It's Better Late (Music Thoughts: Sue Raney, Late In Life)

It's only February and I think I already have my favorite album of 2015: Sue Raney's Late In Life.  As a matter of fact, I think I may have found my new favorite song of the year, which is the title track, "Late In Life,"  written by Shelley Markham with lyrics by Adryan Russ. It is a song abotu finding love late in life,  unexpectedly. It's such a wistful, hopeful, thanksful song and Raney expresses all these emotions with such vulnerable passion that at first listen, I just found myself crying.  The same sentiment permeates throughout the whole album, and I even think I found a new favorite version of my wedding song which is "On My Way To You."  I think on my actual wedding day (I hope no one holds their breath for it, though) I will splice versions of the song by Barbra Streisand, Ann Hampton Callaway, and now Sue Raney.  And the medlette of "My Idea;/Long Ago and Faraway" is beautifully rendered,  and the tenderest version of "at Last" is found here, it feels so different after all the bombastic soul versions of this song. I cannot think of a track to throw away, and I even like her version of a song I thoroughly dislike, "Something New In My Life."  I now will find myself putting this album on an infinite loop, and doubt will tire of it.