Robert Christgau Word of the Day

me•lis•ma n. pl. me•lis•ma•ta or me•lis•mas A passage of several notes sung to one syllable of text, as in Gregorian chant. (dictionary.reference.com)

Colors of the Day: The Best of Judy Collins [Elektra, 1972]

"Both Sides Now" could have been designed for her rich, relaxed, rather melodramatic contralto, but elsewhere you wonder why she devoted herself to popular music rather than some genuinely meaningful lifework--decorative gardening, perhaps, or distributing alms to the needy. To hear her strew subtle melismatic decorations over "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" is to wish you could get drunk with Sandy Denny. And to hear her perambulate through "Sunny Goodge Street" is to wanna walk the dog with Donovan Leitch. C+ (www.robertchristgau.com)