Christopher Cross Is Releasing A Career Retrospective Boxed Set

In early 1984, “Think Of Laura” was on the radio constantly. I was twelve years old, and even at that age, the song affected me. It was beautiful and moving. I eventually bought the record, and a few other albums by Christopher Cross, and wondered just what the deal was regarding the flamingos which were featured prominently on the covers of his first couple of records. I still have no idea. But, no matter. The music was good. And now Christopher Cross is releasing a giant, limited edition boxed set. Titled Complete Works, it contains thirteen CDs – twelve previously released albums and a bonus disc of thirteen rare tracks. All tracks have been remastered. The albums contained in this set are Christopher Cross, Another Page, Every Turn Of The World, Back Of My Mind, Rendezvous, Window, Walking In Avalon, A Christopher Cross Christmas, The Café Carlyle Sessions, Doctor Faith, Secret Ladder and Take Me As I Am. But possibly the coolest thing in the box is a pink vinyl album containing one cut from each of the albums. As I’ve mentioned before, I love colored vinyl, and I have to imagine the color pink was chosen because of the flamingos. And speaking of flamingos, the cover of this boxed set shows Christopher Cross riding a giant flamingo. Why not? The boxed set also contains a book, and maybe in its pages the flamingo fixation is explained. By the way, each of these boxed sets is signed by Christopher Cross himself, and the run is limited to a thousand copies. It is rather expensive, but pretty cool.

The Sensational Country Blues Wonders!: “The World Will Break Your Heart” (2020) CD Review

The Sensational Country Blues Wonders is the project of Gary Van Miert, a singer and songwriter based in New Jersey. The World Will Break Your Heart features all original material, written by Gary Van Miert, the music being country, with a certain Bakersfield sound influence, but also blues, ragtime and honkytonk influences. And it’s all delivered with a sense of fun.

The album opens with “Second Fiddle To A Steel Guitar,” and you can probably guess from that title that this one has a playful aspect. It is adorable and enjoyable, and the line “Where in a whisky bottle she will sink and finally drown” for one reason or another made me laugh aloud the first time I heard it. It’s a drinking song, but about someone else’s drinking. And yes, there is some good work on steel guitar, as well as fiddle, and there is a moment when the two come together that is wonderful. That’s followed by “I’m Afraid Of Every Goddamn Thing,” a title that reminds me of a joke from The Simpsons. An elderly character is doing standup in front of other elderly people, and he says: “You know what else scares me? Everything.” Anyway, this is a sweet-sounding country song about a pervading fear, a song that will likely speak to people in this rather terrifying year. Hey, aren’t we united in our fears? It begins, “I’m afraid of scary clowns and snakes/I’m afraid of drowning in a lake/I’m afraid of crashing in my car/I’m afraid of taking things too far.” This is a totally delightful song, a song to help us smile at our own personal fears. “I’m afraid of what each new day brings.” Ah yes, that has been our existence for the last four years, hasn’t it?

“I Can Hear The Music Plays” opens with the lines, “Wherever I go, whatever I do/Music sticks in my head like glue/When I hear it playing on and on/I know my blues will soon be gone.” Now those are some lines I can relate to, and if you’re reading a music blog, I’m certain you can relate to them as well. And in this total shitstorm of a year, music has been one thing that has kept me sane. Also, I like the way he draws out the line, “I know my blues will soon be gone,” putting more emphasis on it. And we should focus on that idea too, for our blues will soon be gone. These lines also stand out for me: “Music is what I live for/Whatever ails you, it will cure.” Music has helped me get through not just this godawful year, but the last four damn years. But the country’s blues will soon be gone, for its main source has finally been fired. That’s followed by “When Your Heart Is Blue,” a sweet waltz. “What do you do when your heart is blue/You pick yourself up and find something to do.” Hey, am I crazy or does this song remind you a bit of John Lennon’s “Happy X-mas (War Is Over),” particularly in the vocal line at times? “I’ve got a blue heart and don’t know what to do/I’m in a grey mood through and through/I’m seeing red and I can’t do a thing/Just deal with the pain that my blue heart will bring.”

