CD # 1 Patti Smith, Twelve

This is a fun new CD by Patti Smith, called the mother of punk rock by many. It consists of 12 covers of a variety of rock standards, mostly done true to the original (though "The Boy in the Bubble" is done with dulcimer of all things!) Perhaps because she is a poet, she enunciates in a way that has the effect of foregrounding the words rather than the music. Did you know that Kurt Cobain was talking largely about his libido in "Smells Like Teen Spirit"? My favorites so far are "Smells Like Teen Spirit," "Gimme Shelter," and "White Rabbit". We're going to be playing "Smells" sometime in my women's acoustic ensemble class this term. All in all, a great way to initiate the 10x40 "CD" category.