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smolla
» genre:
Country >
Alternative Country
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dan smolla
» label: unsigned
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Dan Smolla
NEWS
http://www.whisperinandhollerin.co.uk/reviews/review.asp?id=537
http://www.reviewed4u.com/music/dan%20smolla.htm
http://www.reviewed4u.com/music/dan%20smolla.htm
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DAN SMOLLA hails from Dekalb, Illinois, and writes joyful (sometimes), emotional (always) and thought-provoking songs with elements of Alt. Country, folk and (I think) loose echoes of early '70s Stones flowing through their veins.
It doesn't surprise that Dan has performed at a number of open mics on his home turf, as most of the songs on "Swimming In Wind" (his second album) are warm, acoustic-based things, often embellished with spasms of electric/ slide guitar, sax or double bass.
There are 11 songs on "Swimming In Wind", and most of 'em are pretty damn engaging and just the right side of oddball. Smolla's songs are rarely obviously linear, though opener "Fields Of Hope" does swing with a nagging, old skool rock'n'roll feel and a joyous horn arrangement.
Other tracks, meanwhile, often veer off at unlikely tangents. "Patterns," for instance, kicks in with skittering breakbeats and a sonic stance not dissimilar to Beck circa "Odelay", while the ensuing "Swimming In Wind" itself reminds strongly of Jay Farrar (circa Uncle Tupelo's acoustic spell), with a distinct downhome feel and Dan taking his time in bringing on the chorus.
Repeated listening is recommended, as tunes like "Lucky One" and "Heaven Through The Woods" really begin to impinge the more air you allow them. This reviewer also applauds the fact Dan's open-minded enough to mix back-porch acoustics with unusual textures (like the shot of drum machine on "Lucky One"), or include a full-pelt bar-room rocker a la Replacements in "Cheap Restaurant" slap in the middle of the hickory-smoked mellow vibes.
Viewed clinically, some of the tunes here ramble somewhat (few songs clock in under the 5-minute mark), and probably most would-be label suitors might want to tighten Smolla up comprehensively. That said, let's hope they don't go too far, because Dan's slightly ramshackle vibe is an important part of his inherent charm.
Dan's own bio suggests his music is "Kerouac soaked" and "Swimming In Wind" suggests he shares a similar freewheelin', freestylin' anything-goes attitude. Crucially, though, "Swimmng In Wind" promotes this liberation without sacrificing decent tunes. Make sure to search for this guy, folks.
--TIM PEACOCK WRITING 4 Whisperin & Hollerin
Dan Smolla is from Illinois, US, and despite an earlier album "Hearts in Traffic", he's not widely known. All that may change.
Swimming In Wind is a great collection of songs that perhaps have there origin in folk, but also have a very contemporary rock element too, which overall produces an appealing musical base. On top of the music is a layer of rich vocals and on most tracks a lot of harmonic backing vocals adding both originality and depth to the arrangements. Add to this, some excellent melodies and intelligent lyrics and you get yourself an album that is worth a second listen.
The album opens with "Fields of Hope" which has a funky feel with catchy chorus and nice Sax. One thing that stands out is the length of tracks the opener is over 7 mins and there are no many less than 5 mins.
"Maiden of the moon" has undulating lyrics and again with atmospheric backing vocals throughout. After the first two tracks you can get a distinct feel for the style of the album and some of the underlying influences such as Dylan and Spingsteen, but the album really does sound fresh too. "Swimming in Wind" has a sort of drunken feel - I don't know if it's supposed to - but it sounds like the sort of voice and lyrics that can only be achieved with copious alcohol, but whatever the influence the end result is great.
--Editor REVIEWED4U
It doesn't surprise that Dan has performed at a number of open mics on his home turf, as most of the songs on "Swimming In Wind" (his second album) are warm, acoustic-based things, often embellished with spasms of electric/ slide guitar, sax or double bass.
