Although I did not listen to or get "Song to a Seagull" until I purchased first Blue and then LOTC, it was still in the relatively early years 72/73. I loved the clarity and the climbs from high to low and low to high, in Joni's voice those days. It is a sound skill that I do miss in Joni in these later years. But there are new voice techniques and still some climbs, although the highs are obviously lower. My favorite era was Blue, FTR and C&S. Then it's very close between STAS/Clouds/LOTC and MOA/HOSL/Hejira.
Regardless STAS is probably one of the top 10 debut albums of all time. Kate Bennett wrote: I felt the way when I first heard Shawn Colvin's Steady On. I did too, Kate. And I can remember exactly where I was. I was in a Rose record store thumbing through albums, when I heard the very beginning of "Shotgun Down the Avalanche." My best friend and I were digging in opposite bins of eachother and our heads rose up from the bins and we ran to the front desk where they played the music. Only midway in the run did we even hear her voice! Of course we were then told that it was Shawn Colvin and we both immediately purchased the album. The other albums that come to mind for me are of course - Ricki Lee Jones and an album called Ancient Hearts by Tanita Tikaram. I wonder what ever happened to Tanita, she was still in her teens when she released her debut. And that was over 10 years ago, at least. Her most memorable hit was "Twist in My Sobriety." Peace, Susan Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax http://taxes.yahoo.com/
