Kathleen Brogan can you...

[gisli]

....maybe put the introduction of the songs from FITNB that you did and was on the old board, into this board?????
I know that you said it was difficult and one could get it from you via email. But I miss your words on each song in this new board and was maybe thinking if there could be a repeat of discussion af every song again?????:confused: :)

[Kathleen Brogan]

I can! I'll just do a song at a time!

[Kathleen Brogan]

Today’s review selection from Janis’ soon to be released CD “Folk is the New Black” is “The Last Train”. A thoughtful ballad of love, patience and longing. Beautifully set against quiet guitars and rustic rattling, the song is rendered in true folk style, in the tradition of a soft ‘60’s protest ballad. Thoughtful and carefully crafted, the listener is left with mixed emotions. As in other eloquent, Janis songs, the train is a symbol of hope, struggle and accomplishment in times of great adversity. 1/18/2006

[Kathleen Brogan]

Today’s review selection from Janis’ soon to be released CD “Folk is the New Black” takes us from our journey on that last train over to somewhere near the motor city! “Standing in the Shadows of Love”. Pure R&B, complete with the background singers doing the aaahhhhoooo’s! A slick, catchy tune about acting hip and cool, only to hide the fear of rejection and loneliness. Ends on a very high note when the writer finally cuts through the veneer and finds the love she’s longed for. 1/19/2006

[Kathleen Brogan]

“The rough bar down the street.., where better to present today’s song review from Janis’ soon to be released CD “Folk is the New Black”? “The Drowning Man”. He’s quite a pitiful character. He finds solace with whoever seems to be sitting next to him. He’s lost the love of his life because of his fear of commitment. At one point the music actually sounds like the waves engulfing him. Despite his alcoholic haze, in a rare moment of clarity he comes to grips with the reality that he’s slowly killing himself. A very powerful offering with an abundance of feeling. 1/20/2006

[Kathleen Brogan]

Well, actually I have, but enough about me! Let’s talk about today’s review on Janis’ soon to be released CD “Folk is the New Black”, “My Autobiography”. Basically, a voice against a folk guitar. The lyrics are the main attraction, and this song is so funny, I would put it in the class with “Cosmopolitan Girl”. For those of us who’ve already heard it, it’s also a perfect live song. Janis has the special “timing talent” to wait until the laughter dies down before she continues with the next punch line. Timely, savvy advertising too! In 2007, she will hold off on touring to actually write it! I’m sure we’ll all enjoy both song and book! 1/21/2006

[Kathleen Brogan]

Today’s selection from Janis’ soon to be released CD “Folk Is the New Black” is “Shadows on the Wind”. A beautiful, haunting melody. Another “shadow” song. A mood poem about feeling displaced after coming to the realization that you've lost both parents. While it occurs to you that you still display characteristics from each, you’re forced to come to grips with not only your own mortality, but the fact that you now stand on your own, left with brand new emotions to deal with and only the memories of each parent for encouragement and support. 1/22/2006

[Kathleen Brogan]

Boy, that Jackie sure has had it rough! It seems like only yesterday that she burned a vein out on a Monday morning. On this Monday my review selection for Janis’ soon to be released CD “Folk is the New Black” will be “Jackie Skates”. There is definitely a highway sound to this one. I can feel a semi truck careening down the road, horn blasting. I can even feel the lights of the city. We learn by these lyrics that in one split second, countless lives can change, and never be the same. All the players left behind re-live the tragedy over and over, as if that could change the devastation. 1/23/2006

[Kathleen Brogan]

Today’s selection from Janis’ soon to be released CD “Folk is the New Black” is “Life is Never Wrong”. This song has so many intriguing lines that I found it hard to pick a catch phrase. A tough, fierce song. Slick and crafty, with a hard blues feeling. From the very first time I heard it, the song reminded me of “Some People” from “Janis Ian” 1978. The message here is live life to its fullest, and try to stay honest because change is inevitable and none of us has much time! 1/24/2006

[Kathleen Brogan]

Today’s review from Janis’ soon to be released CD “Folk is the New Black” is “Danger Danger”. There are two songs on this CD with tunes very similar to selections from the “Unreleased” series. This is the more obvious of the two. Thought provoking, gutsy and true to the Ian protest spirit spanning almost four decades. The witty sarcasm is reminesent of songs like “Shady Acres” or “Alabama”. We learn and laugh at the same time. Buy the CD if you want to hear this one, it will probably never be on the radio!
1/25/2006

[Kathleen Brogan]

Well, this was going to be my last review choice, but I changed the sequence for my pal Dougster. I have three favorites on the CD and this is one of them. “Joy”, Today’s review selection from Janis’ soon to be released CD “Folk is the New Black”. A simple and gloriously beautiful song. It moves me to tears. It is a perfect selection for the holidays, and it was wonderful to hear as the closing song for Cardifgal’s livingroom concert just before Christmas! For our guitarist friends, the chords remind me of “Hymn” from “Aftertones”. There is also an interesting addition of choral singers. I promise you’re sure to love this very memorable piece. 1/26/2006

