Gray Days and Gold - February 2023
Gray Days and Gold - February 2023
Feels like I’ve always been on the outside looking in
Hello, friends. I meant to have this episode ready earlier but COVID finally cracked the combination to my DNA vault this month, which slowed me down and eventually necessitated a cocktail of cough syrup and bourbon (i.e. a Flaming Mark) to get through this episode’s voiceovers without coughing. Now settle in, open a jar of pickled eggs, and let’s see if we can’t get Aerosmith up on stage.
You can listen by clicking one of the links below, or on the Mixcloud website, via the Mixcloud mobile app, on your Sonos system, etc.
There’s also a more barebones iteration of this episode’s playlist (minus my commentary, as well as songs missing from their library) on Spotify and Apple Music.
If you like what you hear, please consider supporting the artists. You’ll find buy links to the tracks in the bulleted list below.
Gray Days and Gold, February 2023
Virginia Astley, “Melt the Snow” (1984)
Ins Kino, “Other Worlds” (2023) • BUY
Brendan Eder Ensemble, “Pure (Ride the World)” (2023) • BUY
Dionne Warwick, “Who Is Gonna Love Me?” (1968) • BUY
Dina Ögon, “Docka” (2023) • BUY
Lou Tides, “The Rake” (2023) • BUY
Inara George, “America” (2023) • BUY
Trevor Sloan, “Outside Looking In” (2023) • FOLLOW
Laure Briard, “Me pardonner” (2023) • BUY
Holly Henderson, “You’re Crying” (2023) • BUY
Love Can't Save You, Padmé, “Far Calls” (2023) • BUY
Anona, “Anona” (2023) • BUY
Peaceful Faces, “Signature Blues” (2023) • BUY
Halo Maud, “Bright Was the Embrace” (2022) • BUY
Minihi, “Apparitions” (2023) • BUY
Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach, “This House Is Empty Now” (1998) • BUY
Public Image Ltd., “Hawaii” (2023) • BUY
Appendix
The Songs of Bacharach & Costello
Early March will see the release of a deluxe set of their complete works, including a remastered Painted From Memory and many unheard songs that were commissioned for a stage musical that never came to pass. The Super Deluxe Edition contains two additional discs of live tracks and a lengthy essay by Costello. See the full array of formats at his web store.
Of course, what I really want is proper digital distribution of their long-out-of-print Sessions at West 54th live performance, which is currently only streamable for PBS members.
Instrumental Bacharach
If I was willing to make this already-too-long episode a little longer, I’d have included Stevie Wonder’s virtuoso harmonica version of “Alfie,” recorded while still in his teens. Instead, enjoy this equally magnificent performance from a 1973 TV special.
And of course Bill Frisell highlighted how well the Bacharach/Costello compositions stand up without lyrics by releasing an all-instrumental cover album in 1999, The Sweetest Punch: The New Songs of Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach.
As always, thanks for listening. If you have questions, suggestions, etc. please feel free to contact me. And if you’ve received this newsletter as a forward and would like to receive notifications every time a new episode is posted, you can sign up here. Take care.
[Artwork: Frühjahr, Akseli Gallén-Kallela, c.1900]