David Dondero, Poetic American Songwriter

David Dondero, the road-wise touring veteran, writes songs about his travels touring and the in-between stops. Dondero has supported his life in music, taking on jobs in towns and cities across America. His life is broader than that of a musician who might experience life in a touring bubble. His lifestyle has come with personal sacrifice, but has guided his voice and is reflected in his outstanding songwriting. It is what makes him stand out from so many other songwriters. The cataloging of experiences that few have had and few can tell so sincerely. 

He is not fearful of taking on topical subjects like guns, religion and politics, and sex. He pens his material like journal entries. Thoughtfully and cleverly flavored with a little tongue-in-cheek tone. Like /I was just a tender chicken in the Florida rotisserie - my own sweats basting me...... or / some decisions are incisions - much too late to make revisions - sorry is just a suture...... and his description of his tour van built-in 1973- fossilized technology... his lonesome longings /liquor - come take her place - miss her- make it erase........One of my favorites is his reference to being a convenience store connoisseur, describing the Zagats of highway travel. 

Listening to his songs, I visualize all the colorful people and places. I am in the song as a spectator, mesmerized by his insightful phrasing, offbeat escapades, and vivid descriptions. The music is in the folk rock tradition but mixed with bluegrass. It is edgy, making them original sounding and not generic. Just when you think you get it, he'll change the timing with an electric guitar part that's atypical of that style, and it works. He sometimes incorporates banjo, mandolin, drums, and horns. The fingerpicking, hammered guitar strings, and quivering voice is always present in his songs. 

I have seen Dondero live four times, twice alone and twice with his talented touring drummer Craig D. I always love seeing him play. It was great to see him energized by an enthusiastic crowd at CMJ Team Love night 2005. He took out his camera to take a picture of the gorgeous audience to send to his mother. He is very endearing. The show was an energetic, high-tapping-clapping-stomping show. In an acoustic show at the Knitting Factory tap room in August 2006, a quieter but very determined singer emerged. His guitar broke toward the end of the set. He borrowed a very small guitar from the previous singer. Seeing his 6'2" frame in a small chair overpowering this tiny guitar was a sight. Then he sang the most poignant song called the Rothko Chapel singing/ my religion is in nature, art and literature - my religion is in science, music, and poetry....... 

He is presently featuring this demo on his myspace site.  I was thrilled that an NPR host Robin Hilton listed him as one of the 10 best living songwriters. Although I don't generally like lists, I was pleased Dondero received this recognition. One very well-written review of Dondero's 2003 release, The Transient, by the writer Gary Glander for Pop Matters, captures the essence of Dondero, the songwriter. I own his full collection and didn't want to use this post to review a specific CD. They all have been a personal obsession, and I cherish all of them. I am looking forward to his next effort. The demos that he has been featuring on his myspace site have teeth, and they bite. The lyrics attack in the political song You Got Love In You. He employs strong and powerful words that remind me of the spirit of early Folk when words could make a difference. Check out his Fall tour Dates Discography The Pity Party, 1999 Spider West Myshkin a City Bus 2000 Shooting at the Sun with a Water Gun 2001, The Transient 2003, Live at the Hemlock 2004 South of the South 2005

