August Album of the Month
Authentic. If I had to describe Melissa Etheridge in one word.
Set against the music industry’s barrage of hyped albums, technology sometimes making bands sound better than they actually are – and the addictive draw of social media enticing artists to chase the numbers whatever the cost – here we have a knife that cuts through butter: an authenticity reset if you will. Here’s an artist employing the joy of her music to inspire people, to unite people and to remind us all that in the sometimes brutal world we live in, no one gets left behind. Everyone is valuable, everyone can be part of an inclusive world – and everyone can rebuild and look forward to the journey home. Welcome to the world of Melissa Etheridge folks, and to an album that injects vibrant contemporary relevance into a rock n roll world that too often is looking backwards not forwards.
The boys in old school rock still seem to play out to it being a man’s world. The lyrics, the promo videos still too often serve up that cliched misogyny that is out of touch, dated and inappropriate. In truth, the girls have been setting the rock n roll benchmarks for years. Deborah Bonham, Sari Schorr, Lynne Jackaman, Verity White, Rebecca Downes, the Gems to name a few. And of course Melissa Etheridge who is still innovating, still connecting, still writing, and still one of the best live acts in town – in any town. As the girls of Topeka found out for this magnificent live performance.
‘I’m Not Broken’ is the recorded legacy of a Melissa Etheridge concert recorded at the Topeka Correctional Facility as she plays a show for the prison’s 2,500 women residents. From the inspiring interviews I’ve done with Melissa over the years, it has become clear to me that Melissa is all about the healing power of music to help people endure, to unite and to overcome. And for this live album you can just sense that this concert would have inspired an audience to think about what is possible and what could be ahead. This isn’t an artist commenting on a social issue, here is an artist in society working with people, inspiring them to work through their issues. In the challenging world we live in we don’t need artistic protest or commentary from afar, we need ‘doing.’ Melissa has helped others and, for musicians, she has also led from the front and by example. You wanna fix the world? – do something about it.
After an inspiring introduction to the concert by the mayor, Melissa comes on stage and the set opens with ‘All American Girl.’ A long-time personal favourite from the ‘Yes I Am’ album. The song itself sounds totally re-energised here. Maybe the song has a real or renewed purpose opening this concert. It has a real edge and intent; you can feel the band feeding off the energy from the audience.
For me, ‘All American Girl’ has never sounded so alive, and a special word here for the audience who, throughout the album, are very much part of the show – and through this album their voices are heard. The band and audience are feeding off one another; it’s live music at its best when it becomes a shared communion between the two.
Next up, we’re into ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’ – and it’s so emphatic here that the band are the real deal. Brilliant dirty-edge blues, a powerful vocal and the guitar goes right through you, touching something deep inside. A song impossible not to react to, or rather a song in which you can lose yourself. Melissa’s music live is a healing, cathartic medicine for the soul. You won’t hear anything more alive and visceral on a blues album anytime soon this year.
Only a few tracks in and a word on the track sequence. This is an inspired set. The hits and fan favourites are (largely) saved for the end, but a wonderfully curated set list opens the first half of the show, including some lesser known gems. Like our fondness at Great Music Stories for Shriner’s Park, which Melissa brought back for her Bexhill and London shows, so many of her songs untouched by radio are gems that need exploring and having their moment live. This set list is richer for that, because there’s so much more to Melissa than the hits.
‘The Shadow Of A Black Crow’ is a heartfelt song for Melissa’s son as she channels her feelings through music. The scary road ahead with the sense that something’s following you; the shadow of a black crow. This is hallmark Melissa; her songs are authentic stories from the heart. Like Springsteen, Melissa is another of America’s great storytellers, a voice for a generation.
‘An Unexpected Rain’ – a song about running away – is richly atmospheric on this wonderful live album. There’s emotive nostalgia from the guitar counterpointing with pitch perfect vocal delivery. This is a song from the heart that yearns, that remembers and brings memories to life from the shadows of the mind. The control of the mood throughout the song’s eight-minute run is exceptional. Too good to be overlooked on the airwaves, this track will be a focus track on GMS radio over the month of August.
