"HISTORY OF US" INDIGO GIRLS (1989)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

The self-titled Indigo Girls album brings me back to my last couple of years of high school. I caught them on the album’s promotion tour at Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre – just my second ever concert at that point. Some of the songs are celebratory, some of them are unmistakably somber, and all of them are deeply reflective. Ray and Saliers were just 25 and 26 respectively when the album was released, but they were wise beyond their years. This gave songs like “History Of Us” a deep sense of perspective and wisdom that you wouldn’t expect from a couple of twenty-somethings.

I think what makes “History Of Us” that much more special is that it wasn’t celebrated like the album’s more well known songs: “Closer To Fine”, “Secure Yourself”, “Kid Fears”, “Love’s Recovery” and “Land Of Canaan”. “History Of Us” is a hidden gem on the record. Quiet, unassuming, not drawing special attention to itself. Written by Saliers, it’s a song that feels like it was written for the listener, about the listener. It leaves a multi-faceted impression in its wake: nostalgia, remorse, sadness, and all of it, absolutely all of it, is just beautiful.

“Stretched our youth as we must, until we are ashes to dust. Until time makes history of us.”

"MY FATHER'S HOUSE" BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (1982)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

One of the most powerful things about being a songwriter is you get to tell your story. They’re not just your words. They’re your memories and experiences. These types of songs always feel much fulfilling because they don’t just rely on technical skill and expertise. They come from the heart. Springsteen has written about his relationships, his home, his life. And here in “My Father’s House”, he writes about his dad.

The stark simplicity of “My Father’s House” is reflective of the minimalist production approach on Nebraska. It’s just Springsteen singing, playing harmonica and strumming his guitar. There’s an air of Johnny Cash happening here, but these lyrics are Springsteen’s story of his strained relationship with his dad. It’s pure Springsteen through and through – proving that the most profound aspect of his musicality is the ability to tell a gripping, personal story.

“Last night I dreamed that I was a child out where the pines grow wild and tall. I was trying to make it home through the forest before the darkness falls.”

"ACROSS THE LINES" TRACY CHAPMAN (1988)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

Some musicians take a little longer to appreciate. That was the case for me with Tracy Chapman and her debut album. “Fast Car” was getting tons of radio airplay, but it wasn’t until I heard the full album that I really started to appreciate what she was doing that no one else was at the time. Some songs grabbed me instantly, like “Baby Can I Hold You” and “Mountains O’Things”. Others eventually got my full, undivided attention after a few listens, and none more so than “Across the Lines”.

“Across the Lines” was genius folk songwriting. It was at another level. This was a black singer giving us a sober look at the world she knew. The song combined the socio-political conscience of Dylan with the raw Americana portraits of Springsteen. It took an incredibly candid, minimalist approach with nowhere to hide. While other artists were wielding their electric guitars, firing up their synthesizers and screaming into their mics, Tracy was strumming on an acoustic and singing from her soul.

“Choose sides. Run for your life.”

"PINK MOON" NICK DRAKE (1972)

A great title track is par for the course when it comes to great albums. If the title track doesn’t cut it, what does that say about the album itself? This month, the Mental Jukebox will be playing some of my favorite title tracks – inspired by @NicolaB_73’s music Twitter challenge, #TopTitleTracks.

Word has been out for several decades now, but for a time Nick Drake was one of music’s best kept secrets. Artists like Robert Smith drew upon Drake’s inspiration early on, but many fans didn’t even know who Nick Drake was or heard anything from his relatively short, but profound catalog until years after his death. With a return to cleaner acoustic-driven, folk-inspired, singer-songwriter records after the grunge era, Nick’s music resonated with fans, including the title track to the last album before his death: “Pink Moon”.

In between verses, Nick sings “Pink, pink, pink, pink”, going lower with each repetition, demonstrating the deep richness of his oak-barreled baritone voice. It’s a marvel to behold that a voice so deep can be so delicate and even serene – a stark contrast to the raw edge found in singers like Johnny Cash, Ian Curtis and Tom Waits. Nick’s voice – not just his vocals, but his message – has no peers. Even still today.

