{"id":1428,"date":"2017-01-02T05:30:41","date_gmt":"2017-01-02T10:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nickzaino.com\/departmentoftangents\/?p=1428"},"modified":"2017-01-02T01:17:06","modified_gmt":"2017-01-02T06:17:06","slug":"what-i-missed-in-2016-mavis-staples-livin-on-a-high-note","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nickzaino.com\/departmentoftangents\/2017\/01\/02\/what-i-missed-in-2016-mavis-staples-livin-on-a-high-note\/","title":{"rendered":"What I Missed In 2016: Mavis Staples’ Livin’ On A High Note"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since I launched this blog in March, I have tried to write about as many wonderful things as I can, in essays, the podcast, and every Friday in the New Release Roundup. Try as I might, I can\u2019t write about all the good stuff coming out. This will be my annual attempt to correct that. For the next ten days, I\u2019ll be highlighting albums I missed in 2016. To cast an even wider net, I\u2019ve enlisted some talented friends to write about some of their favorites this year. You can read that here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Mavis Staples<\/a> \u2013 Livin\u2019 On A High Note<\/em><\/strong>
\nGo ahead and try to be sad listening to this album. I dare you. Think of dead puppies and toothaches and presidential candidates. Put on your itchiest sweater and answer that phone call from Amway. Not working is it? That\u2019s because it\u2019s impossible to not be happy listening to Mavis Staples. She\u2019s a big hug from your mom in front of your buddies. She\u2019s twenty bucks on the sidewalk when you\u2019re broke and hungry. If we dropped Mavis music on the troubled regions of the world (with a little food) we\u2019d get to peace in a hurry and then we could work on some problems. \u201cI\u2019m working on me,\u201d she sings on \u201cTake Us Back,\u201d \u201cI\u2019m taking some time to see the people who keep me going.\u201d On the Ben Harper-penned \u201cLove and Trust,\u201d she sings, \u201cDo what you can, might not be enough\/When you\u2019re trying to find yourself some love and trust.\u201d That\u2019s part of what makes Staples\u2019 message effective. It\u2019s not that she\u2019s saying, \u201ceverything\u2019s going to be okay no matter what.\u201d There is an acknowledgment in these songs that there is a lot of work and trouble ahead before you get to the good stuff. \u201cIf it\u2019s us against the world, well I would bet on us,\u201d she sings on \u201cDedicated,\u201d \u201cBut if you go yours and I go mine\/All bets are off.\u201d Give M. Ward credit for setting the table, producing and playing on the album and writing songs like that one. And there a lot of talented writers, including Valerie June, Neko Case, and Nick Cave, contributed the songs. But the spirit of it is all Mavis Staples. If you\u2019re bracing yourself for the New Year, pick this up and let it pick you up. <\/p>\n

\u201cLove and Trust\u201d
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