The Scenic Route in Life

Through my stations, an interest in the Be Good Tanyas led me to band started by Trish Klein and Allison Russell.  Together as Po' Girl, they combined folk and country with jazz, and some guest artists would also contribute to the mix.  The song that I'm talking about is from their album Vagabond Lullabies.  Here we also got some harmonies added by Ani DiFranco and Frazey Ford (also of the Be Good Tanyas).  DiFranco's a bit more well known, and you imagine Ford having a singing style similar to Ray LaMontagne.

Another big guest contributor was the hip hopper CR Avery.  Half of "Take the Long Way" was a spoken word performance by him.  On that one track, you also get Allison Russell's clarinet solo, and... I think I can hear Ford singing along with Russell's lead vocals.  Suffice to say, it's one of the most eclectic folk songs that I've heard.

Taking "the long way" starts out with Russell preferring to drive along the British Columbian shore, taking in the views.  It's late at night, and looking up at the stars, we transfer to what Avery's doing that night.  He talks about taking a taxi into Vancouver's red light district to perform at a club for little money.  The cabbie thinks that he's crazy for doing this, but CR Avery's living in the moment.  He continues to live life up later that night, sharing a joint and making love.  There's also a line that may or may not be a euphemism (possibly a vivid one that I've never heard anyone say before).  Go ahead.  Look it up, and tell me what you make of the line.

He does give some good advice before looking up at those same stars as the women of Po' Girl.  He talks about how we should use and not waste our talents, and that while the future's coming quick, we should live more in the present.