“I SAW IT WRITTEN AND I SAW IT SAY, A PINK MOON IS ON ITS WAY.”

"LAWRENCE, KS" JOSH RITTER (2008)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 21: Lawrence, KS

Americana is one of the more intriguing genres to be somewhat formalized in the music listening lexicon. The label seems so appropriate when you hear music under its moniker, primarily because the genre has a relatively broad definition – essentially anything that stems from a music style rooted in America, like country, bluegrass and blues. It’s why Americana fits well for a broad range of artists, from Dylan to Cash to Springsteen. Josh Ritter may not be the legend that those aforementioned names are, but he has been a long mainstay in the Americana scene, crafting songs about American life, including “Lawrence, KS”.

Earlier this month, I featured John Mellencamp’s “Small Town” on Mental Jukebox. Both “Small Town” and “Lawrence, KS” are about small town life. But they are presented from two very different perspectives. While Mellencamp romanticized small town life, there’s something extremely vulnerable and raw about Ritter’s “Lawrence, KS” and other tracks from his catalog. It’s a town that the protagonist can’t seem to leave despite how it kills him inside.

“And my debts are not like prison Where there's hope of getting free. Lord I can't leave this world behind.”

"TIME HAS TOLD ME" NICK DRAKE (1969)

Great album openers get the listeners to keep on listening. They can do this in any number of ways. Some openers set the tone by easing us in. Others jump right in and blow our minds from the very beginning. A great album opener isn’t an easy thing to create. More than a great song, it’s all about the sequence. Track 1 has to be the perfect starter. This month, I’m highlighting my favorites. #AlbumOpeningSongs

The story of Nick Drake is one of the most unusual narratives in music history. A man who went largely unnoticed while quietly putting together three exceptional folk albums before dying of a drug overdose at the age of 27. Later, his work garnered a growing acclaim among critics and listeners. That includes me. My introduction to the 60’s was The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Zeppelin and the like. I never even heard of Nick Drake until the 2000’s. But better late than never. Five Leaves Left is a rich, beautiful album – and the album opener “Time Has Told Me” is one of my favorite tracks from this under-the-radar record.

While Drake’s primary instrument was his acoustic guitar, the dark subdued piano chords form the key instrumentation on this song. The lyrics are written from a perspective one would expect from a wise, aged man. But this was a 21 year old. Drake’s old soul was driven by a deep sense of self-awareness and emotional maturity, which were remarkably beyond his years. This made his songwriting a true, rare gift. His deep, full baritone assures us that the answers aren’t always right in front us. But they do reveal themselves if we just give it time.

“And time has told me not to ask for more. Someday our ocean will find its shore.”

"UPWARD OVER THE MOUNTAIN" IRON & WINE (2002)

For the month of October, I’m taking the #OctAtoZBandChallenge challenge. The premise is simple. Pick a band starting with the day’s assigned alphabet letter and then choose a song from that band.

Day 9

Production – or a lack of it – sometimes can be the defining statement of an album. Some of my favorite albums of well-known established artists are the ones that take a minimalist approach. Beck’s Sea Change. Sufjan Stevens’ Seven Swans. And, of course, Springsteen’s Nebraska. Iron & Wine’s debut album follows a similar path, recorded initially as a demo on a 4-track, and stayed that way all the way through the album release. If you ever need to be convinced that less is more, the song “Upward Over the Mountain” is all the proof you need.

The song is all Sam Beam. The melody and whispery vocals highly reminiscent of Sufjan Stevens. The rhythm acoustic guitar that seems like it was made for fireside singalongs. And the distinctive slide solo that appears midway through the song, injecting a bright, optimistic disposition over the song. “Upward Over the Mountain” is two parts assurance, one part wallow, somehow capturing just the right balance.