“Double Barrel Blues” is a total delight, and came as a surprise the first time I listened to this album, what with that old-time parlor sound. I love it, particularly that work on piano. Plus, it features tuba. So there. And can you blame him for having the blues? When you have a shotgun pointed at your face, you will certainly have the blues too. “I guess that I’m just born to lose/I guess I’ve got to pay my dues/I’ve got those double barrel blues.” That’s followed by “Love Murders Your Heart,” a fun song on the darker aspects of love. I am happy to say I can’t relate to this one at all, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying it. Then “I Won’t Change Anything (My Oh My)” is a positive, joyful song celebrating a lack of restrictions. “They would smack me in the head/But I wouldn’t do a thing they said/I won’t follow their rules, my oh my.”  You have to love a country song that includes the line “I won’t bow down or follow tradition.” Plus, this track features some nice work on fiddle.

Things then get bluesy with “I’m A Heartbreaker.” Check out that harmonica! Though the vocals are still country through and through. And when he sings, “Don’t believe a word I say/‘Cause you know I’m a liar,” I can’t help but think of a certain pile of human waste occupying the White House (but he will soon be gone!). “I’m A Heartbreaker” is followed by “My Baby Stabbed Me With A Steak Knife.” This song’s title is the second one from this album to make me laugh (the first being the lead track). “My girlfriend’s got a temper that she can’t control.” I’ll say! The album then concludes with “Privilege,” a rather beautiful and moving song, featuring what is probably the best vocal performance on the album. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Still my love will only cease/When my heart no longer beats/I don’t know where the time has gone/The days fly by from dusk ‘til dawn/But if there’s one thing I’ve learned is true/It’s a privilege to know all of you.” It’s a song celebrating the friends and other folks who play a part in our lives, something to think about these days, to be aware of how meaningful our relationships are. This album provides quite a few laughs, but it ends with a heartfelt and beautiful song.

CD Track List

1. Second Fiddle To A Steel Guitar
2. I’m Afraid Of Every Goddamn Thing
3. I Can Hear The Music Play
4. When Your Heart Is Blue
5. Double Barrel Blues
6. Love Murders Your Heart
7. I Won’t Change Anything (My Oh My)
8. I’m A Heartbreaker
9. My Baby Stabbed Me With A Steak Knife
10. Privilege
    

The World Will Break Your Heart was released on CD on November 13, 2020.

Devin B. Thompson: “Tales Of The Soul” (2020) CD Review

Devin B. Thompson is a vocalist and songwriter based in Chicago. Tales Of The Soul features mostly his original material, though also contains a few good covers. The music here, as you might have guessed from the album’s title, is soul, with Devin’s vocals having a smooth, friendly quality. His is a voice of passion and joy. Backing the vocalist on this album are Steve Gomes on bass, Robb Stupka on drums, Johnny Moeller on guitar, Kevin Anker on piano, Benjie Porecki on organ, Mark Merella on percussion, Kenny Rittenhouse on trumpet, Joe Donegan on trumpet, Antonia Orta on saxophone, and Bill Holmes on trombone, as well as a couple of guests on certain tracks. Caleb Green, Christal Rheams and Kennedy Thompson provide backing vocals.

As mentioned, this album features mostly original material, but there are three covers. Interestingly, they are positioned as the first three tracks, the album opening with “Love To See You Smile,” a song written by David Ervin and Kenny Pierce, and recorded by Bobby Bland, who released it as a single in 1978. This is a cheerful and sweet soul number, and Devin B. Thompson does an excellent job with it. Just listen to the way he delivers lines like “But that was yesterday/You were right on time/And you straightened out my mind/Moved my pain away.” Oh yes, he fully inhabits this song. In these difficult times, my girlfriend’s smile can suddenly make everything feel all right, and this song offers a simple and direct declaration, “I love to see you smile.” It sounds like a celebration of that sign of happiness. And honestly, what makes us happier than seeing those we love happy? Things then get a little funky with his version of “I’m Gonna Cry A River,” a song written by Don Davis and H. Bomar, and recorded by Robert Ward & Ohio Untouchables and by Little Milton. This is another love song in which he promises to cry “a great big river” if his woman ever leaves him. I really dig that instrumental section at the end, particularly the guitar work, that instrument feeling like it has suddenly been freed. Robben Ford plays guitar on this track. The third and final cover is “Something You Can Do Today,” written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon A. Huff, and recorded by Joe Simon, who included it on his 1972 LP Drowning In The Sea Of Love. It’s a sweet-sounding number that begins with the gentle repetition of “Yeah,” a positive opening if ever there was one. “Don’t put off for tomorrow something you can do today,” Devin then advises us, and that delicious work on keys puts us in the mood to do whatever it is we should be doing today, particularly if it is related to love, showing that special person how much we care. I love the passion in his vocal performance, particularly toward the end. “I said I’m trying to get close to you, I’m trying to get close to you, baby.”

