "disappointed." This lady sings as hard for 30 people as she does for 30,000. Her work ethic is the same as a stage actor: "you give a first-class performance every time you hit the stage, for these people have never seen this show AND they have PAID to see you."

One night at Joe's Pub in New York, the place was overly packed, even the people standing were scrunched together. After her electrifying show, nearly half that audience crowed backstage, in the hall outside her dressing room to continue cheering. When LaVette emerged from her dressing room, she broke into tears. You've never SEEN such love and appreciation coming from an audience.

Maybe you caught her on the ONE bad night she's had. I'd urge you to go and see her again. Also, check out her '70s recordings. Her voice is different, but just as soulful.

With this latest CD, Scene of the Crime, I'm predicting Grammy nominations.

Re: Disappointed?

[unscrambled.livejournal.com]

It wasn't her as much as it was her backup band. It was a rock band and not a soul band, so there wasn't that kind of--tightness--to it that I wanted there to be. I have other recordings of hers, which is what prompted me to buy her last album.
S