There are 11 songs on "Swimming In Wind", and most of 'em are pretty damn engaging and just the right side of oddball. Smolla's songs are rarely obviously linear, though opener "Fields Of Hope" does swing with a nagging, old skool rock'n'roll feel and a joyous horn arrangement.
Other tracks, meanwhile, often veer off at unlikely tangents. "Patterns," for instance, kicks in with skittering breakbeats and a sonic stance not dissimilar to Beck circa "Odelay", while the ensuing "Swimming In Wind" itself reminds strongly of Jay Farrar (circa Uncle Tupelo's acoustic spell), with a distinct downhome feel and Dan taking his time in bringing on the chorus.
Repeated listening is recommended, as tunes like "Lucky One" and "Heaven Through The Woods" really begin to impinge the more air you allow them. This reviewer also applauds the fact Dan's open-minded enough to mix back-porch acoustics with unusual textures (like the shot of drum machine on "Lucky One"), or include a full-pelt bar-room rocker a la Replacements in "Cheap Restaurant" slap in the middle of the hickory-smoked mellow vibes.
Viewed clinically, some of the tunes here ramble somewhat (few songs clock in under the 5-minute mark), and probably most would-be label suitors might want to tighten Smolla up comprehensively. That said, let's hope they don't go too far, because Dan's slightly ramshackle vibe is an important part of his inherent charm.
Dan's own bio suggests his music is "Kerouac soaked" and "Swimming In Wind" suggests he shares a similar freewheelin', freestylin' anything-goes attitude. Crucially, though, "Swimmng In Wind" promotes this liberation without sacrificing decent tunes. Make sure to search for this guy, folks.
--TIM PEACOCK WRITING 4 Whisperin & Hollerin
Dan Smolla is from Illinois, US, and despite an earlier album "Hearts in Traffic", he's not widely known. All that may change.
Swimming In Wind is a great collection of songs that perhaps have there origin in folk, but also have a very contemporary rock element too, which overall produces an appealing musical base. On top of the music is a layer of rich vocals and on most tracks a lot of harmonic backing vocals adding both originality and depth to the arrangements. Add to this, some excellent melodies and intelligent lyrics and you get yourself an album that is worth a second listen.
The album opens with "Fields of Hope" which has a funky feel with catchy chorus and nice Sax. One thing that stands out is the length of tracks the opener is over 7 mins and there are no many less than 5 mins.
"Maiden of the moon" has undulating lyrics and again with atmospheric backing vocals throughout. After the first two tracks you can get a distinct feel for the style of the album and some of the underlying influences such as Dylan and Spingsteen, but the album really does sound fresh too. "Swimming in Wind" has a sort of drunken feel - I don't know if it's supposed to - but it sounds like the sort of voice and lyrics that can only be achieved with copious alcohol, but whatever the influence the end result is great.
--Editor REVIEWED4U
Why this name?
My parents helped me.
Do you play live?
Yes. On the couch, at drunken parties, and in my car on the highway--also at open mic type venues, closed mic type venues, stages, cages, rages, front pages and back, and wherever things are stacked to fly.
How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?
Greatly. It's a big positive. It opens doors, it creates variety, it gives an incentive to many artists to let go of the idea of fitting a sound or mold and just create music since they know they've a chance to reach at least a few people via the Internet. The industry has to know that they better keep up, cause people like variety, quality, passion, sinceerity, etc.
Would you sign a record contract with a major label?
If they let me write and record they I want to.
Band History:
I've been playing music since a teenager. First just blues and classic rock. I was in some bands then stopped music competely for 10-12 years. I go the bug again in a big way a couple years ago and now I am more into music than I was when I was a kid.
Your influences?
Bob Dylan; Rolling Stones; Van Morrison; Bruce Springsteen; blues--Muddy, Howlin Wolf, Robert Johnson, B.B. King, Albert King, Hound Dog Taylor, Sonny and Terry--much more with blues; Tracy Chapman, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Petty, Sun Volt, Wilco, Steve Earle, Beatles, Beck, the Who, U2, Sex Pistols, Sonic Youth, The Juice Dogs, many more...