Freedom to Discover Music

Freedom to Hear, Find, Share, and Love Music. Great music is being heard. It is thrilling to see the change in how music lovers hear, find, and share music. Musicians now have the opportunity to create careers on their own or with the help of a caring independent label. The tides are changing. There are people all over the world starting sites like this one. Spreading the word about the music they love. Recently I befriended someone with a Myspace site that strongly states, "Let's Make Folk a Threat Again." He is a young man passionate about changing the world through music. On his site, he hosts bands and singer-songwriters doing just that. He presents their uTube live performances for all who find his site to hear and investigate. These great musicians are playing among us on street corners, in basements, garages, and small venues. They are being heard by a few but have the potential to be heard by many! Music fans and bloggers are curating their personal music aesthetic. They are creating their own small communities of like-minded listeners. Myspace, YouTube, Last., FM and podcasts are vehicles to help bring the music forward and expand the audience. Many public radio sites and stations offer some new music but are gearing their music selection to an older demographic. Their playlists get very similar and end up being mediocre. They are trying to please but are not challenging their audience. They often play music that has an audience, not music that needs to find one. I miss the truly informed host. I want to hear the history behind the music and find out what was just played. That is why I'm not a big fan of Satellite radio. In 2004 Willy Mason was discovered by Conor Oberst. He opened a few shows for Bright Eyes and was very well received. Shortly after those shows, he played SXSW to an audience of four. The audience turned out to be scouts for Zane Lowe Radio1 on the BBC. Their job that night was to find the best band at SXSW. They loved Willy Mason and asked him to sing on the air. The song was played and requested for months. At that point, his first self-released EP was available. Eventually, he recorded his full length and, by the end of 2005, had sold 100,000 CDs in the UK. Unfortunately, this would never happen here in the States. The corporatization of radio and the rise of the monopoly of the Clear Channel would change radio and music discovery in this country forever. When I was a teenager in the mid to late sixties, radio reached a broader community.

Along with hearing bubblegum pop, you would also hear Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, The Supremes, and Hendrix in the same half-hour airtime. Everybody heard the same music, and great music had a chance to evolve and change the culture. Today we are a boutique culture. This feels comforting but creates a separation of communities rather than a shared experience. Even though myspace is owned by Rupert Murdock and is weighed down with advertising and over-customized sites, it is still free and accessible. I can find inspiring music on myspace. It does take time and a discerning ear, but it is there. It has aided bands like Arcade Fire and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah to sell large quantities of CDs by indie standards and fill venues without radio play. Their success is a hopeful sign for other music artists to model. I am trying to find out about new vehicles that foster music discovery. I am hoping to start a dialogue with this community of music lovers. Maybe you have some suggestions and answers to questions that would be helpful to other musicians and music fans. Are there radio and Internet radio sites that are innovative and worthwhile? Are there sites that should be avoided? Is CD Baby a good way for independents to sell CDs? In what way do you think all of this will evolve? What's on the horizon that most people are not aware of? Are you willing to share? Together we can make a difference. Freedom to hear, find, share, and love music!! Please comment and help move the culture forward.

LANGHORNE SLIM, DELIVERS

LANGHORNE SLIM ["PRINCE" OF FOLK] Langhorne Slim delivers live. I Saw them at Rothko's in January, with a packed house. The group worked the crowd into a frenzy with just an acoustic guitar, stand-up bass, and drums. This group has heart, passion, and a love of performance that is refreshing and uplifting. I was watching the show with a drummer from a legendary hardcore punk band. At the close of the show he shook Langhorne's hand and said "after seeing this show I will follow you anywhere, man you're awesome." Their sound is a mixture of folk, hillbilly, scat, bluegrass with the sensibility of punk, especially with the strong percussion team of Paul Defiglia on bass and Malachi DeLorenzo on drums. Mr. Slim's high quivering voice can get very raw, bluesy, gritty, nasty, naughty at times and downright sweet, singing a love song with just a guitar. The other players sing and shout along as momemtum builds. Energy radiates from these three players and a kinetic force is created leaving the audience exhilarated. Langhorne has physical aspects to his playing that are very charismatic. His head turns from side to side while he pauses and stares to emphasize a word or phrase. He sways high and low with his guitar as he stomps and glides across the stage. Kind of like the artist "Prince" but folk style. There are so many mannerisms that are charming, quirky and great to observe. The other members ham it up as well. The banter during and in-between vocals is not to be missed and is never the same. It is guided by audience feedback, creating an interactive set. Langhorne Slim's full length CD When The Sun Goes Down (2005) lovingly unites the rousing songs with the beautiful love ballads. It is deserving of all the accolades it has received. The band has toured relentlessly in the last two years, featuring new material. They are in the process of recording a new LP. They have two shows in late August and two in September supporting the Violent Femmes, in New Jersey and Baltimore. For their fall tour they will support the Two Gallants , tour dates are listed on their myspace site. I hope you get a chance to experience this amazing group! When The Sun Goes Down LP 2005 Electric Love EP 2004