“So may the sunrise bring hope where it once was forgotten. Sons are like birds flying always over the mountain.”

"I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE" CAROLE KING (1971)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #SeptSongLyricChallenge

Day 20

Tapestry is the great American songbook – and “I Feel The Earth Move” leads the way. Carole King’s songs have the distinction of helping us to feel what she’s feeling and to facilitate the transference of those feelings in us. “I Feel the Earth Move” is one of my favorites on the album. There’s an edge coupled with a rare set of emotions. Aggression with soul. You can hear the pounding of those piano keys as if you were lucky enough to have King sing and play it in your own living room.

“I feel the earth move under my feet. I feel the sky tumbling down. I feel my heart start to trembling whenever you're around.”

"CACTUS TREE" JONI MITCHELL (1968)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #SeptSongLyricChallenge

Day 9

“Cactus Tree” is like a book with five chapters. It paints the portraits of four characters with exceptional musicality. The sailor. The climber. The writer. The woman who’s being pursued by all three men. And then there’s the fifth chapter that introduces many more men still – from the jester to the dreamer. What made Mitchell a great storyteller is that she did far more than just introduce a few characters and a plot. She made us empathize with her characters even with just a single verse dedicated to each. That’s some powerful songwriting.

“She has brought them to her senses. They have laughed inside her laughter. Now she rallies her defenses. For she fears that one will ask her for eternity.”

"TIME HAS TOLD ME" NICK DRAKE (1969)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 7

For me, at least, the late blooming career of Nick Drake feels more like discovering hidden treasure on a long voyage than wondering and regretting while we didn’t reach shore earlier. His three-album catalog is a gift full of minor key melodies and wise-beyond-his-years lyrics – delivered in his rich, oaky baritone. “Time Has Told Me” is written like it came from an older, reflective man, but Nick was in his twenties when he penned it. They are words that remind us to never stop being content in the right relationship.

“Your tears they tell me there's really no way of ending your troubles with things you can say.

And time will tell you to stay by my side to keep on trying 'til there's no more to hide.”

"I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT" INDIGO GIRLS (1993)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Philadelphia

Indigo Girls was one of the first concerts I went to. It was 1991, and the duo was riding high on the strength of their debut album. While other folk artists like Suzanne Vega and Tracy Chapman helped pave the way, Indigo Girls took things to another level with their emphasis on harmonies and dual acoustic guitar parts to their songs. In high school, I had plenty of bangers to rock out to and hook-laden tracks to move to. But there was something about Indigo Girls that was different. Their songs came from these deep places in their hearts that made them instantly attractive to me. Songs like “Love’s Recovery", “Secure Yourself” and “Closer To Fine” are a part of my high school soundtrack. A few years later, they contributed a beautiful cover of “I Don’t Want To Talk About It”.

While not a Rod Stewart original, the song is certainly most attributed to him. Everything But The Girl also covered it. But my favorite version is the Indigo Girls recording. Somehow it sounds like an original Indigo Girls song even though it isn’t. It feels like it was made for their harmonies with Amy Ray on alto and Emily Saliers on soprano. It’s sung from a place of vulnerability and brokenness, held together by gorgeous acoustic guitar and piano elements that linger in your head long after you listened to it.

“If I stay here just a little bit longer, if I stay here, won't you listen to my heart?”

"PLACE TO BE" NICK DRAKE (1972)

The decade in which I was born has given me a strange perspective on its music. I discovered pretty much all of the 70’s sounds – from prog rock to punk to disco – well after they came into the world. It wasn’t until the late 80’s that I discovered what I was missing. I would characterize the decade as one where budding genres leaped off their inspiration pads and came to fruition. For the month of February, Mental Jukebox will feature some of these gems with a different 70’s song each day. #28DaysOf70sSongs

Pink Moon was the third and final studio album from Nick Drake. His life vanished before most fans even had a chance to know his music. But his legacy has certainly lived on, and Drake has become somewhat larger than life several decades later. His music is appreciated more these days, but it also resonates more. His brand of folk was quite different from the Simon & Garfunkels and JTs of his era. But one could argue his version of the genre and his musical vision has had the most staying power. No better example of this than “Place To Be”.

