Music Matters Albums Listen to samples of music that matters. Through iTunes Through Amazon Issue 15 Issue 16 Issue 17 Issue 18 Issue 19 Issue 20 Issue 21 Issue 22 Issue 23 Issue 24 Issue 25 Issue 26 Issue 27 Issue 28 Issue 29 Issue 30 Web page: Malvina Reynolds

Rosalie Sorrels No Closing Chord—The Songs of Malvina Reynolds 2000, Red House Records If you’re anything like me, this album will serve as an introduction to the work of Malvina Reynolds. As a songwriter, Reynolds covered a wide range of topics and styles, from the children’s song "Magic Penny," to the nuclear bomb testing warnings contained within "What Have They Done to the Rain." Sorrels, the modern day song archivist, has gathered together an eclectic cast of musicians and singers to bring tribute to Reynolds’ work. These include representatives from the bluegrass world, such as Laurie Lewis and Todd Phillips, and pop-blues singer Bonnie Raitt, who plays slide guitar on "This World." There’s even the Chabot School Choir for children’s voices in some places. The styles vary greatly from song to song, with a song like the Native American influenced "The Money Crop" followed immediately by the military march of "The Judge Said." The album only scratches the surface of Reynolds’ work, but Sorrels fills this introduction with plenty of tender affection. —Dan MacIntosh