A friend and former colleague Richard Elliott generally keeps a low profile in terms of social media. I've known him for over ten years now and he rarely posts on Facebook. However he's been putting his head over the parapet there more of late, posting links to a series of fascinating and informative music related articles.
Richard is a music professor at Newcastle University and his writing has a genuine academic heft while retaining the passion of a fan at one and the same time. I can't recommend his article on Cat Power's latest release more highly. The record it focuses on is a live recreation of one of the great musical moments. Dylan and The Band's truly momentous 1966 concert tour of English venues.. Playing acoustic sets which captivated his audiences and then howling, electric ones that generally enraged them.
Power,like Dylan is something of a divisive artist. A genuine representative of the 'Outsider' tradition who refuses to be contained and is remarkable for that alone. Renowned for her erratic live performance and changeable behaviour. One thing she's most famous for for is her sensitive and mastery of that rare art. The art of the cover.
Here she covers not just an album, but a live one. Richard writes about it and how much he appreciates it. Much better than I ever could because he's a genuine academic and a musician to boot, I direct you to his article. It's fascinating.
I'm an apreciator of great music most of all. Not an academic really. I certainly appreciate the record though. Power's phrasing here is exquisite.It's a record that's all about phrasing in some ways. Cat Power's understanding of the resonance of the historical moment she documents is something. It's a beautifully nuanced recording of events of an incredible historical set of moments that we're still trying to comprehend and process almost sixty years on.
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