Honne Wells, Performance Stature of a Veteran

HONNE WELLS gave a performance with the stature of a veteran at Bar 169 in the Lower East Side. As Honne Wells sat down on a low stool, he slowly took off his shoe, placing his foot through a small tambourine. The mic stand was set low. Standing at six foot two inches in a grey suit and wide tie, he slowly began to stomp his foot, placing his hands behind his back. He bent over at a forty-degree angle to sing into the mic. His voice is low at the extreme, guttural and startling. The sound resonated, the air thickened with anticipation, and the time period altered to the early beginnings of Blues. Mr. Wells sat down with his guitar tuned to an irregular E. His glass slide tools are laid out in a row. Each is used and carefully chosen to vary the intonation of the rugged sliding bass notes. His fingerpicking moved the higher strings to a constant flutter. Five songs in, he added whistling to his repertoire. Ending the set with a great cover of Good Night Irene by Lead Better. Standing again, he sang and paused carefully between verses, leaving his audience speechless. Honne Wells blends earnest songwriting and conceptual affect with stunning music. Although he is a young man, his level of performance acumen is that of a veteran. Self-released What the Lead Said 2005 Honnephone Self-released Mother Pie 2006 Honnephone "The sound you hear are the harmonics of sorrow, people have called it folk, blues, gospel; but all it is to me is war." Honne Wells

Photo credit: Joshua Eric Schwartz

Hop Along Queen Ansleis, Smiling Folk Queen

Frances Quinlan, AKA Hop Along Queen Ansleis, is refreshingly original. Her voice has a wide octave range that rises and falls with complete abandon. She never holds back. She tells stories, fills songs with many words and images, and delivers them at machine gun pace. Within a second, her voice can suddenly fall to a whisper or a hum, only to rise again with unprecedented veracity. Usually, singers with that range work slowly and build to a crescendo, never surprising the listener. To me, that is just sappy and easy. 

In her full-length Freshman Year, she utilizes many instruments to create a sound that is distinctively her own. She incorporates a variety of bells, whistles, shakers, small cymbals, toys, and kazoos. The guitar is strummed and beat, hands are clapping, and the banjo, organ, and keyboards are added into the mix. While all of these instruments work their magic in a folk-like recipe, various voice tracks come in to create a feast. On a first listen, the tracks are so joyous and uplifting that her exceptional writing can be overlooked. She doesn’t rhyme or create verses, choruses, or bridges. The writing is atypical, with childlike references like the hot air balloon, the rusty trampoline, swollen boats, and a sea of concrete. These references pertain to family, friends, roommates, and childhood memories. She writes childlike dream sequences from an adult perspective and with scripted and running personal conversations. In the track “The Cactus,” she sings, “I wish somebody’d up and save me, save me, save me,” which builds, and the listener wishes to be saved. My favorite line in the song “For Sebastian From A Friend,” which she delivers with conviction, “Your guidance counselor was wrong, Hop Along sing your song. “ Advice people get along the way is usually misinformed or clueless. And writing like this, “I ain't no artist, I oughta be the dirt along the ocean floor /so when it drains I'll float to shore / now scathingly I'll throw the paint along my..."

The essence of what you hear on this CD, she can accomplish live without all the instrumentation. In January of this year, I saw her at Matchless in Brooklyn. There was a nice showing of her fan base, but the rest of the crowded bar didn't know her. The fans were up close and embracing Frances. She started the set using her guitar as percussion, and after she sang the first note, everyone moved forward. The bar was silent. People stood on barstools to get a better look. As the set continued, the audience clapped, stomped, and sang along appropriately. It is a joy watching her look up to recall every word and nuance, smiling from ear to ear, and singing to the rafters!!

Freshman year was Hop Along's first effort, which is remarkable. She is currently working on another full-length. Can't wait!!!

