February 2023 Overview

February 2023 Overview

Writer's Check-in

It's kind of strange that this whole month feels like a blur, and I'm not really sure if it was because it flew by or my brain just chose not to mentally register it. Regardless, between my birthday, backpacking, and COCAINE BEAR (hard to not write that title in full caps), I had a good time this month. My workload is much more manageable compared to last semester, so I've had much more time to catch my breath, even if that means being much less productive than usual. Hey, time I enjoy wasting isn't wasted, right?

What is sad is that this has been the most unproductive month in terms of writing in a long time. Only managed to get out a measly three reviews and a playlist article that isn't even published yet (to be fair, nothing I've written has gotten published since November, largely my fault though). I guess part of it was that I have recently restricted my listening to music made by pre-60s musicians, and adjusting to my new listening habits lead to much more processing and thinking rather than writing overall. However, I did manage to get out both Muddy reviews, and the conveyer belt should get kickstarted again very soon!

Music Stats for the Month

Total Listening Time: 138 hours, which sounds about right. I listen on average around 5 hours a day, so with the month being shorter, it is about the same daily average as last month.

Top Artist: T-Bone Walker. I normally hate this kind of slow, loungey music, but goddamn, I love this man's guitar playing just so damn much. He simply DEFINES the chill, cool guitar hero archetype. I wonder if I'll ever tire of hearing the musical perfection of "I Know Your Wig Is Gone" or "I Got A Break, Baby".

Top Album: The Complete Capitol / Black & White Recordings - T-Bone Walker. Don't start with any of the Imperial or Atlantic stuff when it comes to T-Bone: this is the right place to get acquainted with his legacy. Though, probably make a playlist of the best material here to start out with (75 songs in one sitting can be a lot)

Top Song: "Fishing Blues" - Henry Thomas. Such a humble song that reaches unparalleled heights of beauty. Those guitar tones almost sound like the glistening of the fresh seawater in the Sun. I don't even know how to put what this song makes me feel in words: there is just some magic to these old folk-blues singles that were never recaptured ever again.

Reviews

Like I said before, I only produced three reviews this month, but I'd say they are a pretty solid quality overall. Here they are, all the singles reviewed either being essential or recommended listens:

1. Blue Light Boogie - Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five
2. Rollin' and Tumblin' - Muddy Waters
3. Rollin' Stone / Walkin' Blues - Muddy Waters

Articles

I know, I know, two of them are gonna be on the way soon. Just bear with me here.

Monthly Playlist

Hey, at least I got something done this month! Here is the link to this month's playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4W0MRa76tdxTBB8MLjmZfh?si=336224e8ed38476d

I think now my music taste is veering toward the unlistenable for a lot of people who are terrified to listening to music that sounds this old. I think the only songs on this playlist that came out earlier than 1961 on here are Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday" (because...you know) and Iggy Pop's "Lust For Life" (because I guess that day called for the brutal, sinister optimism of that song). Still, I wouldn't say that the actual playlist is much of a hard listen at all, so feel free to dig into all of the great music here! 

Here is the tracklist:

1. "Hot Dog" - Blind Lemon Jefferson
2. "How Long Has That Train Been Gone" - Professor Longhair
3. "Prison Cell Blues" - Blind Lemon Jefferson
4. "Rock Billy Boogie" - Johnny Burnette and the Rock 'n' Roll Trio
5. "I Shall Not Be Moved" - Lonnie Donegan
6. "Happy Birthday" - Stevie Wonder
7. "Lewis Boogie (Live at Star Club, Hamburg)" - Jerry Lee Lewis
8. "Devil Got My Woman" - Skip James
9. "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (Live at Star Club, Hamburg)" - Jerry Lee Lewis
10. "Red Blue Jeans and a Pony Tail" - Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps
11. "Beggin' Back" - Blind Lemon Jefferson
12. "Up Above My Head I Hear Music In The Air" - Sister Rosetta Tharpe
13. "Little Delia" - Blind Willie McTell
14. "'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do" - Bessie Smith
15. "Good Rocking Tonight" - Wynonie Harris
16. "Crazy For My Baby" - Willie Dixon
17. "Quiet Whiskey" - Wynonie Harris
18. "Back Door Man" - Howlin' Wolf
19. "Rollin' & Tumblin'" - Elmore James (I wrote a review of Muddy's rendition here)
20. "Fishing Blues" - Henry Thomas
21. "Prove It On Me" - Ma Rainey
22. "Southern Rag" - Blind Blake
23. "Good Understanding" - Willie Dixon & Memphis Slim
24. "High Water Everywhere" - Charley Patton
25. "Po' Boy" - Bukka White
26. "I Know Your Wig Is Gone" - T-Bone Walker
27. "Don't You Just Know It" - Huey "Piano" Smith
28. "Lust For Life" - Iggy Pop

That's all for now. Thank you to everyone who still keeps up with my writing, and keep coming back down here for the content coming up!