January 2006 List

"True Blue": Rod Stewart
(Never a Dull Moment, 1972)
Some time between Christmas and New Year's Eve, I dreamt about the Never a Dull Moment album cover, which my parents owned, though I never listened to the actual record growing up. Thinking that my dream about the album cover contained some sort of "message," I bought the CD and played it for my mom a few days ago, whereupon she shared the memory of telling a guy she was dating in the early '70's (before she met my father) that Rod Stewart would one day be "bigger than Joe Cocker."

"Shine": Cyndi Lauper
(The Body Acoustic, 2005)
Melika and I were treated to a Cyndi Lauper concert at Irving Plaza last year (a benefit for a music industry exec who died of cancer) and neither of us were prepared for the unbridled passion and exuberance that Ms. Lauper brought to her performance. Cyndi opened her set with a powerful rendition of the somewhat obscure "Shine" - a personal favorite of mine - which she recently rerecorded in a stripped-down version on The Body Acoustic.

"Go Ask Shakespeare": Burt Bacharach featuring Rufus Wainwright
(At This Time, 2005)
Thanks to the kind folks at LIFEbeat, I was given Burt Bacharach's new album as a Christmas present. I honestly didn't know what to expect, aside from the obligatory flugelhorns and string arrangements, but "Go Ask Shakespeare," with its mournful sax and aching vocal by Rufus Wainwright, is the gem in Bacharach's latest crown.

"Mushaboom": Feist
(Let it Die, 2004)
Hailing from Alberta, Feist is the equivalent of dark amber maple syrup - her voice is warm and sweet but not overly sugary. This track, featuring a sparse but funky rhythm track, was introduced to me by Mr. Mark Lee and suits a range of moods - from snow falling gently, to late afternoon strolls around Manhattan, to quiet introspection.

"Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight": Michael Brecker with James Taylor
(The Nearness of You, 2001)
It's not often that I get excited about James Taylor's voice (sorry to all JT fans reading this), but I was pleasantly surprised to hear how "tailor"-made his voice is to guest on a Michael Brecker album with Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Charlie Haden (among others) in the line up. However, in listening to this track, I can't help but think about JT's ex-wife, Carly Simon, being 20 years ahead of the game when she released the torchy Torch album after their divorce in 1981.