Dave's Music #138 Lisa Bastoni - How We Want to Live

I know I once said I would make these reviews within the last year, but after Bandcamp Friday I was browsing the number of plays and the number of "Hearts" I added to individual songs; and this 2019 release from Lisa Bastoni had the most; almost half the songs had me reach to the phone or computer and "Heart" the song.  Now if you have read the Review rules, I deliberately left off the date of the release.   The connection rule is always an interesting journey, and I only became aware of her from Arielle Silver's recommendation after I bought Lisa's musical partner Sean Staples album that was in Arielle's fan collection.  Add in she's a 2019 Kerrville winner and I have a nice collection of past winners and finalists as friends.  While writing this blog post, I did get a chance to connect with Lisa in Messenger and she said that her and Sean are still so proud of this release.  Right isn't that cool because so many artists finish a release and just move on.  Finally, our blog theme is always Good Music has NO Expiration Date, and thus let's dive deep into what Mother Banjo calls a "Back Catalog" release.

1) Nearby

This song was one of THREE songs shared on the Nov. Bandcamp Friday post so that was a pretty good indication Lisa's voice was singing to me since.  Nearby's chorus grabs me like an old friend, like a pop song I've sang along with for years.  Yes, Lisa wins my appreciation for also posting all the lyrics so I can read along while I'm listening.  This step always adds to my connection with the song, and this one is a co-write with the before mentioned Sean Staples who also produced the album, sang harmony and played so many instruments.  This song and Beautiful Girl were the two songs she shared at Kerrville and won the New Folk contest.   Here let's sing along:

You’re as close to me as a coat in the winter The family feel of a Sunday dinner The kind of love where you don’t even have to try I was wasting time in all the wrong places Sifting through a river of faces I was busy looking at the stars in the sky You were so nearby

Loved that her and Sean put this video out for the song.

2) How We Want to Live

Lisa brings Mark Erelli in for harmony on this relationship song and the title track.

We said we’d wait until the fall
Don’t look now but here we are
Are we ready to decide how we want to live

3) Silver Line

Another relationship gone astray, I would love to know the genesis of the "Silver Line" (yep the liner notes could include a sentence or two about each song)  I love the resilience of her love, and again a co-write with Sean and an excellent chorus.

I spent a long time thinking about what you said
Your words keep echoing in my head
You know I felt alone for such a long time
Hoping that things would change
Standing out in the pouring rain

You know you kept me waiting for such a long time

and at the end:

But I never minded  

4) Never Gone to You

Another love gone wrong, mixed with a 

You were a tender, crooked weed To be tended on the weekend Weakened by the pull toward the one Who couldn’t stay This is how you learned to love The ones who treat you badly Sometimes he says he loves you Sometimes he walks away Chorus: Wasn’t anything you said Nothing you did or didn’t do Maybe he’s gone But he’s never gone to you

I'm starting to worry that she attracts the wrong guys or at least the stories behind them.

There’s a time to let it go He’s just a man wit problems And it’s not your job to solve them

5) Beautiful Girl

An inspirational song of love that starts with a great story, and returns to it at the end.

A girl in the woods with a knife and a loaf of bread
Comes upon a pack of wild hungry dogs
She’ll use the knife to cut the bread
Making sure they’re all fed
And maybe save a little for herself

Here's a nice lyric video

6) Take the Wheel

This woman gets what it takes to make a catchy chorus as she paints another relationship setting is this gentle country song with a classic pedal steel.

You could make me cry or make me laugh
Like an old love letter or a photograph
I needed you to take the wheel
Saying I love you isn’t even close to what I feel

7) Dogs of New Orleans

I kept think of the Five Letter Word song, "More than your Dog" though this song weaves the metaphor within another great snapshot of life.  Yikes and he has a gun.

All the dogs of New Orleans
Rolling over at your feet
I’ve seen you falling to your knees
To kiss the dogs of New Orleans

8) Walk a Little Closer

I write this during our first (of many) snow storm and cold spell; and this song was one of my favorite of the release.  Nice little fiddle led song, makes you really want to dress up and walk through that new snowfall.

It’s starting to snow, and it’s bitterly cold
And we’re walking through the woods along the stream
I don’t know why we’re walking so fast
I’m wishing it would last
The light through the trees is like a dream

And a short clip, sans the fiddle, sure make me want to see this woman live someday.

9) Workingman's Blue #2 - (Bob Dylan Cover)

This is the song that lured me in, and I so appreciate musicians doing a cover in a release.  It allows for us to get a snap shot into your mind for influences, and it changes the writing up from the rest of the songs.  Of course the master Bob Dylan doesn't need more royalties, but at the same time giving back to an artist you love is a work of passion.  It's easy to say she owned the song, but they did give a great nod back to Bob with the organ in the mix.

Meet me at the bottom, don't lag behind
Bring me my boots and shoes
You can hang back or fight your best on the frontline
Sing a little bit of these workingman's blues

Here's a solo version of her cover that she did for a Club Passim Bob Dylan Tribute night.

10) Pocket Full of Sighs

This is a perfect song to end this collection of music.  I just love the line, "a pocket full of sighs" sometimes a sigh says so much more that words.  I have a souvenir... this album, and I miss it already so I'm going to hit replay and start with Nearby again.

And there is a sweet bird in the background of this video:

All my Reviews are both for you and me as I learn more about the artists when you slow down and listen.  Click here to see the past releases. You can find and follow us on Facebook  and as always Good Music has NO Expiration Date, so if you are listening to this ten years from now, it still will be awesome music.  If this is a first time visit, check out the index of themes for past Reviews and Playlist editions and for the Reviews alone, click here.  Find out why I do this here,  who I am here, and why I hate Spotify here.

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