Post by christopher888 on Jun 5, 2009 14:01:36 GMT -6
New York musician John Dunbar was the man behind the Rutles-esque tribute to The Kinks called The Kunks ( amazon.com/Kunks-John-Dunbar/dp/B000X7B9WI ). So what did he decide to follow up with, after the success he found with that experiment? A concept album, what else? Didn't Mr. Dunbar learn from Mr. Davies' mistakes in the 70's?
"I call Life's Great Listeners a song cycle; that seems to be easier to handle than the daunting term "concept" album," explains Dunbar. "But saying that, those concept albums The Kinks made for RCA are some of my favorites of all time."
The theme of Life's Great Listeners centers around the majority of musicians who have fallen in love with music while that love remained forever unrequited. The album is comprised of 12 songs about the people who have picked up an instrument imagining one day leading a life similar to their musical heroes; the persistent players where music only remained a spectator sport, no matter how much work, passion and time they put in,.
"The majority of people who become musicians and develop their little dreams, not necessarily of becoming famous, but of becoming a legitimate professional or just to be able to support themselves through their music, rarely do." Dunbar claims, speaking from experience. "The ones with that undying passion for music, the musicians who continue to play and write because it's an involuntary muscle are the people who I think live for music more than anyone else."
Not only will musicians relate to the subject matter, anyone with unfulfilled aspirations will see themselves in songs like "Without An Audience Waiting" ( about those persevering in the face of disinterest), "Track of Time" ( with a chorus singing about us losing track of time but time never losing track of us), "Hanging Onto Indifference" ( about a character who believes that having no one caring about his songs is better than knowing they are officially disliked). "A Loving Scapegoat" is sung by a dedicated and supportive wife who still believes her husband has the goods to be one of the greats. "Watching Fingers" is sung by a guitar teacher who has perfected the fine art of staring at guitarist's fingers looking for mistakes, or tips.
"People often respond to those classic songs and albums with a heartbreak theme. These songs can fall into that category. After all what's more heartbreaking than failed artistic ambitions?" Dunbar theorizes.
There's an extra treat for the truly great, close listeners. Each song links into the next; character wise. You can search for cameo appearances by each character in the songs preceding the ones about them. Musically it's an adventurous mix of varying tempos and time signature with unique instrumentation held together with Dunbar's trademark use of unique melodies, sing-along hooks and bittersweet humor.
www.noisetrade.com/johndunbar#
"I call Life's Great Listeners a song cycle; that seems to be easier to handle than the daunting term "concept" album," explains Dunbar. "But saying that, those concept albums The Kinks made for RCA are some of my favorites of all time."
The theme of Life's Great Listeners centers around the majority of musicians who have fallen in love with music while that love remained forever unrequited. The album is comprised of 12 songs about the people who have picked up an instrument imagining one day leading a life similar to their musical heroes; the persistent players where music only remained a spectator sport, no matter how much work, passion and time they put in,.
"The majority of people who become musicians and develop their little dreams, not necessarily of becoming famous, but of becoming a legitimate professional or just to be able to support themselves through their music, rarely do." Dunbar claims, speaking from experience. "The ones with that undying passion for music, the musicians who continue to play and write because it's an involuntary muscle are the people who I think live for music more than anyone else."
Not only will musicians relate to the subject matter, anyone with unfulfilled aspirations will see themselves in songs like "Without An Audience Waiting" ( about those persevering in the face of disinterest), "Track of Time" ( with a chorus singing about us losing track of time but time never losing track of us), "Hanging Onto Indifference" ( about a character who believes that having no one caring about his songs is better than knowing they are officially disliked). "A Loving Scapegoat" is sung by a dedicated and supportive wife who still believes her husband has the goods to be one of the greats. "Watching Fingers" is sung by a guitar teacher who has perfected the fine art of staring at guitarist's fingers looking for mistakes, or tips.
"People often respond to those classic songs and albums with a heartbreak theme. These songs can fall into that category. After all what's more heartbreaking than failed artistic ambitions?" Dunbar theorizes.
There's an extra treat for the truly great, close listeners. Each song links into the next; character wise. You can search for cameo appearances by each character in the songs preceding the ones about them. Musically it's an adventurous mix of varying tempos and time signature with unique instrumentation held together with Dunbar's trademark use of unique melodies, sing-along hooks and bittersweet humor.
www.noisetrade.com/johndunbar#