MERCHANDISE - "Y"
2013
Chico once asked Groucho, “vy a duck?” And you may ask, “why ‘Y’?” To which I reply, “Y not?” I had to title my 10th album “X” (obviously), so the subsequent LP needed to be christened “Y.” “Y” contains songs that were recorded for the “X” project, but had to wait their turn. People sometimes ask how I decide which tracks to include on a release out of the pool of songs recorded. Growing up in the vinyl era, I became accustomed to the 12-14 song quota. That tradition has carried over into the digital age, so the first reason is simple logistics. I try to have a variety on the album so if there are songs that are similar in groove and style, I will separate them. I don’t consider the bonus songs inferior to their cousins on the released album. OK, maybe some of them. But I’m not naming names. I hope the listener will find material in this set as strong or stronger than a few on the LP. It’s all a matter of taste. I can assure you that Nancy and I poured our hearts and souls into each and every track, and are looking forward to you giving them a listen. Feel free to drop us a note about how you felt about “Y.” - RXH