From the ‘Your Little Secret’ album ‘I Want To Come Over’ is next up. From a studio album that always takes me back to seeing Melissa play Wembley Stadium, her performance the standout of the day in my book. A studio album of so many fine songs – ‘Nowhere To Go’. ‘I Want To Come Over’ and, of course, ‘Shriners Park.’ In addition, ‘This War Is Over’ had a long run with us as a song for hope during our ‘Rockshows for Freedom,’ following the invasion of Ukraine. Sorry, I digress – back to this live album and the hit single ‘ I Want To Come Over.’ The audience are excited to hear this one open up – and the band feeds off their energy. The song is elevated in the moment. I also reflect that a wonderful thing about Melissa’s songs is they don’t age. The performance of this song doesn’t feel like a retro nod to a dated hit from the mid 90s. It sounds very 2024; it has the excitement you feel from a new song getting an early outing. Maybe the soul of this song was made again by the women at Topeka. For that night it was their song.
A deep cut next from 2019’s ‘The Medicine Show.’ ‘Love Will Live’ is so fitting for this concert, it just soars. You can sense the empowerment – “I’ve got so much to give” – and the hope – “I have chosen to live.” Somehow this song meant something more for this concert. The hope, the future.
‘Into The Dark’ conjures up childhood nightmares; a song about facing your fears, walking into and through the dark. Once again, the healing power of fine music, with a fabulous guitar outro.
And now the audience explode into joy as ‘Come To My Window’ signals the run of fan favourites that will conclude the show. If ever there was a song that would resonate with the hearts of Topeka, here is a song about going home. A beautiful moment on the album, just from the audio you can sense what the message of this song meant to the audience. A moment that may just bring a tear to your eye.
‘A Burning Woman’ is a new song that was premiered for the audience that night. The song brings the musical fire to inspire the audience to get through and move forward – as Melissa says in her own words, she attempts to “see through your eyes and feel in your heart.” For this inspirational new song, Melissa brings the musical medicine show to the women of Topeka. Who knows, maybe the show was the moment that inspired some to start the next chapter of their lives: “I’m a burning woman, I’m not broken, I am worth it.” A magical song for a magical moment.
“I might have f@cked things up, but I can break the chain.” Respect.
The temperature is now rising with each song. ‘Bring Me Some Water’ – the long-standing live favourite is a powerhouse song. Anyone who’s seen Melissa live will know how this song becomes a very special animal in the concert environment. One of those songs where you can just let it all out and lose a few pounds dancing around. For all those macho rock bands out there and all the macho radio stations that don’t really play female artists, the laugh is on you. Melissa’s two steps ahead boys. It’s rear-view mirror time, few songs rock better live.
‘I’m The Only One’ – I think this song made the girls at the show feel like they were the only ones that night. From the audience engagement, the concert clearly gave so many a real lift. A fully alive song.
‘Like The Way I Do’ in its full 13-minute splendour rounds of the concert – the set list so well curated, a performance that likely changed lives – and for us listeners on CD or vinyl, a reminder of why Melissa is still one of the benchmark live artists in music anywhere today.
The connection my rock show and the listeners have with Melissa’s music is a strong and enduring one. ‘The Medicine Show’ bagged album of the Month before being crowned ‘Album Of The Year’ back in 2019. ‘Shriners Park’ is a deep-cut fave and ‘I Know You’ closed every rockshow for the duration of the pandemic – becoming a shared moment to end the day between people in different countries, none of whom could leave their houses. Building on this history, this new live album is another benchmark moment in Melissa’s creative journey. So much more than just a live album, the spoken words between the songs will inspire you, but it’s the unspoken words – the power of the occasion and the impact of the music on people – you can feel it. It’s the unspoken moments that leave a lasting impression.
In simple terms, it is also nice to celebrate a live recording as album of the month for August, when the future of live music is in the balance, with a record number of UK venues closing their doors in the last year. This is a live album to inspire you to rediscover the joy of live music. Live music is about real, it’s about turning the phone off and living in the moment – and few (if any) do it better on stage that Melissa Etheridge.
Melissa Etheridge – ‘I’m Not Broken’ is released on 26th July
Film footage from the show is featured in a documentary available for streaming on Paramount+
Discover more about Melissa Etheridge at https://melissaetheridge.com
Archive audio interviews with Melissa
Melissa Etheridge in London town: June 2022
