Published on Sep 26, 2001
Okay, someone explain this to me one more time. Shawn Colvin
hits it big, while artists such as Lucy Kaplansky are stuck in
superstar limbo? I don’t get it.
Nothing against Colvin, mind you. What I’ve heard of
A Few Small Repairs has impressed me, and she deserved every
accolade she received – well, except for ODB bum-rushing the stage
when she won a Grammy. But Kaplansky has the exact same talents as
Colvin, with the possible exception that Kaplansky’s a little
rougher around the edges, and isn’t afraid to jump musical genres
several times. Her latest disc,
Every Single Day, proves not only that Kaplansky is
deserving of the same kudos from press and consumer, but that she
could well be the yin to Dave Alvin’s yang. (PLEASE withhold any
sexual comments at this time, thank you!)
Behind her soft-spoken exterior beats the heart of a true
folkie, not afraid to let things rip when the time is right
(“Written On The Back Of His Hand,” “Don’t Mind Me,” “Crazy
Dreams”) and talented enough to make a whisper echo with a powerful
scream (“The Angels Rejoiced Last Night,” “Broken Things”). Fellow
folkie Julie Miller should be thanking the stars that Kaplansky
covered her song “Broken Things”. As good as the original was,
Kaplansky takes this one to new heights that even Miller couldn’t
have dreamed of.
Kaplansky has the God-given skill to take a song that could well
be semi-autobiographical and make it resonate in a way that
everyone listening will find themselves in the song. “Song For
Molly” is a powerful track that reflects the pains of watching a
parent or grandparent grow old, as well as the importance of
holding on to the memories of life with them. I’m not claiming that
songs such as “Nowhere” or “The Angels Rejoiced Last Night” are
definitively snippets from Kaplansky’s life, but the emotion she
pours into these songs says a lot for her talents.
Kaplansky even is able to count on some old friends to help get
the message of
Every Single Day across. Buddy Miller’s vocal on “Don’t Mind
Me” is just the icing on the cake; while Kaplansky had already
sealed the bond between listener and song, Miller provides further
strength. John Gorka’s contributions as background vocalist on two
tracks further stokes the powerful fires – and, let’s face it, if
you can’t get Steve Earle to sing on “You’re Still Standing There”
(a song Earle wrote), Gorka is a natural to fill in.
Every Single Day is the kind of disc that will probably have
to build up attention to itself via strong word of mouth – that is,
unless Kaplansky gets the same kind of breaks that Colvin did with
A Few Small Repairs. I would not be shocked at all if at
this time next year Kaplansky was a superstar, and
Every Single Day served as the vehicle towards the
spotlight. No, I would not be shocked. I would be sorely
disappointed, though, if this didn’t occur, ’cause Kaplansky
deserves a shot at the big time.