We then get into the original material, beginning with “Back Together,” a song with a funky vibe and a smooth vocal performance. “This time it’s going to be forever/Look at us, now we’re back together.” Yes, it is a song about second chances, even in spite of doubts, as he expresses in the line “In my mind, I never thought we would ever speak again.” I love this track’s percussion, which seems to indicate that things are, in fact, going to be good between the two people of the song. “I’ve learned my lesson,” he sings toward the end, then “I know I’m ready.” And I believe him. “My life needs fixing,” he confesses at the beginning of “I Ain’t No Good,” and then wonders why the woman would “want to mess around with someone like me.” He even says “I’m the one your mother warned you about,” a cliché, to be sure, but you get the sense he means it. The line “I’m a cheater and a liar” makes me think of a certain person who will soon be out of a job in Washington D.C., though of course that person doesn’t have the self-knowledge that the character of this song has. This song has a great groove.

“Get Home Tonight” is a song about a husband eager for a romantic evening with his wife. “I can’t wait to get home tonight.” Ah yes, I know the feeling. Of course, these days many people are working from home, but it is still important to create memorable evenings for that special person. Jimmy Earl plays bass on this track. I like the vocal riffing that Devin B. Thompson tends to do at the end of these tracks as they’re fading out. In this one in its concluding moments, he adds, “Gonna squeeze you/Do it in the moonlight/Make you feel all right tonight.” That’s followed by “Can’t Get Over You,” an interesting song about being charmed by, and infatuated with, a faithless woman, knowing he should get away, and also knowing he just can’t. I really like that lead on organ halfway through. Then in “Deeper,” the rumors are that he is the one carrying on with other women, but he is here to put those rumors to rest, promising that his love “is deeper than you might think.” And then there are rumors that she is cheating on him. What is going on with people in this song? Don’t they have any other couples to gossip about?

“Read Your Mind” is a funky and fun number you can move to, and it features Robben Ford on guitar. In this song, Devin is trying to figure out what went wrong in the relationship, and asking the other person to just tell him. “I can’t read your mind,” he sings. Oh, is there any man alive who has not at one point or other uttered those words to a woman? “Read Your Mind” is followed by “Time After Time,” and from the moment this one begins with that work on piano, I’m into it. Devin B. Thompson delivers a sexy, soulful vocal performance. The album then concludes with “Tell Me,” in which Devin sings “Tell me what it is about my skin that you don’t like.” It is depressing that a song about racism is so relevant, but here we are. The last four years have taught us that the problem is pervasive and systemic. This track features some excellent work on guitar during that instrumental section. Yeah, this song has something important to say, but it is also something you can groove to, and it is one of my personal favorites.

CD Track List

1. Love To See You Smile
2. I’m Gonna Cry A River
3. Something You Can Do Today
4. Back Together
5. I Ain’t No Good
6. Get Home Tonight
7. Can’t Get Over You
8. Deeper
9. Read Your Mind
10. Time After Time
11. Tell Me
    

Tales Of The Soul was released on October 30, 2020 on Severn Records.

The Burnt Pines: “The Burnt Pines” (2021) CD Review

As we finally approach the end of this horrid and ugly year, many of us are looking for something bright on the horizon, something beautiful to guide us forward out of this dark place. And that’s what the self-titled debut release by The Burnt Pines sounds like to me. This album features some really good vocal work, some uplifting original material with excellent lyrics. The music is folk, with some pop sensibilities. This project was put together in two countries, here in the U.S. (specifically Brookline, Massachusetts) and Portugal (specifically Lisbon). The band is made up of Kris Skovmand on vocals; Aaron Flanders on guitar, guitar-banjo and tambourine; and Miguel Sá Pessoa on piano, keyboards and melodica. Joining them on this album are Fernando Huergo on bass, Luis Barros on drums and percussion, and Dan Fox on double bass.