Like the rest of the Pink Moon album, “Place To Be” is Nick Drake and no one else. He sings, he strums. It’s incredibly bare, like a friend playing a song for you in your living room. Much has been said about Drake’s bout with depression and his suicide. Pink Moon was released two months before his death, which adds a gravity to “Place To Be”. These were some of his last words and thoughts. It’s a melancholic treatise where Drake’s acoustic guitar strums are like logs in the fire and his vocals are like embers floating away in the dark, dark sky.

“And I was green, greener than the hill where flowers grew and the sun shone still. Now I'm darker than the deepest sea. Just hand me down, give me a place to be.”

"THESE DAYS" NICO (1967)

For the month of January, I’m selecting some of the most memorable and influential songs of the 60’s. While they all hail from the same decade, these are some of my favorite songs of any era. They remind me that the 60’s were so much more than just Woodstock and psychedelic rock. It was a flourishing period for blues, folk, progressive and straight-ahead rock. #31DaysOf60sSongs

Nico was a songwriter, singer, musician, actress, model, and – above all – a collaborator. Most commonly known for her work with The Velvet Underground throughout her career, The Velvet Underground & Nico album is a classic. Her lead vocals on “All Tomorrow’s Parties” are haunting and beautiful at the same time, but it’s her solo debut album Chelsea Girls where she truly shines. It’s a record which features The Velvet Underground quite prominently as well as songwriting and guitar-playing from Jackson Browne. “These Days” is one of those tracks, a song that Browne wrote when he was just 16 years old.

Jackson Browne’s recordings are underrated gems, but I still prefer Nico’s version. I certainly wouldn’t pick Nico to sing 10,000 Maniacs’ “These Are Days”, but she’s the perfect voice and persona for Browne’s songwriting masterpiece. A malaise hangs over the song like molasses, an emotional state in which Nico’s somber bent seems to feel perfectly at home. That feeling of not wanting to get out of bed is deeply entrenched in the vocals, Jackson Browne’s listless guitar arpeggios and a forlorn string arrangement.

“I'd stopped my dreaming. I won't do too much scheming these days.”

"MASTER SONG" LEONARD COHEN (1967)

For the month of January, I’m selecting some of the most memorable and influential songs of the 60’s. While they all hail from the same decade, these are some of my favorite songs of any era. They remind me that the 60’s were so much more than just Woodstock and psychedelic rock. It was a flourishing period for blues, folk, progressive and straight-ahead rock. #31DaysOf60sSongs

Songs of Leonard Cohen is one of the most mature, most impressive debut albums ever recorded. His storytelling and haunting vocals are beautiful, delightful gifts to discerning music fans. His melodies and instrumentation aren’t immediately accessible. They carry a bit of nuance and require a closer listen. These great qualities were all there from the very beginning. “Suzanne”, “So Long, Marianne” and “Sisters of Mercy” were probably the more well-known tracks from the album, but my favorite is the quiet, understated “Master Song”.

The song’s lyrics are an old mysterious story. Cohen himself was always vague about who the song was about, although there’s a thought out there that the song was about Cohen’s girlfriend Marianne, himself and the master - a spiritual guru that Marianne befriended. The lack of clarity is the strength of the song, as it eggs on the listener to keep listening for clues. Are these people real? Are they just fictitious characters? Why is the main character called a master? The mystery is shuffled about in Cohen’s classical guitar riff and a series of strings and Middle Eastern instruments. The quiet strength of “Master Song” is that each verse reads like a chapter in a book that you simply can’t put down.

“He was starving in some deep mystery like a man who is sure what is true.”

