Most mornings, I’m in my home office slash guest bedroom. A blank page sits before me on the computer screen. Music plays—either from Apple Music, a WAV/ALAC/FLAC file, an LP, or via a publicist’s preview streaming app. I listen, love and jot down initial thoughts. Sometimes, however, I find the music middling (or worse), so skip to another song or album by another artist or band. I often listen to a work multiple times over multiple days (even weeks) before writing about it.
While the melodies slink and sashay from the speakers, and the lyrics linger in the air, I read and research as much as possible about the artist—unless it’s someone whose music I’ve long enjoyed. Then, at a certain point, deadlines and commitments come into play. A review makes most sense when it’s published prior to the album’s release, but that isn’t always feasible—not everyone provides small bloggers preview copies. On those occasions, if it’s something that I really like, I’ll make room for it in the coming days or weeks. (Music doesn’t come with a sell-by date, thankfully.)
By about 10am, I focus on the album, EP or song I plan to spotlight that day. The writing process takes however long it takes, anywhere from an hour to three, four or more. Along the way, I try to rein in my penchant for whimsy, wonky rhythms and internal rhymes, not to mention overlong sentences. By mid-afternoon, I’m done.
The days play out pretty much the same even when I don’t post anything. I listen. I jot things down. I listen some more. Right now, I’m playing an official bootleg that Neil Young released a few years back, Royce Hall, which presents a 1971 solo concert in pristine form. It hit the digital shelves the same day (May 6, 2022) as two other official bootlegs, I’m Happy That Y’All Came Down (another 1971 show) and Citizen Kane Jr. Blues (from 1974). I spotlighted the last and intended to do the same for the first two, but…well, life sometimes gets in the way. I’m now thinking of making up for that error at some point in the near future.
Anyway, about lazy days: I find them oddly tense, like I should be doing something other than nothing. As unreeled above, I wake, write, and think grand (and not-so-grand) thoughts seven days a week. I also run errands, pick up groceries, do this, do that. It’s not that dissimilar to the last years of my working life, now that I think about it. Back then, I was either in office or logged into the system most weekdays by 7:30am and then did my bit for eight to 11 hours. The difference now is quitting time; I retire to the living room by three most afternoons.
This weekend, however, will upend my schedule—we’re visiting friends at their lake house and are guaranteed several lazy days in a row. I won’t know what to do with myself.
The Old Grey Cat 
One thought