The album begins with “Diamonds,” which has a beautiful opening on guitar, with that humming adding to the sweet sound, setting me at ease. There is something gentle and friendly about this song’s sound, something familiar. It is an unusual sort of love song, told from the perspective of a faithful companion. “Take me out after dark,/So the strays out on the street/Can watch the princess eat/And when she’s satisfied I know/My fur is gold/And I’m ascending heaven.” But the line that really stands out for me is “I don’t mind getting old for you, babe.” There is also some nice work on melodica.  “Diamonds” is followed by “Heavy And Young,” that acoustic guitar at the beginning pulling me in, establishing a good energy and sweet vibe. And the sound of the guitar-banjo works to raise my spirits. By the way, what is the official name of the guitar-banjo? I’ve heard it called a banjitar, a banjo-tar, a gitjo, a ganjo, banjo-guitar, a six-string banjo. Let’s choose a name, shall we? Anyway, the excellent vocal work also makes this track a highlight for me. Check out these lines: “Old and weightless/Is what I'm trying to kill since you've been gone/I cast spells and talk to ghosts/Sit around and sing them all our songs/If I could see you maybe/You could show me how it all went wrong.”

In “Song For Rose,” Kris Skovmand sings, “I confess/I haven’t always been good to our love/I get crazy when I drink too much alcohol/I got dark thoughts down in my mind.” Yet, even as he sings those lines, we get the feeling that things are going to be all right, that he’s going to be able to successfully combat whatever negative feelings and thoughts might trouble him from time to time. It is a love song, after all, isn’t it? And there is a serene beauty to it. That’s followed by “On The Burning Bridge,” which tells of a troubled relationship. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “I don’t know exactly how I feel/But I can’t chase you through this/Tell me of a future I can love/Or let’s fall apart on the burning bridge/I need to talk while we can/I have become the invisible man/I wish I was a stranger/So we could start all over again.” Then “Only In The Soul” has a pleasant vibe. This music is sometimes like a wonderful warm breeze that seems to have the power to carry us away from our worries, just what we need as we struggle through the end of this disastrous year and allow ourselves to have a bit of hope regarding the coming year. Check out these lines: “Northwestern skies/Speak easy, I’m right here with you/By your side/Drop your feathers and your dreams into great wide space.” Miguel Sá Pessoa gives us some pretty work on piano, and I like what Dan Fox does on double bass.

“Don’t break me for sour bread/Don’t work me until I’m dead/Just bury me instead/With the mother on the mountain.” “Mother On The Mountain” has a delicious, positive energy about it, and is one of my favorites. It has a gentle power, a strength that becomes our own. That is followed by “Oh Me, Oh My,” which has a 1960s feel in some of its elements, particularly the lead vocals. There is something exciting about this one, the way the lyrics come at us, the insistence of the rhythm. Plus, it is just really cool. Yes, it’s another of my favorites. “I live long winters in my dreams/While the snow outside keeps me locked in/Safe and warm, so it seems/My heart is cold and frozen/I’ll call for action, call for change.” Then “From Seville To Manhattan” has a more laid-back vibe, the vocals at times reminding me of the style of Paul Simon. “You were married in a church under a waterfall/And I wonder, can you see in the Hollywood mist?/A million eyes were watching from the farms in Arkansas/To the suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge.”

“Outside Of Us” has an intimate vocal delivery, and percussion that has a warm feel. This song has beauty and charm, and once again, this group can certainly write effective lyrics, creating songs of depth and meaning, songs we connect to the more we pay attention. “This is one time/Where the master’s on the floor/And I’m not riding on the world no more/It’s outside of us.” I also love the line, “And I walked right into your storm.” That’s followed by “Waiting For You,” which opens with these lines: “The past don't hold no place of refuge/The future's out there on its own/I am soft-spoken in the deluge/I voyage into the unknown.” The phrase “soft-spoken in the deluge” is wonderful. And those “do-do do-do” vocals have a strangely soothing effect. Then “Make The Sign” has more of a pop feel in the way some of the lines are delivered, such as “There’s no end to the evil summer/Everyone's eyes on the girl outnumbered/Can't stop what you feel inside, let sparks fly true.” The album then concludes with “April Child,” a gorgeous song. “You’re the lucky one/Even though you’ve changed/Everyone knows that a single smile/Is the closest we can get to escape.”

