A Different Type of Celebration for Complex Times
I have been thinking about everyone who has had things to celebrate: holidays, milestones, graduations, birthdays, and more. While it can be disappointing to be unable to spend time with our loved ones, families, and friends, it's necessary to stay home and celebrate through video chats and phone calls. I'm taking solace in knowing we will all have much to celebrate when this ends. And, right now, I think it is important to try to think of positives for which we can be grateful.

I recently read many couples and families are playing a new game called You're Doing It Wrong. The game never ends and no one ever wins. I don't know about you, but I can relate that. But those of us who are fortunate to have a roof over our heads, enough food to eat, and our most valuable asset, our health, need to focus more on the positive.

So, stay safe. Be smart about social distancing. And maybe we can all drop off some food to a neighbor, call someone we haven't spoken to in a while, and even relax a bit, knowing this too shall pass.

Today, we have two guest writers talking about albums that make them feel better. I hope you enjoy reading their picks, and that you can spend some time today with music that soothes you.

Today's First Special Guest Contribution: Frank Zappa Thing-Fish
By Mark Schneider, Music Direct Senior Sales Associate/Longtime Audiophile/Headphone Expert

I did something yesterday I haven't done for as far back as I can remember. I listened to an entire 3LP set, Frank Zappa's Thing-Fish, all the way through. Of course, I'm no stranger to listening to an album in its entirety, but usually not under circumstances that mandate getting up six times to do it. Thing-Fish, a satirical Broadway-style musical featuring voiced-over dialogue/banter between Ike Willis, Zappa, and Terry and Dale Bozzio, is a musical and lyrical hoot. The plot's satirical political implications drip with cynicism and hint at diabolical plans by "powers that be." And the subplot – concerning mind control via biochemical manipulation – feels especially relevant today. The record is at once clever, lighthearted, vulgar – and certainly not for the politically correct of heart. I've had the album since it came out on vinyl and have played various bits of it from time to time.

Zappa is my hero and I dearly miss him. He fits my particular musical bent and "not-for-everyone" (according to many of my coworkers) sense of humor. Before passing away in 1993, the composer/guitarist left behind a huge corpus of work performed by incredibly virtuosic players in many different ensembles. I recommend most of it, both the NSFW fare as well as the instrumental material. It keeps me sane (again, not sure if my coworkers would agree with this statement), nurtures my soul, makes me think, causes me to boogie, and ranks high up on my list of reasons why I'm glad to be alive.

One last note: Zappa's son, Dweezil, is an awesome guitar player, too, and continues to keep his dad's music alive.

Second Special Guest Contribution: Rosanne Cash King's Record Shop
By Michael Taylor, VP of Sales at Nordost/Audiophile/Metalhead/Family Man

Since I mostly listen to metal, King's Record Shop might seem an odd choice. No hard guitar riffs or massive drum kits here, but it's an amazing album nonetheless.

Rosanne surrounds herself with a serious cast of musicians. The record is produced by her former husband – and a fellow great singer/songwriter, Rodney Crowell. He also sings backup vocals on a track or two. As for the other backing vocalists: Steve Winwood (Spencer Davis Group and Traffic), Patty Smyth (Scandal), and 21-time Grammy Award-winner Vince Gill, for starters.

The instrumentalists are equally impressive. People like Steuart Smith, who toured with the Eagles when Don Felder left. Michael Rhodes, who is in the Musicians Hall of Fame. Barry Beckett, who played piano for Boz Scaggs, Paul Simon, and Dire Straits. And Billy Joe Walker Jr., who performed with Pam Tillis, Travis Tritt, and Eddie Rabbitt.

Stylistically, King's Record Shop balances country with splashes of pop and blues. Every song feels like a standout, and many tackle subjects from a woman's perspective. Check out "Tennessee Flat Top Box," written and originally performed by Rosanne's father, Johnny Cash, as well as "Runaway Train," "If You Change Your Mind," and "The Way We Mend a Broken Heart."

If I remember correctly, King's Record Shop was one of the very first albums I used for audio demonstrations when I worked retail in the 1980s. Like most of her records, the sound quality is excellent.