Here’s a quick recap of the two records I randomly pulled from my vinyl stacks last night….

Calliope Capers

This one was surprisingly calming. Basically an album of circus and carnival music, it just kinda hung around in the background while I washed dishes and helped make a soup. You’d think it wouldn’t be the best album for a much-needed relaxing Sunday night, but you’d be wrong. Good for a muggy, stormy, dark Summer night. Probably also good for a bright morning in the deep winter. Either that, or you’d hate it and it’d make your ears ring. I enjoyed it, though.

The Newport Folk Festival, 1960, Volume 1

I incorrectly labeled the Instagram photo of this one as “1969.” Would’ve been a completely different album if it was, in fact, 1969. Being 1960, though, it was before the full-blown folk boom of the 60’s. There’s a couple good cuts from the New Lost City Ramblers, and, of course, Pete Seeger is on here. If late-50’s American folk music is your thing, you’d love this. It’s not my thing, though. Plus, this record is scratched to hell. Lots of skips and bumps and burps. Might be why I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

Mostly, I found myself staring at the cover art and forgetting the songs playing. Is that a young Bob Dylan on the grass on the left side there? So eager, so interested! Who in this picture is still alive? Did this really happen 53 years ago? And on this very weekend! What is Rhode Island like, I’ve never been there? Who’s that man standing in glasses? Is he interested? Is he leading? Is he fresh off a trans-Atlantic voyage? Has Ramblin’ Jack returned to the States yet? What song are those kids noodling around on? I buyed me a little dog? Handsome Molly? East Virginia Blues? So many questions in that picture.