Coming late to the Earlies
I haven’t posted anything for a week or so. I could claim I was busy, but the truth is that I’ve been so ashamed after ‘discovering’ Jack Johnson about a decade after the rest of the world, that frankly I’ve been really questioning my right to offer anyone opinions about music ever again.
I knew I was a bit slow off the mark, but a mail from one of the the uncoolest men I know going ‘I can’t believe you’ve only just discovered Jack Johnson’ sent me into a deep dark depression that I’m only just climbing out of. My very own Touching the Void.
It’s still another week till any decent music is due to arrive from Amazon. However, the Earlies album finally reached me this week. Which was nice - even though I’m coming to it rather late.
I have an excuse though. A couple of week’s before Xmas a CD arrived from Amazon: Soul of a Woman by Kelly Price. I had no recollection of ordering it - but that’s nothing new. Stuff is always appearing that I ordered while drunk or half asleep and then gets completely forgotten about.
[In fact, ideally, I’d be able to completely forget anything I order so that every delivery could be a wonderful surprise - but chosen by someone who completely gets my music taste].
However, when I listened to this - I simply couldn’t imagine any circumstances that I’d have bought it, or that anyone I’d have rated would have reviewed it favourably. Nothing fundamentally wrong with it, just that it was the sort of big breathy R&B mush that I find unbearable.
Still - I stuck with it. One listen. Then another. But no - I still hated it. Anyway, checking the bin for the receipt, it turns out it was meant to be The Earlies, which I’d ordered months ago (no, honestly, I had) but had never appeared.
So - a quick exchange later and there it is. And it’s very nice. A little bit Lemonjelly in parts. Very listenable while doing DIY - which seems to be my main music-listening environment at the moment.
Of course, I don’t need to tell you this, because you’ve been into them for ages. But I just wanted you to know I’m catching up.