Every few months I pick one legendary artist or band with a long catalog and deep history, and I try to listen through their entire catalog in chronological order. The bigger the name, the easier their records are to find in the library's collection, so over the last few years I've had good luck with Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, The Who, The Byrds, etc. I try to let this happen organically, as some music has a way of making sense at certain times in my life and not at all at others.
This month, on a run at the Poto, I listened to a Sound Opinions podcast that dissected Aretha Franklin's 1972 gospel recording, Amazing Grace. The hosts, out of Chicago and D.C., had a guest on who wrote a book on this album for the 33 1/3 book series. I'd never heard this Franklin recording, but loved hearing smart people who have done their historical and critical research -- and of course love the music -- speak eloquently about the songs and then play clips of them. Lady Soul is now on heavy rotation in my ears, though I think I'll take on her 1960s Atlantic recordings only.
As for the actual running this week, I've been in a frame of mind that favored auditory response over visual and sensory. I've wanted to be part of the moment in the woods of my favorite hilly trails: Bird Hills, Kuebler, Cedar Bend, Argo, but couldn't really impress the moment into my memory the way I usually do. It was like going to an art museum. I was looking at a Cezanne, saying to myself, 'man, that's gorgeous look at his use of color, perspective, and brush stroke', but all the while being so caught up in my own personal thoughts that I never actually found myself on a French hillside.
Aretha singing "I Never Loved a Man" live in 1968
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