April 2005 List

"Easy As Life": Tina Turner
(AIDA, 1999)
Many years have elapsed since my friend Scott played me the AIDA album, which features a diverse array of artists singing songs from Tim Rice and Elton John's musical before it became a Broadway show. With Tina's recent reemergence in the public eye, I finally picked up a copy and am simply enchanted by her delivery - she gives the words a unique shape by singing in the lower part of her register, quite different from the Broadway recording.

"I Can't Stop": Al Green
(I Can't Stop, 2003)
The first ten seconds of this song make my heart beat faster, with the drum beat and horns forecasting the arrival of Reverend Green's trademark set of pipes. Life is much more delicious because of this song - anyone else agree?

"Heed the Warning": Chaka Khan
(What Cha' Gonna Do For Me, 1981)
Shortly after buying this album (upon the recommendation of a "Chaka-holic"), I programmed the CD into my stereo before taking a nap so Chaka could sing me off to dreamland. I awoke to the ethereal-sounding instrumental break in the middle of this song, feeling like I was waking up on a floating cumulus cloud (from which I have yet to come down).

"Rose Rouge": St. Germain
(Tourist, 2000)
Many of my hard-earned dollar bills have been sucked away by the jukebox at The Pink Pony on Ludlow Street, which houses about forty CD's across different genres of music. Upon hearing this track for the first time, I fled from my peanut butter/honey/banana sandwich and coffee to the jukebox and investigated which one of those forty CD's held this blissfully buoyant jazz/funk gem.

"Trouble": Ray LaMontagne
(Trouble, 2004)
Currently, there aren't many new artists on the major record labels whose voices stray from "American Idol" territory. Ray LaMontagne is an exception, for the title track to his first album is a slow-burning, soul-baring story of a song, anchored by a well-worn voice that brings sandpaper to life.