This is one show that I am extremely happy to host - one great songwriter, musician, vocalist and a great guy shares his new CD "WATER" with us. The songs Richie Lawrence has written for Water are deceptively simple, composed of rippling melodies full of shadow and light, lyrics brimming with poetry and plainspoken truth and an invitation to join in a dance of love, laughter and compassion. Their complexity delights with the first listen, slowly unfolding to reveal an unexpected intensity of color and flavor as they linger on the emotional palette.
Richie Lawrence
Water
Big Book Records
"Well, shoot howdy shucks. Lawrence’s voice is so gentle and insistent that it kind of makes me feel high just hearing it… it’s mellow and bright like the yellow sun in springtime, never intrusive but impossible to ignore once you notice it. Lawrence has mastered the ability to take roots Americana in its most August lazy and yet make it seem fresh, like a young gal/guy in a gingham dress who has never felt a hand in that part of their britches before. It’s impossible not to compare this to Jason Heath’s recent album, solely because this one is so much better–unlike Heath, Lawrence’s slow and steady approach means he never wears out his welcome, and even the accordion he uses sounds like a genius addition instead of like kitchen sink excessiveness. The album starts off being country/western and suddenly becomes Tin Pan Alley poetry in the vein of early Oingo Boingo/Tom Waits. It’s strange and wonderful. I get sickened by things like this because they remind me of how my fast-paced L.A. lifestyle means a misery of missed shows and underappreciated amazements."
Lawrence has been immersed in music ever since he can remember. He taught himself to play the family’s 1917 Steinway Grand and he’s been a working musician for most of his life. Lawrence’s dedication to the craft of songwriting is obvious on Water, a collection that distills a lifetime of knowledge into 12 songs filled with innocence and experience. “The songs use water as a metaphor for consciousness, imagination, love, wonder, playfulness and humor, as well as implying the importance of water both politically and environmentally,” Lawrence explains. “Water nurtures the body as love nurtures the soul; both are essential to life.”
Visit Richie at http://richielawrence.com
Post new comment