Back in 1998 while touring in support of Only Son, Judith Edelman offered some advice to aspiring songwriters that they should write a song every day. Some would not be very good, but some would be surprisingly good. And as proof of the latter she offered up her song, Library Card, about, literally, her library card. On Clear Glass Jar, her first album in 9 years, Judith surely takes a similar tact with her ode to doing laundry, Load of Blues. And just as spectacularly she captures the ordinary pieces of life and instills them with greater meaning, “Got to find good news in the load of blues.”
The album is filled with breathy vocals that sometimes remind me of Beth Orton, but it retains a balance through timely phrases from Judith’s piano or a well-placed bit from one of the other musicians. Produced by Gawain Matthews and Judith herself, the result is a collection that varies from whispery folk to satisfying pop to syncopated rock complete with strings and orchestration.
Highlights for me included Nature Boy, a tongue-in-cheek admonishment to environmentalist posers, and Lost Day, a lovely composition of minor chords and unusual progressions that must owe something to the horror movie soundtracks of Bernard Herman. I also have to mention Tired Of This Town. Rarely does a song project so much of a single emotion that you’re just infused with it, but I dare you to listen to this song and not come away…just…weary.
Overall, Clear Glass Jar has a lot going on in nearly every song. You can interpret that as being hard to listen to, but I enjoyed that every time I listened to a song I discovered some more pieces and the album slowly built up to become the whole. This is a record to be savored.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.