CD Track List

1. Diamonds
2. Heavy And Young
3. Song For Rose
4. On The Burning Bridge
5. Only In The Soul
6. Mother On The Mountain
7. Oh Me, Oh My
8. From Seville To Manhattan
9. Outside Of Us
10. Waiting For You
11. Make The Sign
12. April Child

The Burnt Pines is scheduled to be released on January 22, 2021.

Berlin: “Strings Attached” (2020) CD Review

Berlin formed in the late 1970s, and had a string of hits in the 1980s, including “The Metro,” “No More Words” and “Take My Breath Away,” that last one featured in the film Top Gun. The band broke up in the late 1980s, and a decade later reformed with new members. Then more recently, the founding members reunited for the album Transcendance. Now the band is revisiting some of its best material, but with a very different approach. As the album title Strings Attached suggests, this time the band is backed by an orchestra. Two, actually. Both The City Of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and The Slovenian Symphonic Film Orchestra join the new wave band on this release.

Strings Attached opens with a short instrumental track, “Take Your Turn,” composed by John Crawford, who wrote most of the band’s 1980s material. This is an orchestral piece that functions as an introduction to the album. That’s followed by one of the band’s most popular songs, “The Metro,” which was originally released as a single in 1981 and then included on the band’s excellent 1982 album Pleasure Victim. This new version has a brief and exciting introduction on strings before getting into that familiar rhythm. The strings work so well here, feeling like an inherent part of the song, blending with the synths. This is a powerful rendition, and it is followed by another of the band’s big hits, “No More Words,” this one too featuring a new instrumental introduction on strings, which is actually rather beautiful, creating a different mood. Then that pop beat comes in under the strings, and soon that pop sense takes over, a fantastic moment. I absolutely love the way this song comes together in this version. And Terri Nunn’s vocal performance is excellent and lively. Listen to the attitude in her delivery of a line like “You can leave right now if you’re feeling doubt.” This, for me, is one of the album’s highlights. This song was originally included on the 1984 LP Love Life.

It is no surprise that “Take My Breath Away” works perfectly in this orchestral context, the beauty of the song increased by the strings. This song was written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock for Top Gun, and was included on the soundtrack to that film, as well as on Berlin’s 1986 LP Count Three & Pray. And, seriously, how sexy is Terri Nunn in the video for this song? I was far from alone in having something of a crush on her. Then “Masquerade” begins here essentially as it does on Pleasure Victim, with that electronic rhythm. The strings have a bright presence, no question, but do not much alter the general feel of the song. That’s followed by “Now It’s My Turn,” a song from Love Life, and one that was also released as a single. This new version of “Now It’s My Turn” includes a dramatic instrumental introduction before the beat takes over, and has a stronger sense of excitement about it, both in the instrumentation and in Terri Nunn’s vocal approach. That spoken word section halfway through works better here than in the original version.

“Sex (I’m A…)” is the song that cemented my interest in Berlin back when I was a kid. I might have heard “The Metro” before that, but this song is what got me really excited. It was written by John Crawford, Terri Nunn and David Diamond, and was released as a single, and also included on Pleasure Victim.  On this new version, there is the briefest of instrumental introductions before that whisper of “Sex,” and then that strong pulse comes in. The strings add another layer to this song, an interesting texture and beauty. Both Terri Nunn and John Crawford are clearly having a good time with this song, and the results are wonderful. And when she sings, “I’m a goddess,” who are we mere mortals to disagree? That’s followed by “On My Knees,” a song that was included on Transcendance, an album that was released just last year. It’s a gorgeous song, and the orchestral treatment works particularly well here. Terri’s vocal performance retains that delicious intimacy at the beginning, and the piece grows from there. “In this home we built for years/The beauty and the pain/Shared our love, shared our name/All our hopes and our fears/Now a home without you here/Is so terrifying/But this highway of tears isn’t ours/Now I’m on my knees/Darlin’ please/It’s time to die.”

