Tift Merrit on tour

I guess I should reconsider my recent and extremely unpleasant experience I had when I was required to, for social reasons, listen to all of "I'll be your Tambourine". Please God, make it stop...

Not since I was pharmachologically restrained, listening to Frank Zappa in the early 70's, have I had a remotely desperate and similar experience. Oh, well, I came to terms with Franks stuff, eventually.

We get plenty of her shows in NC, so I'll try to re-open my mind and listen again...I guess I missed something,esp. if she's being compared to ELH.

Hey Jeff- IMO, Tambourine is not a great album but there are some good tunes on it. Check out "When I Cross Over" from Bramble and Rose. However, the live format gives her band a chance to stretch out a little and also lets her personality come thru. Anyone who looks out at the audience in a club/restaurant and asks the management to lower the lights, "to make it a little sexier, a little more rock'n'roll" can't be all bad. AS far as needing to be "pharmacological restrained" her opening act apparently needed to be "pharmacological altered" to step on stage. He picked up his guitar and started playing; no intro and not a word to the audience. Droning voice. Plays 3-4 songs, all run together w/o a word; changes instruments and does 3-4 more. Repeats until audience is begging for mercy. Walks off stage w/o a word. Reminded me of the scene in Play it Again, Sam where Woody Allen tries to pick up a woman at an art museum-
Woody- what does it [an abstract painting] say to you?
Woman- It restates the negativeness of the universe. The hideous, lonely emptiness of existence. Nothingness. The predicament of man forced to live in a barren, godless eternity, like a tiny flame flickering in an immense void
with nothing but waste, horror and degradation forming a useless straightjacket in a black absurd cosmos.

Woody- What are you doing Saturday?
Woman- Committing suicide.
Woody- What about Friday night?

Rimshot!!!

But Tift was awesome!!!!

ANOTHER COUNTRY was a bit of a disappointment. Love her first two efforts. She's got a fabulous voice, is a very good singer/songwriter and is easy on the eyes. She "stole" SON VOLT's gtr player (Brad Rice) years ago touring - so I've let that go now... "I Am Your Tambourine" is my least fave of her songs tobesure.

That's a great picture of Tift on her latest "See You On The Moon." Can't wait to get my vinyl copy in the mail any day now...

Another Country is one of the great albums of the decade, lyrically, musically and vocally. The latest, See You on the Moon, is not quite its predecessor's equal, but outstanding in its own right. Tift Merrit has a unique, crystalline voice with excellent phrasing and rhythm. IMHO, she is enormously talented and painfully underecognized.

Neal

I've always loved her music but her stage presence and her band made it a top ten live music experience. I did not realize some of her work was available on LP. Gonna have to order them. Thx for the tip, Neal.