Live Blogging Melanie Penn's "Wake Up Love"

How do you "live blog" a CD?  Here is my idea...  This is a CD I have never heard before and I am going to put it and listen to it for the first time and record my reflections.  Might be a cool way to review it.  I know that sometimes music gets better (or worse) the more you listen to it, but I am going to give this instantaneous approach a shot.  This will simply be quick, instinctive reactions to what I am hearing.  Not a ton of refinement here, but it will be honest, in the moment, and raw.  Hope you like the approach.  Let me know what you think.

Circus Song - This chick can sing.  Very cool voice.  Kind of reminds me of the gal from Sixpence.  Pure and lilting.  You can't go wrong with a good glockenspiel.  This song gives me a sense of anticipation that the rest of the record is going to be really cool.  This song builds really well without giving too much away.  Nice harmonies.  Cool arrangement.  It is a short song and seems to fit as a first song. 

Wake Up Love - Sounds kind of folky.  I am sensing that this recording is going to stark yet beautiful.  Interesting chord choice there.  Made my ears perk up.  I love the break in her voice on the chorus.  There is that glock again.  Now the banjo comes in.  I don't have a category for that.  Sufjan.  This song sounds like it should be the soundtrack to something.  Can't quite place what that should be yet.  Whoever arranged these parts did a really good job.  Upbeat ending with acoustic and claps and other sounds.  Here comes the rock bass.  Didn't see this coming.  Seems a bit out of character, but I dig it.  Choir joins in.  This is wild.  Indie and weird, but yet accessable because of good melodies and a great singer. 

Ordinary Day - Percusion spaz.  Interesting choices.  Snaps, triangles.  Glock again.  This chick likes the glock.  What's not to like?  This melody seems the most accessable and singable.  This song is the most poppy that I have heard compared to the previous two.  People will like this song.  Love the breakdown with just the acoustic.  Wowsers, this gal can sing.  Holy cow. 

A Star's Lament - The percussion choices on this record are very interesting.  I like the minor feel of this tune.  Ambient backgrounds are very cool.  Great harmonies on this one as well.  I wonder if they used autotune on this gal.  I imagine she probably doesn't need much.  I miss records where you can tell that they just had to sing in tune and it doesn't sound "perfect".  Listened to Amy Grant's Lead Me On the other day and it was such a huge difference vocally than most records these days.  She is not "perfect" but the vocal sounds great.  Way more human.  Enough of that tangent...  Abrubt ending to this song that is cool. 

Daydream - More spazing out with weird percussion stuff.  I love it.  I think this is a cover song.  Ashamed that I can't place it.  Hold on, I have to look this up.  Ah yes, the song by "The Lovin' Spoonful".  Sounds like I should be sitting on the front porch with a glass of lemonade and watching my kids play on a hot summer day.  This song is so happy.  It is interesting that this record doesn't really have much of a full drum kit presence at all but rhythmically it is still very interesting.  Certainly an original sound.  People are going to dig this record. 

I Try On - Bongos.  Wow have not heard those in awhile.  Here is the standard drum kit that I was missing.  Nice piano tone.  This is just a happy feel good number.  Straight ahead R&B sort of feel.  I like it.  Bluesy.  Horns.  Nice.  I can't get enough of this gal's voice.  Wow.  You will love it.  The breakdown with the Wurli is cool. 

Sorrows - Got to love it when the drummer counts it off and they leave it in the recording.  Lazy feel.  Dark and bluesy.  More interesting percussion.  Ken Lewis is the man.  I just got a hint of Susan Ashton in her voice (anyone remember her?).  Great piano line!  Cool tone too.  Just remember people, good arrangments are not about tons of notes, just the right notes.  This Ben Shive dude is super talented.  Great arrangements.  Accordian parts again give this another unique angle.  The mix with the strings is a nice tone.  Sing girl!

Glass Pane -Not a huge fan of this tune.  Melody doesn't really grab me.  Stark arrangement.  Here comes the change of tempo out of nowhere.  That was cool.    It will be interesting to see if radio takes to this record at all.  I know Christian radio won't know what to do with it but that is probably a good thing.  Means she is actually an artist and not a business creation for the sake of making money.  Was that mean?

Train -I can't get Susan Ashton out of my head now.  She is a bit more raw than her.  A bit more edgy but still pure.  Love the break in her voice again.  So moving.  Hearing a bit of Bill Frisell in the guitar parts here.  Got to love that.  Beautiful harmonies.  Great note choices.  I love this song.  Beautiful.  I feel like I should have a glass of wine in my hand as I listen to this record.  A nice red.  That would be great.  It is sophiticated but gentle.  Kind of makes me relaxed and happy.  The music, not the wine.   Nice worshipful ending.  These songs seem to morph to different places quite nicely and unexpectedly.  Things come out of nowhere but they are all welcome. 

Balloon -Kind of has a bit of a country vibe with the slide guitar.  Real chill.  Hauntingly beautiful. 

If You Forget -More banjo.  Does Sufjan get all the credit for a banjo's presence in pop records?  I'm not a huge fan of banjo's.  Makes me think of Kentucky.  This song is not my favorite either.  9 out of 11 ain't bad.  That is actually really good for me.  Usually if I like three songs on a record I consider it a success.  Good BGVs. 

You will like this record.  It is a breath of fresh air.  Get it here as MP3 download.