The lyrics are from the Psalms, but anyone should enjoy this
W. Holston | dallas, tx | 02/17/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Doug Burr's newest offering, The Shawl is an outstanding achievement from of our the finest artists in our area. More than once, I've seen a noisy bar come to a dead silence in order to listen to this young man's music. It simply demands attention. This is because his lyrics are honest and probing. It's clear to see, he believes what he is singing. His first album, The Sickle and the Sheaves, had the voice of the revival preacher. His sophomore effort, On Promenade continued in the direction of thoughtful words set to memorable melodic tunes. Yet, beneath the surface there was a sense of menace and grief. In "Graniteville," Burr sings of death in sleep during a chemical spill from an overturned tanker. Other songs contain the words of letters exchanged between the Van Gogh Brothers. Burr has finally begun to get some much deserved attention. Paste Magazine named him as one of their "Four to Watch."
The Shawl consists of nine tracks taken from the book of the Psalms. The music is spare, but attention grabbing. Layers of pedal steel, banjo, Wurlitzer hang on top of the ancient words of the Psalms. Like a shot of Irish Whiskey, the music should be savored, not consumed quickly. Like the whiskey, the music soothes as it burns. Burr takes his lyrics from some lesser-known Psalms. The Psalms were written for a project like this. The emotions run the gamut from despair (Psalm 6, "I am weary with my sighing") and hopeful (Psalm 91, "You will not be afraid of the terror by night") to frightening (Psalm 11, "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"). The Psalmists are writing from doubt, despair, fear, anguish, but also hopefulness and peace. They are intended as emotional cries of the heart.
It's possible that some will be deterred from buying this CD by the religious source of the material. That would be a mistake, because while the lyrics are biblical, they consist of such honest emotion that anyone should be affected by the music. Like Johnny Cash or Buddy Miller, the religious nature of the lyrics are transcended by the honest emotion and integrity of the musical composition. The album features Burr's stark and plaintiff voice, but he's backed by a cast of top notch performers:
Glen Farris' electric guitar and Wurlitzer; Todd Pertl's pedal steel; Steve Collins on Baritone guitar and Mando guitar; Joel Dennis on Bass; Dave Sims on electric guitar; Mark Moncrieff on fiddle and Todd Unruh (Cowboys and Indians) on percussion.
The instruments drift like mists across the songs, moody, beautiful and layered.
The highlight of the album, however is the triumphant Psalm 58. The song ends with a chorus, sung by a small choir, which features several of the musicians and adds Emil Rapstein and Chelsea Callahan. You will want to turn the volume up on this one.
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Doug Burr's Best Work Yet!
James Collins | Cresson, Texas | 06/21/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a phenomenal album. I'm not often so mesmerized by a CD to make such claims, but I'm compelled to say that this makes my short list of "Best CDs Overall". The more I listen to it, the more impressed I become. Every track is like a little jewel. This fellow, with everything he's done thus far, has gotten exponentially better and better. Granted, he has a small catalog, but this CD is thoroughly impressive and thoroughly enjoyable. I'd like to go through each track and tell what I love about it, but I think that would be very difficult. Each song reveals new layers every time I hear it.
I love it from the production side, too. It has a conceptual feel, with an open ambiance obvious in every track. That it was recorded outside the normal acoustic constraints of a studio is obvious and adds to its appeal. The instruments fit perfectly. I only wish it were 17 or 18 tracks instead of 9, but I'm being greedy.
I'm afraid to listen to it any more. I feel like it might tarnish or become threadbare. But rather than wring my hands and worry, I'll spin it again and again."