This album’s last four tracks are all songs that were originally included on Count Three & Pray. The first, “Like Flames,” was also released as a single. This version has an instrumental introduction that feels like a piece from a film, then it develops into a powerful and rousing number, another of the disc’s highlights. That’s followed by “Will I Ever Understand You,” the lead track from Count Three & Pray, this version beginning much the way that original version does. The power behind Terri Nunn’s vocals is remarkable. As with the original version, there is a short drum solo in the second half. On Count Three & Pray, “Will I Ever Understand You” is followed by “You Don’t Know,” and it is likewise followed by that song on this new album. The instrumental opening in this rendition has a bit of a magical sense to it. As on the original, the beat emerges from it, but the track retains a haunting feel. And as on the original, the last lines are performed a cappella. This disc concludes with “Hideaway,” one of my personal favorites from Count Three & Pray. This new version is excellent. There is a section with just strings in the second half that is beautiful.

CD Track List

1. Take Your Turn
2. The Metro
3. No More Words
4. Take My Breath Away
5. Masquerade
6. Now It’s My Turn
7. Sex (I’m A…)
8. On My Knees
9. Like Flames
10. Will I Ever Understand You
11. You Don’t Know
12. Hideaway
    

Strings Attached was released on November 27, 2020.

Drunken Prayer: “It’s Christmastime” (2011/2020) Vinyl Single Review

It’s Christmas time, and Drunken Prayer has wrapped up a present for us. Seriously. The new re-issue of the “It’s Christmastime”/“Look Ma, I’m Drunk (And Crying)” single comes in a handmade sleeve wrapped in Christmas paper, and labeled and numbered in black ink on masking tape. On my copy, they even messed up and put the Side B song at the top, labeling it “A,” then crossed out the “A” and wrote “B” over it. I love it! And that works so well with the loose, cool music contained on the record. Christmas is a time for drinking, and this record should accompany you through whatever inebriated festivities you take part in. Drunken Prayer is the project of Morgan Christopher Geer, and both songs on this single were written by him. This record was recorded in Asheville, North Carolina, with The Krektones as the backing band. And what’s more, this single is presented on translucent red vinyl. If that doesn’t get you in the holiday mood, what will?

“It’s Christmastime” is a totally fun, jazzy, groovy, playful holiday song, in which he sings about his sweet baby, who is spreading her own holiday cheer around the town: “I love to sing about the things that make her happy/It’s Christmastime and my sweet baby’s ho-ho-hoing around.” This track features some nice work by Jason Krekel on fiddle. Hell, there is even some whistling. I mean, what more could you ask for? A trumpet? Well, all right, you get that too. “Jingle bells, my girl is hell on wheels come Christmastime.” Certainly, this is one of the best holiday songs out there, and should go on your holiday play list. Then “Look Ma, I’m Drunk (And Crying)” is a delicious, slow, sad drinking number with a strong New Orleans vibe. Oh, those horns! And I love the matter-of-fact delivery of lines like “My sister’s uptown, she’s a whore.” Ah, you know he means it literally. “I’m drunk and I’m crying and it’s Christmas/I don’t care, it’s just one more day.” Hey, is anyone out there planning on being sober this Christmas? Because I can tell you right now this isn’t the year for that. Sure, crying might be involved, but I fear the tears will be less bearable if you haven’t had a few bottles of whatever it is you reach for in these stressful times. So grab a drink and put this hot red record on your turntable, and ring in the holidays!

Vinyl Track List

Side A

1. It’s Christmastime

Side B

1. Look Ma, I’m Drunk (And Crying)

This special re-issue of It’s Christmastime is available in a limited run of 550 copies.  

