Wednesday's standouts:
Classic Folk
- Ring Them Bells (Live)-Joan Baez (Baez's rendition of the Bob Dylan tune is a timely reminder that not everyone has their priorities in order. The piano accompaniment adds gravity to lyrics that people in this ethics-and-empathy-challenged political climate could stand to internalize. Sarah Jarosz and Erin Bode recorded strong covers of this, as well.)
The Coffee House
- Patterns-Laura Marling (Warm musings on how parenthood might pan out. Voice-and-acoustic-guitar pairings like this usually captivate me.)
- One And Only-Michael Kiwanuka (A reassuring way of conveying, "Not every decision we make will live up to our ideals, but as a couple, we're in this for life, and we'll always be there for each other.")
Deep Tracks Just Music
- Crying In The Rain-Rockpile (Vocally, this cover matches the emotional depth of the original Everly Brothers hit. Crowded House's "Better Be Home Soon" would sound compatible after it.)
Lo-Fi Study
- Sixth Station-Anbuu/Blue Wednesday (Pleasant piano playing anchors this otherwise somewhat spacey instrumental.)
Piano Instrumentals
- Flight From The City-Johann Johannsson (This poignant, dramatic melody could underscore someone receiving life-changing news.)
Real Jazz
- Sunflower (Little Sunflower)-Milt Jackson (An imaginative fantasia for vibraphone, trumpet, piano, and drums. Freddie Hubbard shines on trumpet in his own composition, and Herbie Hancock's piano wizardry is another key ingredient in the tune's ambience.)
The Village
- Boom-Sierra Hull (Vocally and instrumentally, this is a different style than I'm used to hearing from Hull. It's successful, in part because rhythmically, the melody reminds me of Nilsson's "Coconut.")
