It’s time for a change of pace. Let’s talk music. Some of you may not know this but during my junior and senior years in college I was part of a group that brought in and promoted concerts. We had Elton John and Jimmy Buffet and Linda Ronstadt and Jackson Browne, just to name a few. I miss those days!

But this blog is not about me. It’s about this amazing new album released from Sheryl Crow called Threads. This album reminds me of those days of anticipation for the new release from a favorite artist, of impatience to hear the next track to learn if it is as good as the one before. This album is everything you expect but dare not hope for from your favorite musician.

First, there is the generosity of 17 tracks and more than 70 minutes of music. Second, each song includes one or more great musicians, including Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Nicks, Joe Walsh, Neil Young, Kris Kristofferson, Sting, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson and James Taylor.  Third, there is a wide diversity of sound.

There are upbeat tracks and slower tracks. There’s the political (Story of Everything—“Our do nothing congress they never made mistakes, cause they don’t show up to work except to give themselves a raise.”) and there are love songs (Lonely Alone—“There’s no reason to be lonely alone, how about a friend who looks like me.”). There’s the philosophical (Flying Blind—“No one tells you when you’re young that life is full of questions and that there aren’t many answers. But I’ve come to believe sometimes yes or no depends on circumstances.”) and plain old cheerful (Still The Good Old Days—“I like it when you turn the radio on, you still get worked up to your favorite song, even when you sing the words wrong, at the top of your lungs.”). And there is just a brilliant remake of Bob Dylan’s Everything is Broken that left me speechless. There is not a bad track and each song has its own unique identity.

This CD is uplifting and brilliant. Music can fill you with emotion, joy and empathy as much as fine literature if it is done well. This CD does all of those things and I just want to listen to it over and over again. If you like Sheryl Crow and you like the idea of a creative CD, filled with talent, passion and beauty, run out and buy Threads now!

Threads can also be reserved at the Cuyahoga County Public Library by clicking here.