Train Songs

What we're listening to these days.

Hi friends.

Lately I’ve only been listening to JJ Cale’s “Naturally” when I drive around in my car. I heard a song from “Naturally” when I was watching “The Lowdown” (the greatest show ever) last month, and when I looked up the song I realized I had never consciously listened to that entire album before. “Naturally” quickly became the only thing I wanted to hear in my car, driving-around-in-your-car music being a specific kind of vibe. Also it’s all I can handle right now.

Yesterday I looked up the album again and learned it came out five days before I was born. It was in the air, has been in my air my entire life.

And then I watched this short, fun documentary from 2013 about how JJ Cale never got famous in his lifetime, in part because he refused to lip sync. Unheard of these days. A simple musician.

I am always seeking ways to scale back or simplify my process. To access inspiration in a more grounded and direct fashion. We don’t really need fireworks over here. Just ask some questions and keep your ears open and see what shows up.

A few months ago I decided I would buy myself some records inspired by the sounds of trains because my next novel takes place in part on trains. But the new records would have to wait to be a reward until I finished the last novel. I didn’t want the new influence yet. I had to keep my head in the old game still. If the new novel was train sounds the old novel was the kinds of noises that emerge in the early morning in New Orleans. Roosters and a dog barking and maybe a car or two. Some kind of hum in the distance from the river.