So, as we approach the end of 2017 and get ready to turn the page to 2018, i thought that featuring a song called New Year's Day kind of made sense. Right? And the best song called New Year's Day that I know is Slaid Cleaves' New Year's Day.
I don't know a heck of lot about Slaid Cleaves. And I've never seen him in concert. But I do know that (although he was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Maine) he's a singer-songwriter based in Austin, Texas, which seems to attract a whole lot of really good singer-songwriters. And I know that Slaid was featured on the tribute album to my buddy Adam Carroll. Which is very cool. And I know that I own about five albums worth of really great Slaid Cleaves music in my iTunes collection. And I know that, if Slaid ever made it out here to Philadelphia, I'd go to see him.
Slaid released a new album called Ghost on the Car Radio this past June. I confess: I don't own it yet. But, after reading Slaid's website, which explains that he gets a whole lot more if you order the physical CD directly from him rather than buying the CD from a record store or downloading it digitally, and much, much more than if you just stream it on Spotify, I decided to buy a CD directly from Slaid through his website. I literally just bought it. And, as a bonus, it looks like, when it arrives, it will be autographed by Slaid. Pretty cool.
Also included on Slaid's website is a "Stories" section. And this story about one of my favorite Slaid Cleaves songs, Quick as Dreams, is sweet and awesome.
So, until the new CD arrives, which will likely be after New Year's Day, let's celebrate the upcoming New Year with Slaid Cleaves doing New Year's Day back in 2010 in Austin.
Happy New Year!