"CACTUS TREE" JONI MITCHELL (1968)

For the month of January, I’m selecting some of the most memorable and influential songs of the 60’s. While they all hail from the same decade, these are some of my favorite songs of any era. They remind me that the 60’s were so much more than just Woodstock and psychedelic rock. It was a flourishing period for blues, folk, progressive and straight-ahead rock. #31DaysOf60sSongs

In music, there are lyricists. And then there are storytellers. Joni Mitchell always struck me as being one of the latter. Mitchell is heralded as one of the greatest songwriters of our time. But she’s more than that. Her songs are like stories put to melodies. They paint a picture for us, like all the great novels do. Blue is often considered her crowning achievement, and it’s listed on many “great albums of all time” lists. But the lesser known “Song to a Seagull” contains a few gems, including the understated and gorgeous “Cactus Tree”.

“Cactus Tree” is like a book with five chapters. It paints the portraits of four characters with exceptional musicality. The sailor. The climber. The writer. The woman who’s being pursued by all three men. And then there’s the fifth chapter that introduces many more men still – from the jester to the dreamer. What made Mitchell a great storyteller is that she did far more than just introduce a few characters and a plot. She made us empathize with her characters even with just a single verse dedicated to each. That’s some powerful songwriting.

“There's a lady in the city and she thinks she loves them all.”

"TIME HAS TOLD ME" NICK DRAKE (1969)

For the month of January, I’m selecting some of the most memorable and influential songs of the 60’s. While they all hail from the same decade, these are some of my favorite songs of any era. They remind me that the 60’s were so much more than just Woodstock and psychedelic rock. It was a flourishing period for blues, folk, progressive and straight-ahead rock. #31DaysOf60sSongs

The story of Nick Drake is one of the most unusual narratives in music history. A man who went largely unnoticed while quietly putting together three exceptional folk albums before dying of a drug overdose at the age of 27. Later, his work garnered a growing acclaim among critics and listeners. That includes me. My introduction to the 60’s was The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Zeppelin and the like. I never even heard of Nick Drake until the 2000’s. But better late than never. Five Leaves Left is a rich, beautiful album – and “Time Has Told Me” is one of my favorite tracks from this under-the-radar record.

While Drake’s primary instrument was his acoustic guitar, the dark subdued piano chords form the key instrumentation on this song. The lyrics are written from a perspective one would expect from a wise, aged man. But this was a 21 year old. Drake’s old soul was driven by a deep sense of self-awareness and emotional maturity, which were remarkably beyond his years. This made his songwriting a true, rare gift. His deep, full baritone assures us that the answers aren’t always right in front us. But they do reveal themselves if we just give it time.

“And time has told me not to ask for more. Someday our ocean will find its shore.”

"HEARTBEATS" JOSE GONZALEZ (2003)

Each day in December, I’ll be reflecting back on a song from the 2000’s. The decade saw the return of post-punk and the popularization of folk music, all while some of music’s biggest acts gained their indie footing. Thankfully, it’s a period that I can look back at fondly without cringing. #31DaysOf2000sSongs

So many things constantly compete for our attention. Truthfully, this even occurs at concerts. There’s what’s happening on stage, in the crowd, in the lights, in the back. But I’ve found every time my wife and I attend a Jose Gonzalez show, our full attention is fixated on the performance of his wonderfully magnetic vocals paired with exceptional guitar playing. It seems too obvious to go with “Heartbeats”. It is, after all, the song that put Jose on the map. But the song is just that good.

“Heartbeats” was originally penned by electronic group and fellow Swedes The Knife. However, Jose Gonzalez practically reinvented the song with his reflective, classical guitar approach. “Heartbeats” is life in slow motion, slow enough for us to pause and reflect on every single word and note. It’s a reminder that music can be a catalyst for so many things. The guitar part is much more complex than it sounds as Jose is playing a rhythm guitar line and bass line at the same time. The lyrics, at times cryptic, contain references to God and the devil. It’s a complex, yet beautiful song full of nuances and reflection that will likely remain timeless.

“One night to be confused. One night to speed up truth.”

