Search - Ana Egge :: Lazy Days

Smell the Roses

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 11/20/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"North Dakota girl transplanted to Austin TX! Whatever description one might make of Ana, she turns out another strong, albeit laid-back, set. This has to be one of the most eclectic covers record since Jules Shear recorded Sayin' Hello to the Folks. Ana starts with "Sitting in the Midday Sun," a Ray Davies song from the Kinks' 1973 Preservation: Act 1, "Everybody says I'm lazy, they all say get a job you slob, I'd rather be a hobo walking around with nothing than a rich man scared of losing all he's got." Ana then bounces to Stephen Stills' "Sitting in Johnny's Garden" that appeared on his 1972 band Manassas. Ana embraces the lyric and transforms the song into a dreamy sonic-scape, "There's love & there's caring; This is life; to beauty sharing." She picks a bit more modern track "In the Backseat" that was recorded by Arcade Fire on their Funeral set, "All is dark in the night; I've been learning to try my whole life." "It's My Lazy Day" is a Gene Autry song that was also separately recorded by Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. Three songs have the word "wasting" in the title, which reflects the laid-back sound. "Wastin' Time" is a track from the self-titled set by Ron Sexsmith, "Where's the crime wastin' time with you?" "Summer Wastin'" is a Belle & Sebastian track. Ana concludes the CD with an obscure Harry Nilsson Track, "Wastin' My Time," "Wasting your time thinking I'll be there." "Crazy Lady Blues" is pulled from Sandy Denny's "The North Star Grassman and the Ravens. Its charming melody is delightfully transformed to Texas with laid back guitars & pedal steel. "I Could Spend the Day" is a Rod Argent track the Zombies originally recorded in 1968, "I could spend the day just laying here, sweet beside you, wastin' time away with the gentle feeling of love." "Much Finer" is borrowed from LeTigre's 2001 CD Feminist Sweepstakes. With such a diversity of tracks, there is a remarkable unity in the sound Ana produces. Egge celebrates time to stop and smell the roses with this strong new set. Enjoy!"