The only time we saw Jessie Baylin was in early 2012 at the World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, when she played the small upstairs room while touring behind her then-recent Little Spark album. A Tennessee transplant from northern New Jersey, the bulk of the audience—as I remember it, at least—consisted of family and friends who’d crossed the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in order to see her. The magical night, for both them and us, was made even more special by the addition of the Watson Twins, who opened and then accompanied her on the tiny stage, which also held her four-piece backing band. We met her after the show and she was, in a few words, genuine and nice.
Which is to say, we’ve been fans from the moment Diane first discovered the infectious Firesight album in 2008. The shift of Little Spark to a Dusty in Memphis sound was tremendous, while the even Dustier Dark Place (2015) continued the mood, albeit in a somewhat drowsier manner. (She herself joked that it was “Dusty on quaaludes.”) Jersey Girl, which arrived in 2022, was well worth the wait. I skipped the album that fell between Dark Place and Jersey Girl, however. The 2018 outing Strawberry Wind was billed as a children’s album and, worse, was an Amazon exclusive, which meant we couldn’t stream it via our chosen streaming service, Apple Music. Purchasing it (via Amazon) was an option, of course—but it was a kids’ album.
Raffi me this, Batman: When is a children’s album not a children’s album?
Slated for release everywhere this Friday (May 31), Strawberry Wind (Deluxe Edition) is a delightful outing that adds four new tracks (three on vinyl), including a wondrous rendition of the Bee Gees’ “I Can Bring Love.”
The kiddie album, it turns out, plays much like a Day-Glo song cycle from the mid-1960s, when whimsy mixed with soft-hued psychedelia to create surreal tunes that spoke to young and old alike. The sound itself retains a Dusty Springfield vibe, albeit it with lyrics less sultry than “Breakfat in Bed” or as heart-wrenching as “I Don’t Want to Hear It Anymore,” while adding a Beatle-like charm. Think “Yellow Submarine” or “Octopus’s Garden,” “Hello Goodbye” and even (gasp!) “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” which took inspiration from a drawing made by John Lennon’s son Julian. The songs on Strawberry Wind are, simply put, fantastical and fun. I feel foolish for dismissing it as the time.
One highlight is “Supermoon,” which conjures the magic and mystery of Earth’s natural satellite when it’s full and closest to Earth. The Bacharach-like opening adds to its charm.
The title track could well be mistaken for one of those surreal dispatches from the 1960s. “I feel good just knowing that you’re here with me,” she sings, sharing that the world is wide open for everyone—something everybody of every age needs reminding of, I think. “Sparkle Shoelaces” sounds from its title that it might be silly, but it’s not; it speaks to how little things can provide a big boost to our days.
“Power in Words,” on the other hand, serves as a reminder that what we say can ruin someone else’s day. (To borrow a Linda McCartney quote from the Wingspan documentary, “It’s like sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will break my heart.”) There’s a Stevie Nicks quality to both the arrangement and Baylin’s vocals, especially when she urges listeners to “let love flow.” “I Am a Dreamer,” meanwhile, conjures “When You Wish Upon a Star” circa Linda Ronstadt and Nelson Riddle. It’s beautiful.
“Big Feelings,” a new song written with Daniel Tashian, explores a commonality that cuts across almost every divide: emotion overload, when feelings trump rational thought. (Sums up much of life, these days.) “Come Over,” written with Thad Cockrell, chronicles a day in the Baylin household, from waking up to “The Ballad of John & Yoko” drifting through the walls. In another era, it’d be all over adult-oriented radio.
The wide release should hopefully expand the listenership for Strawberry Wind. Don’t dismiss it, as I initially did, as just another kids album. It’s a collection of heartfelt songs that will brighten one’s day each and every time it’s played, guaranteed.
The Old Grey Cat 
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