The Changer and the Changed

I am genuinely perturbed at how fast July flew by. So much, in fact, I don't even want to talk about it.

I have a happier subject to dwell on anyway: my new favourite album.

The other night when I was meant to be sleeping, I found myself googling lesbian singer-songwriters, because that's where my interests lie these days.

And on some blessed compilation list on some blessed website, I ran across a recommendation for an album by Cris Williamson called The Changer and the Changed. Embedded was her song 'Waterfall'... and before the song had even finished, I knew I wanted this album. Less than 20 minutes later, I had ordered a copy. I didn't even listen to any other songs off it. I just somehow knew I would love it.

(I only doubted this when I received it and feared it was going to turn out to be a country album. But only the second track was country, to my relief.)

Cris Williamson, where have you been my whole life?

(photo credit)

I've yet to explore her other music (she's been recording since the 60s) and I look forward to doing so, but for now I just want to bask in the perfection that is The Changer and the Changed.

This album was released in 1975 without the help of any men. Seriously. It was released on the independent label Olivia Records (which was completely women-based) and in the liner notes it says, "This album was made with the help of these women" and proceeds to list a plethora of females. As a feminist, I think that's pretty awesome.
There is something timeless about The Changer and the Changed. Something indelibly golden. The ten songs that make up this album made a home within me the first time I heard them. I've had this album for only a month, but it has touched me so much already. I hope it continues to mean a lot to me over the years. (And reading what other people have to say about it, I suspect it will!)
I don't know how to classify this album. Just give it a try and if you like it--wonderful! Below I'm posting the song that started it all for me 'Waterfall':

Wizard Flurry Home

The first draft of this post was scribbled at 3 AM when I couldn't fall asleep. (Long story. Or boring story, really.) I soon discovered, to my chagrin, that while my eyes wouldn't close, my brain was not functioning with its usual (ha!) keenness.

Good news is, I've been sleeping better! And hopefully this post won't read as inanely as the words on this paper next to me. (I can barely read my handwriting, to be honest.)

Okay, convoluted opening over, let's get to the reason I'm here: to talk about Mariee Sioux.

Or more specifically, her album Faces in the Rocks. It came out in 2007, and I used to listen to it around 2008, I think. But that was the time when I was discovering a lot of new and wonderful music... and I lost touch with Mariee Sioux's music.

I went to look up Faces in the Rocks a year or two ago and discovered, annoyingly enough, it was unavailable. There was a reason for this. A reason I knew. But right now I can find no information on what happened. It's eerily like it never happened. (This is quite perturbing.) But something happened with the label, I think, and she no longer owned the rights to the songs? I have no idea anymore. All I know is, I was not able to buy this album until this past year.

Though predominately labeled simply a folk album, the Native American influence of  Faces in the Rocks is so apparent, it seems to be putting it lightly to say it was merely influenced by that culture. This album is imbued with it. The most enchanting part of this is the Native American flute that haunts the album. (I don't know if there's a more specific name for it. I'm just going off of what wikipedia is telling me.) Which is why I'm posting the opening song of the album 'Wizard Flurry Home'. I think it features the flute the most. Also it's the song I remember with the most clarity from when I listened to this album so many years ago.



(C'est tout pour maintenant. I hope to be less absent on this blog from here on out. I've missed it!)

Till Tomorrow

I scribbled part of this post on a piece of paper somewhere, but now I can't locate it. I wouldn't be too bothered about this except I think there was a poem written on the other side. I really need to get my act together.

I've really missed music blogging, so I'm hoping to get back in the habit. I've been wanting to actually write this post for ages, so I'm ignoring the fact I'm tired, overheated, and have a stomach ache. Don't you feel sorry for me now? Well it's okay. Because I'm here to talk about someone awesome: Don McLean.

I think everyone knows either 'American Pie' or 'Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)'.  I myself have known and loved the song 'American Pie' for years. I had no idea what a wonderful store of Don McLean music exists. Sadly besides 'Best Of" type albums and American Pie, buying his music is not as convenient or cheap as one would hope for in this day in age.

I should probably put some of his biographical information in here somewhere... but nah. I'm just going to jump right in with my personal nonentities. Several months ago I downloaded American Pie on a whim and let me just say that is possibly the best decision I've made in the past 6 months.

This album was released in 1971 and was his second album. I don't know what else to say about it, except there is not a track on it I don't love. The album is mainly composed of beautiful, melancholic folk songs, but there's humour ('Everybody Loves Me, Baby'), anti-war ('The Grave'), and a cover of the traditional 'Babylon'. Not to mention the title track and opener 'American Pie' which is still, in my estimation, 8 1/2 minutes of bliss.

So I've picked the second track 'Till Tomorrow' to post, because it was the first song I listened to after I downloaded the album. When it started playing, I knew I'd made a good choice.

(The song might take anywhere from 6 to 30 seconds to load. Heh. Heh. Good things come to those who wait, though!)

Little Wanderer

I am still very much alive, never fear! Not only have I not felt like blogging lately, I keep forgetting to listen to all the new music I've been buying. Ha!

Lately, no music has made me feel like I want to blog about it. Nothing, that is, until I came across the band Lilliput.

It's a funny story how I came across this band. (Okay, maybe it's not that funny...) If you have interacted with me at all in the past 6 months, you'll probably know that I've been voraciously watching the TV series Byker Grove (also affectionately referred to by me as my "children's soap opera"). I merely started watching the show because that's where Ant and Dec's career and friendship began, and before I knew what was happening, I was finishing the the 18th and last series. I love that show, okay. And I'm American so I can't even claim I merely like it for nostalgic reasons. :P

Anyhow, on one of my many walks down the crowded streets of Google, I discovered that Dan[iel] Waterston (who played the character of Mickey in series 15-18 of Byker Grove) was now the drummer in a Sunderland-based band called Lilliput. My hopes were raised when I saw the band's genre described as "alternative folk".

I first watched their video 'Until' and quite liked it, but it was only when I went on to watch their live video for their song 'Little Wanderer' that I knew I had found a new favourite.




Lilliput has yet to release an album or an EP, but you can be sure that I will be waiting eagerly for the day when they do.


(Supplemental link: Head to their official site to join their mailing list and get a free download for their song 'Until'!)

A Lullaby to Wander By

I've been absent. Not just here, but everywhere. In my mind,  even. I still feel absent. But this is a lazy afternoon, so I thought I'd write a blog post. I hope to be posting more in September.

My vinyl collection has a grand total of 5 records in it. The only one of these that could be considered rare is Through the Eyes of Terry Bêr, which is by... you guessed it! Terry Bêr.

This album was released in 1968, and it's actually not very hard to get a vinyl copy of it. It has not, however, been released on CD or in any other digital form, officially, which is a shame.

This album was nothing like I expected. I thought it would be more psychedelic folk, but nothing could be further from the fact. It's core genre is folk, but it has influence from Spain. Or perhaps Mexico. I would even say there is a Mariachi influence on a couple of the songs.  Though initially surprised, I've grown extremely fond of this album.

Of the 12 tracks, half of them were written by Terry. Notably, there are two Leonard Cohen covers and also a Donovan cover. The songs written by her are my favourites, though. (They are 'Wouldn't You Loved to Be Clothed Like a Tree'; 'A Lullaby to Wander By'; 'But If You're Lonely'; 'Come on Over to My House'; 'Streets of My Village'; and 'Gemini Gypsy'.) In  case you haven't guessed from the title, my favourite is 'A Lullaby to Wander By'. This peaceful song sounds like the atmoshpere the title conjures. That's all I have to say, really. :)

Have a listen: