November 12 2006: Richard Shindell, Kim Taylor – Iron Horse, Northampton MA

I know next to nothing of Richard Shindell's music, but I've always liked what I've heard and managed to get in free, so why not. And it was fun!

Even though Kim Gordon didn't play. Which, you are likely asking yourself, why would Kim Gordon be playing? I did not know either, but while walking into the Iron Horse I glanced a poster informing lookers-on that Kim Something-Or-Other was opening. And I didn't pay this sign much mind and went to sit down but soon after started wondering to myself, Hey! Did that sign say Kim Gordon is playing? Why would Kim Gordon be playing? Why on EARTH would Kim Gordon be playing? What's going on here? And does that mean maybe Thurston might be playing with her? How fucking cool would that be? Etc, etc, etc. Until a dark-haired woman came out and identified herself not as Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth but as Kim Taylor from Cincinnati. But she played some really nice songs and didn't ruin her set despite telling an eight-minute story that was neither funny nor interesting nor pertinent nor of any value whatsoever to human kind at large as far as I could ascertain. Why must folk singers tell such stories? Why must folk singer audiences laugh politely and thus give folk singers the incorrect impression that they are amusing speakers? Why? Why why why? WHY!??!!??! But like I say, her songs were great. Once she finally got around to singing them.

And Shindell was great to hear. Lots of songs about folks in dire straits, all sung with near-perfect delivery and phrasing, and all over some really great guitar playing. And with a BBC Porter in my hand, that made for a nice way to spend a Sunday evening.