“If the world was you, you know I’d travel extensively. Visiting some places twice.” -- The Secret Handshake of Fate
What a treat. Talking with JD Souther about music. Can it get any better than that?
Souther is stopping in San Diego promoting his first studio album in 25 years, “If the World Was You.”
Why record an album now? The material was there according to Souther then it was just a matter of putting a band together that fit the material – all fantastic jazz musicians. They went into a studio and cut the album live.
“The Secret Handshake of Fate” is mesmerizing. Souther pulled a line from that song for the album title. Yes, we do mean album. It’s on vinyl.
“I love vinyl,” Souther said. Why vinyl? “The simple answer is, it sounds better.”
“People are buying it because turntables are cheap again. They’re wonderful,” he said. “The artwork is big enough you can read it and you can spend some time on the graphics without feeling like it’s being miniaturized.”
If his sound is familiar, you may be thinking of the Eagles’ “Heartache Tonight” and “New Kid in Town.” You should. Souther was one of the principal architects of the Southern California country-rock sound.
As he tells it, audiences don’t even blink when he moves from those rock classics to his new stuff.
“A songwriter writes the way a songwriter writes,” he said. “If they’re good songs, it’s just interesting. It’s adding more colors to your palette.”
He should know. He has written hits for Linda Ronstadt and has worked with artists like Jimmy Buffett, Bonnie Raitt, Trisha Yearwood and India.Arie.
Treat yourself. Check out the album. If you’re able, head over to Anthology to hear him perform tonight, 7:30 p.m.