Freshman Year LP

WILDEBEEST, MANIFEST SOME DESTINY

Wildebeest, AKA Matthew Winn If you’re looking for pretty or easy, don't even bother. If you want to see and hear a music legend develop, you’re in for a ride. Matthew Winn is reserved, and his musical counterpart is the beast within. In his own words, "this is not folk punk, this is serious." Wildebeest is an exceptional multi-instrumentalist playing guitar, keyboards, accordion, and harmonica. His guitar playing and picking style is fast and furious. I can only compare the caliber of his playing to that of M Ward, but different. On his 2005 full-length release Motion and Language, he played all the instruments except drums. He is a powerful songwriter, and the music and energy of his impassioned singing style hammer those lyrics to the listener.

The voice is raw, it screams for attention and cries for answers, and sometimes it is soft and tender. The songs tell of his year spent living in Spain. They reflect his reactions to a different culture, inner reflections, longings for home and familiarity, and his affirmation to take life on-- to change and grow. Although the songs are personal, they are universal and capture the essence of youthful concerns in a literary mode. In the opening track, “Wisdom Tooth,” he sings, “I’m getting my last wisdom tooth in now / maybe this will be the one that works,” and as the song concludes, “I’ll plant my roots on a wrought iron bench,” repeating that line over and over, declaring a realization. In “Fighting Windmills,” he sings to propel himself forward, "I’m gonna manifest some destiny.” The last song of the CD proclaims, “We’re not yet the tired husks of men / Our hands are still young, and our fingers need blisters.” He knows he has time to grow, but he feels a sense of urgency. This is just a sampling of the lyrical content, every song has memorable phrasing and meaningful substance.

The words on paper are powerful enough, but hearing them sung fervently adds additional weight that resonates with his listener. From beginning to end, this CD works as a whole and seamlessly flows with solo acoustic musing and a full-out band sound. This is not the kind of CD you hear just one song, you get the gist of its strength. Every track emphasizes different instruments creating a cohesive but diverse approach. Recently I saw Wildebeest at a show and heard him play his new songs, He was mesmerizing. I could barely recognize some of the older songs he played. They were new again, inspired by a more bluesy direction. His voice moans, howls, groans, and occasionally yodels. The guitar playing was more subtle. I wasn’t disappointed. I left, saying to myself that I just saw a music legend in the making. Home and Time EP 2005 Motion and Language LP 2005 Full-length vinyl will be done soon.

Peasant, Unpredictable Beauty

After listening to Fear Not, Distant Lover by Peasant, AKA Damien Derose, he got to me. It just lingered, and I couldn't shake it. Peasant's sound and songwriting quietly haunted me. His songs start out so simply. The beauty lies in the layering of instruments and harmonious vocals that give it depth and add dimension. He coats each song with delicate percussion and combines this with jewel-like guitar riffs. The gentle riffs glide around the song’s melody, creating various combinations without being repetitive. He is a skilled player. To complement the instrumentation, he overlays his soft tenor vocals employing three-part harmony with words and soft humming. His voice, while being very beautiful, has quirky, unpredictable qualities. That is part of the charm that draws me in. His voice can quiver, gulp, cry and, at the right moments in a song, be joyous. 

The lyrical content of Fear Not, Distant Lover is smart. The song “Icy Deep” has compelling imagery. In the line, "Something sharp has cut my blood out, there's my blood now, there’s my blood now,” he cleverly repeats and fades thoughtfully. In the love song “Yes It’s True,” he juxtaposes "shot in the head with love" to describe love's powerful hold. Besides loves longings and sad songs, he tells stories about Lonnie, a simple craftsman whose craft is obsolete, or of Joanna, a mother that is cherished and remembered after death. He also conveys a message in the song “Don’t Quit.“ To describe the frustration of war and conflict, he writes, "All we are doing is staring at a screen, no one will hear you scream". He continues, "Take a little time to understand the man who walks beside you". His philosophical and mature writing is not overbearing-- just there to ponder. He is young and wise. Through his music, he has a voice with something to say. 

Playing live, Peasant connects with his audience. His love of music is evident, and that sincerity is a pleasure to witness. The show is basic-- a beautiful, caring voice with a guitar at its finest! While this CD has been his focus since its release in 2005, in October of this year, he will be pressing a vinyl single with four songs presently featured on his Website. These songs will be part of a 14-song full-length that he will release in 2007.