A long, long way from last week's Frank Zappa for sure (!), but something new that you might not have come across.
A really, really great "country" Album but more folky if "country" puts you off. "New Country" call it and rightly, Carpenters most successful Album (quadruple platinum). She's a 5 time Grammy winner too.
So whatever pigeon-hole you want to put it in, put it in the "really good Album" one.
It's her fourth Album from 1992 and you might remember the single "I feel lucky" from it and perhaps "Passionate Kisses" (Lucinda Williams cover).
Perhaps too, the better known tracks are "Come on Come on", the disturbingly true "He thinks he'll keep her", the uplifting "I take my chances" but there's 2 really superb, all-time great songs here.
"I am a town" just sums up the typical sleepy US town just off the highway ("I'm the last gas for an hour if you're going 25....") and "Only a dream" is a great story about her sister. These two are linked below and frankly, as beautiful as you can get.
Rosanne Cash features on the record, as does Shawn Colvin, The Indigo Girls and Benmont Tench from Tom Petty's Heartbreakers, on Organ. John Jennings her long time collaborator of course, is fundamental to the record too.
Mary is a cousin (and not a daughter as many believe) of songwriter Harry Chapin, from New Jersey. She's actually touring this year and a fine live performer (having seen her three times).
In fact, if memory serves me right, I think I saw her as she supported Nanci Griffith at one stage as she started out (?). Might be wrong but think so. Answers on a postcard.
This is definitely, absolutely, an Album to have and to cherish. You'll love it whether you're a country fan or not. You only have to be a fan of really good music.
Previous "listen to's" you'll also find on this blog (you can search them in the Search top left on the Blog)......Frank Zappa 'Joe's Garage': Joni Mitchell 'Blue': Steve Gibbons 'Caught in the Act': Elton John 'Tumbleweed Connection': Elton John 'Honky Chateau': Gallagher & Lyle 'Breakaway': Warren Zevon 'Excitable Boy': Donald Fagen 'The Nightfly': Supertramp 'Breakfast in America': George Michael 'Listen without predujice': Radiohead 'The Bends': Beyonce 'Lemonade' Album of the year 2016: Oddisee 'The mix Tape': Soul 11 Soul 'Club Classics': Jennifer Warnes 'Famous Blue Raincoat':Art Garfunkel 'Watermark': REM 'Out of Time': Van 'Keep me Singing': Frank Sinatra 'Songs for Swinging Lovers': Al Stewart 'Year of the Cat': Stevie Ray Vaughan 'Texas Flood':Frank Ocean 'Blond': Jimmy Buffett 'Son of a Sailor': Marc Cohn 'Marc Cohn': Bill Withers 'Complete Sussex and Columbia': Hendrix 'Electric Ladyland': ABC 'Lexicon of Love': Rickie Lee Jones 'Rickie Lee Jones': Billy Joel "Glass Houses": Rodriguez "Cold Fact": Prefab Sprout 'Steve McQueen'; Chet Baker 'Live 64-79'; The Stone Roses 'Stone Roses'; Joe Jackson 'I'm the Man'; Oasis 'Morning Glory'; Bob Dylan 'At The Budokan'; Van "It's too late to stop now Volume 2/3/4"; Air 'Moon Safari'; Talking Heads 'Stop Making Sense'; Lynyrd Skynyrd 'One for the road'; Marvin Gaye 'Whats Goin on'; Mercury Rev 'Deserters Songs'; Dave Matthews 'Crash'; Beyonce 'Lemonade'; Prince 'Sign O the times'; Daft Punk 'Random Access Memories'; Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black';Police 'Outlandos D'Amour'; Michael Jackson 'Off the Wall'; Carole King 'Tapestry'; Beatles 'Red Album'; Sex Pistols 'Never mind the Bollocks'; Sam Cooke 'Live at Harlem Square'; The Doors 'LA Woman'; Thin Lizzy 'Live & Dangerous'; Kendrick Lamarr 'Butterfly'; Aretha Franklin 'Amazing Grace'; Clapton '461'; Massive Attack 'Blue Lines'; The Clash 'London Calling'; Chris Isaak 'At The Filmore'; Bob Dylan 'Street Legal'; Bad Company 'Straight Shooter'; Jackson Browne 'Love is Strange'; Lou Reed 'Transformer'; Steely Dan 'AJA'; Stones 'Black+Blue'; Stephen Bishop 'Careless'; Nils Lofgren 'Night after Night'; Mike Oldfield 'Tubular Bells'; Neil Young 'Harvest'; Led Zep '4'; David Bowie 'David Live'; Van Morrison 'It's too late to stop now'; Wings 'Band on the Run'; Rod Stewart 'Atlantic Crossing'; Ryan Adams 'Heartbreaker'; Santana 'Essential'; Bob Dylan 'Desire'; Roxy Music 'For your pleasure'; Bob Marley 'Legend'; Stephen Fretwell 'Magpie'; James Taylor 'Sweet Baby James'; Deep Purple 'Machine Head'; Springsteen 'Darkness on the edge of town'; Leon Bridges 'Coming Home'; Eagles 'Hotel California'; Jungle; Aretha 'Soul Queen'; Neil Young 'After the Goldrush' ; Zappa 'Overnite Sensation'; Fleetwood Mac 'Rumours'; Keith Jarrett 'Koln Concert'; Doobies 'Southbound'; Stevie Earle 'I feel Alright'; Tom Waits 'Closing Time'; Pink Floyd 'Dark Side'; Van Morrison 'Moondance'; Eric Church 'Caught in the Act'; Randy Newman 'Little Criminals'; Elton John 'Madman across the water'; Patti Smith 'Horses'; Doobies 'Captain and Me'; Steely Dan 'Can't Buy a Thrill'.
