Lyric/photo insert included. Vinyl plays with occasional light-crackles (play-graded). Cover looks great; light-scuffing and surface impressions (front/back); several surface impressions on front near top right. Inner-sleeve is generic white. Spine is easy-to-read with mild wear. Little shelf-wear along top-edge, slightly more wear along bottom-edge and corners. Opening is crisp with signs of light use and a few divots. Roundup Records catalog ad and record suggestions. Barcode on back. (Not a cut-out.)
Once in a Very Blue Moon, by singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith marks the emergence of a major talent (allmusic.com). The sounds have become a little more country and a little less folk than her previous albums. Her first two albums were backed sparsely with instrumentation, but starting with this album, the whole complement of country-styled instrumentalists can be heard. Noted country musicians performing on the album include banjo player Bela Fleck and champion fiddle player Mark O'Connor. Nanci refers to her backing band as "The Blue Moon Orchestra." This reference is believed to have been drawn from both the title of Once in a Very Blue Moon, and its title selection, which reached #85 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1986. According to a review on allmusic.com, "Nanci Griffith finds her voice on her third studio album, Once in a Very Blue Moon. This is the album where she established her musical identity -- she is at home in many genres (which perhaps explains why she never gets played on formatted radio stations), and seamlessly blends folk, bluegrass, and country with a group of stellar musicians, including guitarist Pat Alger and a young banjo player named Bela Fleck. While the music is well-textured with cello, mandolin, Dobro, and fiddle, it is Griffith's lyrics that distinguish her from her peers. Although not a concept album, the main theme explored is travel. She sings about the joys and excitement of the road as well as the longing that comes with extended periods away from home. Nanci Griffith is an excellent storyteller, with detailed, insightful lyrics that vividly portray the hopes and dreams of her characters (Mary and Omie). She sprinkles the album with songs of others, as she pays homage to folk veterans such as Bill Staines (Roseville Fair) and sings a tune by newcomer Lyle Lovett (If I Were the Woman You Wanted).