Muriel Grossmann
Devotion
scum stats: couple hundred on colored vinyl, worth your effort to grab one of those
A troll through the old "record of the week" archives shows that I first wrote about Muriel back on August 9th, 2019 with absolute GLOWING praise of her Golden Rule LP.
Now, over four years later, Third Man has released our very own Muriel album. I'm of the mindset that people overuse the term "blessed" to the point where it's lost most of its power. Yet in spite of that, I feel blessed to in a position where I am able to work with an artist that has personally moved me in an effort to help share their music, their art, with the wider world.
The tunes here are adventurous. Starting the record with a 20+ minute song is the epitome of brave, and that vibe continues across the entirety of the two discs this album is spread across. I don't know very much about spiritual/free jazz, I just know that Muriel's music makes me happy.
So in the spirit of that, in celebration of Devotion release day, I'm giving away a colored vinyl copy of the album to a comment placed here. Maybe I'll pick at random? Maybe I'll actually read them? Maybe if you write beautifully about music that you just inherently love in spite of knowing nothing about it I'll gift you a copy of the test pressing instead. Just get your comment locked in here by 11:59 Central time on Thursday December 7th.
Ben, I really do appreciate your offer, but the USPS informs me that mine will be delivered today!!! I cannot wait for it to arrive. I purchased both the standard black and was lucky enough to have scored the colored version as well. I do love her music and have been waiting patiently for it to get here. Thank you for bringing this for our enjoyment!!!! Please, if you pick me, pass mine onto somebody else that needs turned onto her style of music. They will enjoy it!!! Thanks again
It’s the Absolute Truth that I will be Calm and take great Care to use my Knowledge and Wisdom to write with All Heart and Devotion to write the Mother Of All entries to try and win this contest.
Though, if I can only win one contest, I’ll take the Leaves Beneath contest first…😂
I buy records simply to play them at the wrong RPM, and Entering Heaven Alive bumps @ 45 RPM, If selected I will not waste my time listening to it at normal speed like these “audiophile Meatheads”, I will soak it in at a speed that the artist never intended as it should be. So yes. Record me please.
A good song should give you a lot of images, you should be able to make your own little movie in your head to a good song.
-Tom Petty
I got lost in thought twice while listening to this song and the scenes were completely different… a dark room with clutter and then a bright sunny day on rolling wildflower hills, jazz is fun.
I’m thankful for a label that leads me down paths I would never have taken on my own. From Luke & William to the mind blowing live at club Mozambique I just picked up. Thank you for being a trusted guide.
Im finally getting a nice set of headphones for Christmas. This would be the perfect album to test them.
I’m so basically I have just as much chance if I’m totally random?.!..
So have you ever seen the Dot and the Line. It’s an old animated bit…it is life(I mean I REAlllllly love it) The graphics in part of this video reminded me of the Dot and the Line.
Did I say something about a dot and a line…..? (Snappy fingers a bobbing head grooving to Muriel I can see my future squiggle now…maybe I am the squiggle…hmmm)
My Father and I bonded over music when I was a kid. We lost my Mom when I was five and it was just me and him. Music kept us together. I remember listening to The Beatles on vinyl. The red early years vinyl and the White Album were like reading the Bible. Not like they were bigger than Jesus or anything, I’m just saying. I was born in 1982 and I was doing my Beatles phase in 89 or so. I came across a newspaper clipping of December 8th 1980 in my Dad’s collection and I started crying because I realized I was in love with a band and didn’t even know that John was dead. It was a gutpunch, a lesson I’ve learned often. My Dad passed away last month and I’ll never forget the transcendental power of music, death and rebirth.
I’m so excited to finally hear this whole album. I love taking unexpected detours from my usual rotation and after this album was first announced I took a deep dive into her past albums and couldn’t be more eager to hear this newest one. I’m not a jazz aficionado by any stretch, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed everything I’ve heard of hers so far and grateful to be exposed to something I otherwise likely would never have heard.
Not my thing but my cousin is a staving musician in NY. Plays several instruments to include trumpet. If I won I would give to him.