Bonus Tracks

Author: Jessi Zilka

  • Rapid Review: I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You

    Rapid Review: I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You

    As I rested the needle on side one, track one of Aretha Franklin’s I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You, I was immediately transported as “Respect” poured out of my speakers. I couldn’t help but dance around my living room, soaking in every second of sound with Ms. Franklin. The music wrapped around me like a familiar, cozy blanket. It was inviting and warm, powerful yet intimate. And when it was done, I was sad to see it end. This was a record I could flip back over and enjoy every moment all over again. It’s so rare to have an experience like this with a selection of songs. There are records throughout music history that are referred to as masterpieces—albums that, from top to bottom, deliver perfection with every note. I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You is, in my opinion, one of those masterpieces. 

    During our discussion of this record at our latest fridate, Chad noted that what makes Aretha Franklin so special is the infusion of Gospel into her music. Gospel is at her roots, and though this album encapsulates the classic sound of 1960s soul, its Gospel elements are what truly propel it to heights above the rest. Whether it’s presented through the tone and movement in her voice or the arrangement of the instruments accompanying her, Gospel is the fuel behind I Never Loved a Man…, and it’s the secret weapon to its perfection. There are many facets to this record that allow it to stand the test of time, but I think the Gospel motif is possibly the most valuable and core feature to note. And without her love for Gospel, would Aretha Franklin have been overlooked in the annals of time? The world will never know (and thank God for it)!

    There’s not a single moment on this album that I would change. After revisiting it through my turntable in this listening experience, I honestly should address the need for it to be present on my favorite albums of all time list. There’s nothing that compares to it. It embodies the definition of flawless.

    Album: I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You
    Artist: Aretha Franklin
    Release Year: 1967
    Label: Atlantic Records

    Jessi’s star rating: ★★★★★
    Jessi’s favorite tracks: “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You),” “Drown In My Own Tears,” “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man”

  • “Everybody thinks they have good taste and a sense of humor, but they couldn’t possibly all have good taste.”

    “Everybody thinks they have good taste and a sense of humor, but they couldn’t possibly all have good taste.”

    Welcome to Bonus Tracks. A blog born from the love of two best friends and the things we share in common.

    My name is Jessi, and I am one half of this team of blogging besties. I’m a wife, a record collector, a diehard Disnerd (not to be confused with Disney Adult), and a proud child of the 90s. You’ll get to know each of us in a much deeper capacity as time goes on, but these are the staples to get you started.

    For years, Chad and I have been daydreaming of a place where our love for music, film, books, and the like could come together in a shareable, public format. We toyed with the idea of a podcast, but frankly, neither of us have the time. Between my life in Florida and his in New Orleans, it’s just not a sustainable option. Recently, while taking one of our frequent day trips to Disney, we brainstormed the idea of starting a blog; a space where we could publish our thoughts based on the running topics in our text threads, Instagram messages, and weekly Google Meet hang out sessions. It would be at our own pace, with no expectations of sitting down weekly to commit to time we simply don’t have. Thus Bonus Tracks came to life. Chad and I are both excellent writers, though our styles are quite different. He comes from an English major background, while I come from a journalism major background (that means he’s way more eloquent than me). Though our writing techniques may differ, we’re confident that our joint approaches will breathe life into the subjects at hand. We both have a passion for the written word, so what better way to revel in our own wonderful thoughts than to write them down?! It makes perfect sense to us.

    Chad and I met in college back in the spring of 2012. After a few brief encounters and exchanges, a mutual friend invited both of us on a trip to Epcot. When the day came, and we began talking in deeper detail, we instantly clicked. We discussed music, movies, books, our intense passion for Disney, and everything in between. I think we both knew by the end of that Epcot trip that we had just experienced something special. And here we sit 12 years later, two best friends who love each other and couldn’t imagine life apart! Chad and I not only have a lot in common, but we also truly understand one another. We’ve learned how the other one ticks, and that has made our relationship incredibly sturdy—a safe place for both of us to turn to at any point in our lives. We’ve seen each others’ really high highs and really low lows. And no matter what has come our way, we always meet it head on together. That has allowed us to develop a truly extraordinary connection. 

    One of our most treasured hobbies is sharing music with each other. While we often explored artists together in the past, making countless playlists for one another, we really started investing in this tradition in 2020. While the world was locked inside due to the COVID pandemic, Chad and I turned to Zoom to keep us connected. We video chatted every single week, and began a project where we each picked a music artist we loved and combined 10 songs from each into one playlist, giving us an introduction to the other. Little did we know that this project we started to keep us occupied during a global lockdown would still be going strong five years later! 

    Bonus Tracks, at its core, is an ode to our phenomenal friendship. While its cornerstones will be music, you’ll also get to read about various subjects that Chad and I find interesting! We both have a love for animated films, Chad loves art and fashion, we’re equal Disney fanatics, I have my own tea brand and love to make new blends…this list goes on. We want this blog to be an example of two individuals coming together in shared experiences to create something we think is valuable and exciting!

    I’d like to dedicate this journey to the greatest pair of on-screen best friends, Sally and Marie. We aspire to emulate you both in dedication to each other and authenticity to yourselves, as well as your great taste. *wink*