 

Bancroft & Lyne: “Monday Nights” (2020) CD Review

If you live with your musical partner, then being forced to remain at home during a pandemic doesn’t impede your work as much. Such is the case for husband-and-wife duo Bancroft & Lyne, who, like many artists, began performing regularly online when everything shut down in the spring. Singer and guitarist Sophie Bancroft and bass player Tom Lyne put on a series of online concerts, performing every Monday night from their home in Scotland. During those performances, they worked on some original songs, as well as some classic material, and the results can be heard on their new album, Monday Nights. The music here is jazz and folk, delivered with an intimacy and joy.

The disc opens with an excellent cover of “Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby,” written by Louis Jordan and Billy Austin. Their take on this song is ridiculously cool, particularly Sophie’s vocal performance, which has a playfully sexy quality. There is a joy to it as well. You can hear the smile in Sophie’s voice as she sings the line “The way you’re acting lately, baby, makes me doubt,” for example. And then halfway through she launches into a fun scat section, which is followed by a totally delicious lead on bass. That’s followed by Cole Porter’s “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To,” which moves at a breezy pace, and features more enjoyable scat, this time in a couple of spots. This song mentions the moon in its lyrics, specifically in the line “Under an August moon burning above.” And I can’t help but wonder if its inclusion on this album had to do with that, what with the concerts being performed on Monday (Monday meaning “the moon’s day”), and with two of the other tracks having “Moon” in their titles. The next song is one of those, “Fragile Moon,” an original song written by Sophie Bancroft. This one has a more serious, somber tone. Its first lines are “I heard your song/A haunting cry,” and this song itself has a haunting quality. It ends with “Never finding peace/Never finding sleep,” lines that most people probably can relate to in these stressful times.

There is a delightfully playful quality to their rendition of “Underneath The Apple Tree,” a sweet number written by Michael Franks and included on his 1979 LP Tiger In The Rain. And when Sophie sings “Guess we’ve really got it made,” I believe it. Listening to this music, I can’t help but believe things might be all right after all. Then that great lead on bass seems to confirm it for us, life is good. “Miles Away” is an original song written by Sophie Bancroft. “You’re miles away/I want to reach out and touch you/But you’re miles away.” Isn’t it interesting how some lines have different connotations during this time of pandemic and social distancing? Anything about wanting to reach out to someone, anything about needing to be touched, take on greater significance these days, don’t they? Anyway, Sophie Bancroft delivers an excellent vocal performance here. And that lead on bass has such a serious sound. This song was included on an earlier release by this duo, used as a title track to an album back in 1999. That is followed by another original number by Sophie Bancroft, “Blue Room,” a captivating song. The lines that really grab me are “And the space between my fingers/Where your fingers once slipped through.” That vocal section in the second half is beautiful.

We then get an original song written by Tom Lyne, “Far From Mars,” which has a cool groove. Hey, how far are we really from Mars? After all, Rudy Giuliani claimed that some ballots in the recent election came from Mars. I’m glad to know that even people from other planets wanted Trump defeated. Anyway, this song relates a good story of a community helping a farmer realize a dream, reminding me a bit of “The Rocket,” a short story by Ray Bradbury in which a father pretends to build a spaceship to take his children to Mars. That’s followed by “Comfort,” a song written by Sophie Bancroft. This one also mentions the moon in the line “The pull of moonbeams comfort you,” a line I really like. And is the line that follows it, “Go sail the ship Serenity,” a reference to the television series Firefly? This track features a pretty vocal section in the second half, Sophie’s voice having an ethereal quality in that part. Sophie Bancroft and Tom Lyne then deliver a groovy, cheerful rendition of “On The Street Where You Live,” written by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner. Sophie’s vocal performance is both sweet and seductive. “Because there’s nowhere else on Earth that I would rather be/Let the time go by, I won’t care if I/Can be here on the street where you live.” The album then concludes with a cover of Tom Waits’ “Grapefruit Moon,” the second track of this album with “Moon” in its title. This song was originally included on Tom Waits’ debut release, Closing Time, back in 1973. Here Bancroft & Lyne give us a pretty rendition, featuring another excellent vocal performance.

CD Track List

1. Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby
2. You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To
3. Fragile Moon
4. Underneath The Apple Tree
5. Miles Away
6. Blue Room
7. Far From Mars
8. Comfort
9. On The Street Where You Live
10. Grapefruit Moon
    

Monday Nights was released on November 23, 2020.