Maggie and Terre and Suzzy

The Roches are bubbling to the top of my cultural collective unconscious.

Colin was kvetching about xmas music the other day and I suggested the Roches xmas album We Three Kings as an alternative. Then I was Youtube surfing for something or the other and stumbled on this classic Tiny Toons episode featuring the Roches as, well, roaches.

Putting together my xmas list, I came across a Roches disk I do not own, 1994's children's disk Will You Be My Friend


And then, last night, en route home from Rye NY, who should pop up on the evening rebroadcast of Talk of the Nation but my three favorite musical sisters, in wonderful voice and humor. They talked, they took some calls, and they sang live in the studio (still in great voice). They have a new album out, Moonswept. Which will be added to my xmas list, posthaste.


I've been in love with Maggie and Terre and Suzzy since 1980 or thereabouts. Their first trio album got reviewed in Rolling Stone, which I was reading at the time in my "wanna be a rocker" days, and that prompted me to buy the vinyl. Probably got me started down the "folk music" road, really - I never picked up on Dylan, Simon & Garfunkle, Joni Mitchell, etc. until much later. But the Roches. I wanted to be them. Any of them. All of them. Urban and funky, serious and silly, and gloriously harmonious. I had serious crushes on 'em all.

I've seen them a handful of times - my most memorable was Town Hall in Tarrytown, NY - I was returning from a business trip overseas and was not sure I would be up for the concert, so I did not get a ticket ahead of time. I called that day to find out that tickets were still being sold, but when I got to the ticket window, found they needed cash. Off to the ATM, and when I returned, a guy pulled me aside to sell me a spare ticket - front row center. It was glorious - a sonic barrage.

I often pull out my Dar Williams bona fides when it comes to folkies - I caught the Dar wave in the early 90's, before her first CD in fact - as she schlepped her cassette tapes and Subaru through the wilds of New England to a handful of listeners. But the Roches and I go back at least a decade longer. Beautiful music, beautiful women. Providing the soundtrack to my life.....

So, the Roches new album, Moonswept for holiday giving. You could do worse....