Monday, April 23, 2012

Monday Music Mojo: G. Love Reconsidered

It's Monday morning, and back to reality for me.  The Gutsy Dad is back to work after two weeks off (the kids were on vacation during that first week), but I've been working these past two weeks as usual.  It's been awesome to be able to head off to my work obligations leaving the kids in his care.  This past week he did most of the ferrying around to preschool etc as well.  We made a great team.

Now we're back to the regular routine: he is up and gone before dawn.  On good days he is home in time for dinner, and we have more good days than bad.

So.

Did anyone else go through a G. Love & Special Sauce phase in the 90s? Anyone still in that phase?  I feel like G. Love was a good gateway into funky music for those of us who are (were) more staid.  Edgy enough for us to feel, well, edgy listening to it. But not so edgy as to be totally vulgar, offensive, or valorizing guns and the oppression of women. (Pardon me while I step back down from my soapbox.)

Anyway, I've recently rediscovered G. Love (without the sauce). Somehow I missed the 2006 release of his album "Lemonade," which I've been listening to a lot lately, along with his 2011 "Fixin' to Die." As it turns out, he hangs with a few other guys I like: Jack Johnson and Donavon Frankenreiter.  

I really appreciate an artist who can evolve with the years and who can continue to put out good records whatever the genre. Someone who isn't as obviously a creation of the industry.  I wouldn't have predicted it in the 90s, but G. Love seems to be versatile like that.  Here's a sampling of my recent discoveries. You'll notice a huge difference in style between the first two songs and the second two.

In my running mix I've been digging:

Thanks and Praise (featuring Jasper)

Ain't That Right

The kids and I are enjoying these in Jay Jay:

Rainbow (featuring Jack Johnson)

Home
This is a family favorite.  Madelyn requests it in the car when we drive home from preschool.  "Mommy, play my home song!" Then she sings along (in a twang): "I buh-lieve that it's time for me to come home!" This is also my favorite of the videos. (The kids crack up at the chicken at the beginning every time.)

Speaking of home and silly chickens, here's what I get to look forward to when I do come home. Three little chickens, mine all mine.



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