Wednesday, January 17, 2007
The Best Albums You Never Heard
You had me at Looking For Space
TFMCD and I were headed into Charleston's at the Mesa Grand a a couple of Fridays ago, and decided to just have a seat at the bar, instead of waiting for a dining room table. I'm certainly not opposed to bars......
A lovely young woman was playing guitar and singing away in there, but we didn't pay a lot of attention at first. As we sat chatting and winding down from a tough week, a familiar, long-loved, but seldom heard song reached my ears:
On the road of experience,
I'm trying to find my own way
Sometimes I wish that I could fly away.
I looked back at the lovely young singer, Sarah Vanell, and immediately wondered how in the world she could possibly know Looking For Space, a song that was at best a minor hit for John Denver some three decades ago. I don't even expect you to remember it, for that matter, but Sarah could not possibly have even been born when that song enjoyed some minor popularity, and then fell from the airwaves in 1976.
So, we began to listen more and talk less. This young woman covered a plethora of folk/pop songs that, if I (God forbid) were) playing and singing for others, would be exactly what I would play and sing. It became a thoroughly enjoyable experience, and I later ambled on over and bought her CD, Icarus.
I've listened to Icarus several times now. Here is music in one of its simpler forms - one instrument, and one voice. I was immediately reminded of the confessional songwriting of Sarah McLachlan, and the one girl/one piano performances of Tori Amos, or perhaps Judy Collins.
There's some pain here, some loss, some heartache, even a little angst. If the song Little Angel doesn't break your heart, then you probably don't have one. The album is a bit much for me to listen to straight through, unless I'm in perhaps a more melancholy mood. (Yeah, like that happens very often.) Icarus is perfect, however, for my shuffling iPod, mixed in with some Catie Curtis, Patty Griffin, and yes, my favorite Sarah, the fetching Ms. McLachlan. Hey, even she breaks out with Ice Cream once in a while, for a little fun.
Sarah Vanell's Icarus is well worth your time. I'll bet you can pick up a copy at Charleston's, where you will find her performing at least the next few Friday nights, or from her website. But do yourself a favor and listen to her live. You might just hear a Looking For Space of your own.