"HURT" JOHNNY CASH (2002)

Each day in December, I’ll be reflecting back on a song from the 2000’s. The decade saw the return of post-punk and the popularization of folk music, all while some of music’s biggest acts gained their indie footing. Thankfully, it’s a period that I can look back at fondly without cringing. #31DaysOf2000sSongs

This is already the third time I’m featuring “Hurt” on Mental Jukebox. It’s one of my all-time favorite cover songs. When I think of all the great cover songs from the last 25 years, some of the best ones are adored and revered by the original writers and recording artists. Johnny Cash’s rendition of Nine Inch Nail’s “Hurt” is one of those songs. Of Cash’s rendition, NIN frontman Trent Reznor famously said, “That song isn’t mine anymore.” The crazy thing is it’s true.

Cash elevated “Hurt” into the stratosphere. Powerful. Gripping. Even more haunting than the original, which seems like an impossible task, as Nine Inch Nails already created a masterpiece with the original. Recorded the year before he died, this was like Cash’s swan song. There’s even a faint percussion element in the background of the recording that sounds like a clock ticking. Time was literally passing by. The days were numbered for Cash. The most impressive thing about the cover is that he took emotions and thoughts so deeply personal to Reznor and made them his own. Toward the end of his life, this recording represents one of Johnny Cash’s crowning achievements.

“What have I become? My sweetest friend, everyone I know goes away in the end.”

"KIND & GENEROUS" NATALIE MERCHANT (1998)

Each day in November, I’m revisiting a song from the 90’s — a decade that was a sorta coming of age for me. In that span, I experienced high school, college and my time as a young single guy in New York City. It was a decade of ups and downs, and the music never stopped playing during that span. It was always there with me. #30DaysOf90sSongs

It’s hard to imagine my listening experience without mentioning the importance 10,000 Maniacs played in expanding my musical tastes. They were a band that got their exposure on alt rock radio though they sounded nothing like the other acts. But it’s the band’s catalog — and In My Tribe, in particular — that kicked off my interest in folk rock. Songs like “Don’t Talk”, “Hey Jack Kerouac” and “Verdi Cries” drew my attention to Natalie Merchant’s lyrics. While I’m not as big a fan of her solo work from an instrumental perspective, the lyrics were always strong, including the simple and sincere “Kind & Generous”.

The song is timeless, but even more than that, it has seen periods of resurgence, taking on new significance with various world events. This is the power of “Kind & Generous”. It’s message of gratitude continues to resonate and find new meaning, most recently during the COVID-19 pandemic. The song was featured in a commercial last year thanking healthcare workers on the frontline. As universal as the song’s theme is, I can’t think of a track that uttered the words “thank you” better than this one. And with that, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you for allowing me to share my love for music with you.

“For your kindness I'm in debt to you. And I never could have come this far without you.”

"ACROSS THE LINES" TRACY CHAPMAN (1988)

For the second half of September, I’m putting my Mental Jukebox into a time machine, featuring the best songs on the best albums from the very best years of music. #70sThrough90sBestAlbum

Some musicians take a little longer to appreciate. That was the case for me with Tracy Chapman and her debut album. “Fast Car” was getting tons of radio airplay, but it wasn’t until I heard the full album that I really started to appreciate what she was doing that no one else was at the time. Some songs grabbed me instantly, like “Baby Can I Hold You” and “Mountains O’Things”. Others eventually got my full, undivided attention after a few listens, and none more so than “Across the Lines”.

“Across the Lines” was genius folk songwriting. It was at another level. This was a black singer giving us a sober look at the world she knew. The song combined the socio-political conscience of Dylan with the raw Americana portraits of Springsteen. It took an incredibly candid, minimalist approach with nowhere to hide. While other artists were wielding their electric guitars, firing up their synthesizers and screaming into their mics, Tracy was strumming on an acoustic and singing from her soul.

“Choose sides. Run for your life. Tonight the riots begin on the back streets of America. They kill the dream of America.”