Slices of Stacy

Maybe it's the Robitussin...

Was that Laurie Berkner singing 'Little Boxes' on this week's episode of 'Weeds'?  And if not, wouldn't it be genius to get her to do a cover?

I know, right?

Lay off the cold medicine.

The moment that COULD be the best of you life

Can you just imagine being in that marching band at halftime at the Superbowl?

"Dude!  I am going to be playing with fucking PRINCE at the fucking SUPERBOWL!"

Incidentally, if you're an old-school Prince fan, did you know that Wendy and Lisa ("Wendy?" "Yes, Lisa?" "Is the water warm enough?" "Yes, Lisa." "Shall we begin?" "Yes, Lisa.") are now composing the original music for the TV show 'Heroes'?

Have yourself an annoyingly bland Christmas and SHAME ON YOU because we know you can do better

I am a huge Christmas music geek.  I listen to Christmas music in July.  I think that there are few musical achievements that can rival the perfection of the Vince Guaraldi Trio's Charlie Brown Christmas record.  Every year I get one or two new Christmas CD's.  I scour the holiday release lists and haunt Starbuck's and Old Navy (one of my favorite compilations, no lie) looking for something new.

It was with great anticipation, therefore, that I got Diana Krall's Christmas CD.  I adore this woman.  Besides her musical aptitude, she MARRIED ELVIS COSTELLO.  How cool is THAT?  I totally want to go have a glass of wine with her.  This afternoon, between mixing royal icing and cooking the cranberry sauce I popped it in.  And?

Meh.

Now I will readily admit that it's not easy to record an album of Christmas standards (particularly with a jazz spin) that sounds new and interesting.  But it can be done.  'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' has had two really great reworkings over the last few years -- one by Coldplay and the other by James Taylor.  In fact, I'm really torn as to which version I'm going to put on my annual Christmas mix CD.  Nobody can do stripped-down forlorn like James Taylor.  Nobody.

Diana, however much it pains me to admit it, phoned this one in.  It's not BAD, don't get me wrong.  She is an amazing musician.  But there's not much THERE there, you know?  It's identifiable -- if I heard this at a party I'd immediately know it was Diana Krall.  It's just kind of generic.  I have no clearer vision of who she is.  Now if she and Elvis had done an album together, fusing their styles?  THAT would have been interesting. 

There are a couple of notable exceptions:  she recorded "Christmastime is Here" from my beloved Vince Guaraldi Trio and it's lovely.  "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" immediately follows it and is upbeat enough that we can almost see her smiling and winking.  Then, unfortunately, it's kinda right back to the generic piano bar sound.

My recommendation?  Download those two and move on.