What do you need to run a successful, ongoing music blog. Not much frankly. Three things perhaps. Willpower, determination and a responsive reader. On Its Starts With a Birthstone we're coming up to our tenth anniversary in a week or so and although I'm not about to put bunting on and act like I'm The Queen or anything like that, I will write a couple of reflective pieces, because it's going to be an anniversary that will make me pause for thought.
The responsive reader is frankly the most important of the three options mentioned above. You only really need one. I'm a teacher as well as a blogger and when preparing my students to write I always ask them to plan and draft their writing with their imaginary reader in mind. My imaginary reader is Darren Jones. Though he's real and I know it, because he's constantly getting in touch. For a number of years now Darren has been responding generously to the music I've been posting on here and suggesting wonderful records of his own that he thinks I might like to listen to. Invariably when I do listen to his suggestions, I'm immediately sold and post about them on here in turn. It's the best spur for writing since the days of penpals.
So thanks again to Darren. The best penpal a blog ever had. And here's your latest suggestion. It's Lauren Early, a brazen Angelinos and her debut album Don't Take My Dream Away. Taking someone's dream away is never the best idea. My students are always banging on about theirs. And though, as is the nature of such things, the actual nature of these dreams are often slightly vague and speculative, they're clearly dear to their owner's hearts and are things to be respected. So to the case in hand. What exactly are Lauren Early's dreams.
As you might expect, the nature of these things are not altogether surpising. She wants to have fun first and foremost, not unlike the kind Cyndi demanded in the Mid-Eighties. Lauren's not lacking in ambition. In her own words:'I wanted to make a Last Splash, a Dookie, a Siamese Dream, an album with absolutely no dead weight, that takes you on a journey and adds another layer of joy catharsis and vibes to your life.'
Not asking much of life is she. Don't Take My Dream Away is front line reporting from a teenage bedroom. In this case a bedroom in Los Angeles, but it might as well be one on your street because nothing much changes where teenage dreams are concerned. Except perhaps for the nature of the heartache and hormonal change. It's always been the beating heart of Rock & Roll, and this time Lauren Early is the owner of that lonely heart.
That's enough weak pop puns from me. Don't Take My Dream Away is not the best record you'll here this year, but it might be the best you'll here today. It's not lacking in terms of either heart or dream power. Thanks again Darren. Enjoyed that one too!
Thanks, Bruce! Strangely, I was listening to that album on the way to work, before I read your review. Mostly because it was long enough to last the whole commute without having to find something else or start again. But I think that's also its weakness. If it had come in at a tight 30 minutes, it could have been a really good album, but my interest does start to tail off towards the end.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words! I was trying to remember how long I've been interacting with you here. Probably way longer than I think, but I do think that lockdowns may have upped the regularity and increased my recommendations. As a long-time reader, I did start to think that it was important to give something back. Or to at least let you know that someone was reading. If it was Facebook a 'like' might have done, but you can't do that on a blog. I guess you have your intrinsic reasons for writing (daily!), but writing into the ether must feel a bit weird sometimes.
Anyway, happy to be your imaginary, real life reader! I've just hit play on the Warrington Runcorn New Town Development. The circle of musical life continues...
Writing into the ether can be quite dispiriting. People rarely comment except to correct which I find a bit annoying which is why your comments are so greatly appreciated. I think the way to get a slightly larger audience would be to add some advertising but I'm not willing to do that. I write daily because I've established that pattern and I enjoy writing and listening to new music so much. I live alone so there's time and space to do that. . You've definitely been contributing for a few years now and you bring so much great stuff to my attention. I find it very funny that neither your partner nor your daughter care for the stuff you like. I think the Lauren Early album had promise but didn't quite realise it. I can't believe how much new stuff I'm absolutely loving this year. I think it's a tremendously strong year for music.
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