[Kathleen Brogan]

Today’s review from Janis’ soon to be released CD “Folk is the New Black” will be “Crocodile Song”. Slick and funny. The music is in the style of numbers by the late greats Ray Charles and Peggy Lee. We follow the adventures of Annie May, the crocodile, their son Rocky, and his police girl sweetheart. A fun, charmingly cute silly song. It’s in perfect playing order, lifting us out of the dark mood rendered from listening to “The Drowning Man”. 1/27/2006

[Kathleen Brogan]

“Home is the Heart”, today’s review from Janis’ soon to be released CD, “Folk is the New Black”. There is always one song on every Janis album that doesn’t strike me immediately, but grows to be an absolute favorite later. This is truly my “Diamond in the Dark”. Quiet, gorgeously tender lyrics, repeated purposely for impact. The voice is angelic, set against soft instrumentation. I am reminded that home is one of my very favorite places to be. 1/28/2006

[Kathleen Brogan]

Today, I’m reviewing the title track from Janis’ soon to be released CD “Folk is the New Black”. Another funny song. It’s charming and unpretentious, with a group of unlikely background singers that sound like they’ve been brought in from the streets and offered coffee. Jo Ellen listened and said “I’ve Heard Worse”. You’ll also find one of the best intentionally bad rhymes you’ve ever heard. Don’t stop the CD too soon, there’s also a surprise ending. 1/29/2006

[Kathleen Brogan]

You’ll probably recognize the tune of today’s review from Janis’ soon to be released CD “Folk is the New Black, “The Great Divide”. It’s somewhere in the “Unreleased” series. This song describes our country’s struggle to get along in the midst of too many politics, too much religion, and not enough caring. We’re paralyzed and literally stuck to the red tape. This was a timely song. It’s amazing that Janis probably wrote it before October of last year. 1/30/2006 (Janis replied that this was written in March 2005)

[Kathleen Brogan]

Today’s review from Janis’ soon to be released CD “Folk is the New Black” is “Haven’t I Got Eyes?” This is a song I was very impressed with when I saw Janis perform it live last summer. Some of her songs just seem to transmit differently to my senses when they’re done live. A story about what happens when we get caught up, and consumed in desperation. Then we’re forced to stand back, and check our motives. 01/31/2006

[Kathleen Brogan]

This is my last review from Janis soon to be released; now available for orders, CD, “Folk is the New Black. “All Those Promises”. There’s always one that I call the “hit of the album”. It is my very favorite. An incredibly breathtaking song, whether recorded or performed live. Janis’ voice and phrasing are perfect. The basic theme is trust, betrayal and heartbreak. The instrumentation is wonderful, with the unusual use of an organ. It will be difficult to refrain from wearing out the “repeat” button on your CD player after hearing this one. 2/1/2006

Thanks for requesting these again! I had great fun doing them!!!

Kathleen

[Dougster]

Kathleen,

So good to read these again! Especially since I now have them all. And of course, most importantly, one of them mentions me. And we all know that more of me is a good thing. Hope you are enjoying your long weekend. That goes for all you Rudies (Janis too).
D'ster

[gisli]

Thank you so Kathleen, ran a quick over this, now I can look forward to read this again and see if I will get a greater depth to the songs through what you had to say about them, or if I will have another perspective on some of them. Again thank you I will read this slowly and word for word and meditate.........:)

[GodSistah]

This is excellent. Thanks for doing this Katheen. It's cool to read them again now after really making these songs my friends! Thank you! Arent you just too cool!?! ;)

~Andrea~

[Kath of the Guitar]

It was interesting to read again sinse we all have had time to listen.
Belle, you did a fabulous job, thank you....you're the best. :)

[gisli]

This is my last review from Janis soon to be released; now available for orders, CD, “Folk is the New Black. “All Those Promises”. There’s always one that I call the “hit of the album”. It is my very favorite. An incredibly breathtaking song, whether recorded or performed live. Janis’ voice and phrasing are perfect. The basic theme is trust, betrayal and heartbreak. The instrumentation is wonderful, with the unusual use of an organ. It will be difficult to refrain from wearing out the “repeat” button on your CD player after hearing this one. 2/1/2006
Kathleen

That organ is really something, I totally agree with you on this one. It is a "Smash-Hit"-song that deserves to be in top ten of many charts. An unbelieveble good song.

[gisli]

Havn´t I Got Eyes, now there is a song I can relate to in many ways: "You could fill Death Valley and not be satisfied"
That just about sums up a lot of what is wrong in my and many others life, one always becomes a victim of materialism and forget to feed the soul. I at least pack my life with a lot of work and other timesuming things, sometimes I think just to escape.....something in my life........and too often do I think where did time go to, what have I done with my life.
A great song, great lyrics a good reminder to take care about the things that really matter in life.

[DaveM]

But Kathleen, can you leap tall buildings at a single bound?