Favorite spot?
New Mexico
Equipment used:
guitars and bass and drums and voice and sax and harp and slide
Anything else...?
review excerpts from my first CD,
“Some of the most satisfying and genuine folk music you'll ever hear…Smolla has the ability to breath a separate soul into each and every track, while at the same time keeping his acoustic tour de force down to earth. Most of his pieces move forward in a linear fashion. Many are geared towards change; listen to the long and relaxed "Pretend to Know the Moon" and you'll notice that it begins with a female vocalist, who speaks her lyrics. Smolla sings beneath her voice, eventually replacing her as lead vocalist, and the roles reverse at the song's end. "Kissed the Fist of a Star" and "Can You Believe It?" go out with stark, trembling guitar lines, conveying simple and giddy intimacy. "The Storm", a 90-second vignette, employs a waltzy, stripped-down guitar line under Smolla's spoken-word lyrics, while "Whiskey" begins as a normal singer-songwriter piece, only to melt into a memorable round of layered vocal tracks….Given Smolla's style, there's a ton of variety on Hearts in Traffic -- more variety than the album title suggests. Smolla's material is most easily grouped under the heading of singer-songwriter folk, but his occasional use of a drum machine sometimes pushes him into the genre's outer regions. Give the disc a spin and you're likely to find your heart in more than just traffic." Josh Kazman, Spendidezine.com
“The first thing that I hear as I start listening to "Down By The Road" is that Dan Smolla has a very distinctive folk voice. The vocals seem to give this song the kind of musical presence that urges you to listen. Artists like Tom Petty and Bob Dylan seem to have been born with this vocal presence, and I think Dan Smolla has it too." --Jonathan Sanders,Gods of Music
“DeKalb does not have a reputation for boasting well-known local bands. Local cover bands, maybe, but that’s where it ends. Dan Smolla could change that...Smolla’s new album, “Hearts in Traffic,” is the modern embodiment of everything that singers Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Tom Waits had to offer years ago.…” --Kelly Mcclure,The Northern Star
“Some of the most satisfying and genuine folk music you'll ever hear…Smolla has the ability to breath a separate soul into each and every track, while at the same time keeping his acoustic tour de force down to earth. Most of his pieces move forward in a linear fashion. Many are geared towards change; listen to the long and relaxed "Pretend to Know the Moon" and you'll notice that it begins with a female vocalist, who speaks her lyrics. Smolla sings beneath her voice, eventually replacing her as lead vocalist, and the roles reverse at the song's end. "Kissed the Fist of a Star" and "Can You Believe It?" go out with stark, trembling guitar lines, conveying simple and giddy intimacy. "The Storm", a 90-second vignette, employs a waltzy, stripped-down guitar line under Smolla's spoken-word lyrics, while "Whiskey" begins as a normal singer-songwriter piece, only to melt into a memorable round of layered vocal tracks….Given Smolla's style, there's a ton of variety on Hearts in Traffic -- more variety than the album title suggests. Smolla's material is most easily grouped under the heading of singer-songwriter folk, but his occasional use of a drum machine sometimes pushes him into the genre's outer regions. Give the disc a spin and you're likely to find your heart in more than just traffic." Josh Kazman, Spendidezine.com
“The first thing that I hear as I start listening to "Down By The Road" is that Dan Smolla has a very distinctive folk voice. The vocals seem to give this song the kind of musical presence that urges you to listen. Artists like Tom Petty and Bob Dylan seem to have been born with this vocal presence, and I think Dan Smolla has it too." --Jonathan Sanders,Gods of Music
“DeKalb does not have a reputation for boasting well-known local bands. Local cover bands, maybe, but that’s where it ends. Dan Smolla could change that...Smolla’s new album, “Hearts in Traffic,” is the modern embodiment of everything that singers Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Tom Waits had to offer years ago.…” --Kelly Mcclure,The Northern Star