Planned
CD series will spotlight local singer/ songwriter talent
The Athens News (8/15/2005)
By Bridget Whelan
When singer-songwriter and local music legend Bruce Dalzell
puts together a compilation of local musicians he admires,
the best advice is shut up and listen.
"Brucie's Athens Singer/Songwriter Series: Volume One"
is a summer must-listen for the Athens music aficionado or
anyone who wants a taste of the best Athens has to offer in
the singer/songwriter line. The album features the musical
eccentricities of Jim Phillips, Jody Schaub, David Valentine
and Charlie Hughes.
Dalzell maintains that the Athens music scene is at an artistic
peak right now and cited the four artists showcased on the
album as significant contributors to this musical efflorescence.
"I grew up here, and I've never seen it as cool as it
is now," said Dalzell. "It's a great, great time
to be here as a musician."
Each person contributed three tracks to the compilation,
and Dalzell tried to maintain the same atmosphere as his Singer/Songwriter
Showcase concerts in the recording studio. Dalzell recorded
all the music at his home in Stewart, more affectionately
known as I Love Brucie Studios.
Dalzell gained credibility with the regular Billy and Brucie
Shows and later, as the weekly Front Room open stage impressario,
giving many musical upstarts a laidback, comfortable way to
ease into performing.
The Singer/Songwriter showcases became a staple of acoustic
music in Athens over the last five or six years, since Dalzell
came up with the idea to get four artists together, sit them
all onstage, and have them take turns sharing their musical
creations.
"They tend to go really well," explained Dalzell.
"I'm always surprised by how many people are actually
interested in what we're playing. So I got kind of cocky and
thought 'Let's do the same thing on a recording.'"
He intends to produce a series of singer/songwriter albums
and already has a list of about 35 musicians he hopes to showcase
on subsequent volumes. This time around, however, the four
featured artists display a wide range of musical influence
and style. Dalzell speaks highly of each artist's personal
talents and varied musical qualities.
Jim Phillips just so happens to be the senior writer here
at The Athens NEWS, but his mastery and manipulation of language
is most evident in his songwriting. Phillips' "Dirt on
Her Flowers" is as quirky as it is poetic and is sure
to impress even the most discerning ear. Phillips approaches
his lyrical stylings with ease and grace, crooning with smooth
nonchalance and subtle whimsy.
"He's a brilliant writer," praised Dalzell. "My
impression is that he's one of these guys who's so good at
it, it doesn't even mean that much to him. I've been listening
to him for a long, long time... He was an obvious choice because
I've always admired him."
Jody Schaub is the quintessential "folk chick"
who employs startlingly difficult harmonies and an "old-timey"
feel to her music. She sings with Erin Cameron-McElroy on
the album and together they comprise Wellhouse, a duo Dalzell
immediately recognized as golden.
"I just love whatever it is they have; I haven't even
quite figured it out," he explained.
Although Schaub lacks total originality, delving into a genre
worn out by women with similar sounds, she does bring a fresh
voice to her songwriting, exploring themes somewhat atypical
of traditional old-timey music.
"Thousands of Ways" demonstrates Schaub's penchant
for slow, lilting melodies backed by soft, rolling singing.
Charlie Hughes recently graduated from Ohio University and
caught Dalzell's attention at his open stage. Hughes was also
a member of the band Now Hiring Dancers, which played in many
venues around Athens.
Hughes is a favorite at open stage, revealing intimate portraits
of relationships in his songwriting. "Robert Frost"
epitomizes this intimacy, brimming with passion and the kind
of openness and familiarity uncharacteristic of many young
songwriters.
"I loved his songs from the beginning," said Dalzell.
"He doesn't write the cliches that a young guy would
normally write."
Last but not least, the prize for the most unusual style
goes to David Valentine. Hip and upbeat, Valentine's sound
has some funk, blues and rock, and this genre-mixing is what
makes Valentine uniquely fresh.
Dalzell recalled that Valentine, who studied theater at OU,
first gained a following combining humor with Destiny's Child
covers.
"Then he got his heart broken, and he started writing
these acoustic R&B songs that were just unlike anything
any young guy writes," said Dalzell. "They were
wonderful."
Valentine later got the girl back and secured himself a place
on the Athens music radar screen, presumably due to the fun
grooves on tracks like "Rowdy."
Thematically, the album is a hodge-podge of styles and sounds,
but the tracks are linked in one special way. "It's very
representative of what I like about this town," said
Dalzell.
Dalzell is currently working on a follow-up volume and described
the whole process as "a great learning experience."
"Brucie's Athens Singer/Songwriter Series: Volume One"
can be purchased at Blue Eagle Music and also online at www.manassehrecords.
A CD release performance is in the works for 8 p.m. this Friday
in the Front Room in OU's Baker Center. |
