I, too, am re-digging Falling Into Place, and every once in a while I go back
and re-dig Play With Your Head. Blue Thumb is a classic to me, every bit as
important as Abbey Road in my personal musical iconography. As for Hang On
Mike: I seem to prefer the live versions of these songs more than the recorded
versions. Maybe it's because of their starkly confessional nature, but to me
they're at their most compelling when they're performed by just a guy with a
guitar, a mic, and a spotlight.

That said, that I think the album is worth owning is without question. I agree
with you about Mike being one of the best songwriters of the last 20 years,
and I think he's only getting better.

Which leads me, conveniently -- but not deliberately, I swear! -- to a little
show plug...

As some of you know, I've been presenting this series of shows called Boston
Pop Underground, and one of my events is a monthly Candy Butchers cabaret
night. Mike V. hosts the show with Blue-Thumb-era drummer Todd Foulsham, with
appearances by the Figgs/Candy Butchers' Mike Gent and other supporting
musicians. We also invite two or three prominent local musicians (Bleu, John
Powhida of the Rudds, Gordon Wright of Fooled By April) to join in the fun.
The artists do short sets of original material, and collaborate on some
amazing ensemble cover tunes. We've decided to give the show a name ("Mix Tape
Tuesday") and a different theme each month. This month's theme is "Take Me" --
covers of songs with "Take Me" in the title. Special guests this month are Meg
Toohey of the So and Sos (http://www.soandsos.com/) and Scott Janovitz of
Dragstrip Courage. If you're in the neighborhood, come down to the Paradise
Lounge in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 21st. Doors at 8, music at 8:30, admission
18+. The club serves pretty good food, too. Hope to see you there!

Andrea


> Finally, I'm re-digging the Falling into Place CD by Candy Butchers - what a
> great batch of songs by a great songwriter!  I think Mike Viola is one of
> the better tunesmiths of all the hundreds of 90s/2000s artists I've been
> turned on to by Audities over the years. I still like the Live at
> Bonbonniere EP and the unreleased Blue Thumb debut best, but this is a very
> close runner up - putting these two together makes one heckuva comp CDR.
> Must admit tho I'm not quite as thrilled with Play with Your Head - I like
> it, but don't love it.  I'll have to try it again to see if it grows on me.