Tramp Archives - Medialoper

Album: Tramp
Year: 2012

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I first became aware of the indie singer/songwriter Sharon Van Etten on her third album, 2012’s Tramp. Produced by the National’s Aaron Dessner, on its best songs, Tramp places Van Etten’s massive voice over slightly off soundscapes, creating music that is equal parts dreamy and focused.

And the best of those songs was the first single, “Serpents”, which fades in with feedback from Bryce Dessner’s (the other Dessner in the National) guitar, Van Etten’s strummed guitar and a snare as she starts singing about getting away from an abusive relationship.

Album: King & Queen
Year: 1967

Conceived as a purely commercial enterprise — Marvin Gay & Tammi Terrell had just had success with a duets album — featuring only a single original song (a throwaway), and recorded in less than a week, the duets album that Otis Redding did with Carla Thomas probably should have been a misfire.

And while it might be the slightest album of his career, it also had some inarguably great moments, the greatest of which was the silly-ass “Tramp,” which is essentially three minutes of Carla Thomas insulting Otis and Otis either defending or denying her insults over an admittedly infectious groove.

Tramp

Certain Songs #2196: Sharon Van Etten – “Serpents”

Certain Songs #1408: Otis Redding & Carla Thomas – “Tramp”