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True signals a gentle departure for singer/songwriter Dave Hall. He's left behind his band and his trademark back-up singers to give us a quiet, mostly acoustic recording that features layered guitars, strings, and a haunting chorus of women's voices. Hall's two earlier recordings established him as a gifted storyteller, and now with True he's produced a poetic meditation on life and death that showcases not only his fine lyric writing but also his skills as a composer and arranger. Hall is the type of artist who can wed a catchy pop melody to penetrating and insightful lyrics, and True, like his earlier recordings, provides nourishment to those who crave a little food for thought in their pop music diet. Hall, whose classical training and hard-to-pin-down style sets him apart from many pop music writers, appeals to a wide and diverse audience. In 1997, unknown outside of New York City, where he had been playing the downtown club scene for a couple of years, Hall released his debut recording Playin' The Man. Tentatively pitched to college radio and industry press, the folk-rocking account of his own coming of age ended up charting on indie stations around the country and garnering unanimously positive reviews. Billboard wrote "Hall brings an intelligent and empathetic lyrical perspective to his material, without sacrificing the need for a concise, pop-friendly melody." Songs like "Do You Remember?", a rollicking recollection of high school angst, and "Zoë & Chloe," a tragic account of the murder of a backwoods Lesbian couple introduced Hall as a sensitive and powerful songwriter. His elegant stories of everyday life and universal human struggles seemed to strike a chord with everyone from college students, through thirty-somethings and beyond. Hall followed Playin' The Man in 1999 with Places, a journey through various locales, real and imagined, that have affected his life in some way. Ranging from the serious through the silly, songs such as "Saugerties," "The Mayor of Dullsville" and "Biff and Tony's Wedding" further showcased Hall's engaging and literate style. Critics received Places even more warmly than they did Hall's debut. The New York Times in its review described Hall as an artist "with considerable lyrical clout" and the College Music Journal called him "one of the best unsigned folk-poppers out there." Places was heard on radio throughout the U.S. and "Biff and Tony's Wedding" turned out to be a surprise hit. And the borough of Brooklyn, New York has unofficially adopted Hall's "Come to Brooklyn" as its anthem. Now, a slightly older and somewhat wiser Dave Hall brings us True. The new record opens with a trilogy of songs that explore the issue of mortality. It begins, intriguingly, with the J. S. Bach cantata "Sheep May Safely Graze," over which Hall has written a counter melody and lyrics. Hall calls the piece "Across Tiberius", and plays it on four separate single-line guitar tracks, rather in the mode of a string quartet. The second track is the album's title track, which Hall wrote upon hearing the news of the death of a friend. Where the Bach soars, True sears, presenting the anguish Hall felt at the loss. The third song of the trilogy is "Now I Watch My Blood Turn White" in which Hall confronts his own mortality.
After a short and somber string interlude, the tone of the record lightens, and we're treated to a set of songs that celebrate life. The ethereal "Dizziness and Dreams", the wistful and nostalgic "Remember Summer", the wry "Garden Party", the touching "You" and the humorous "God Is Wide" all provide a knowing look at various stages and situations in life. Sometimes sad, sometimes funny, always poetic, this section features some of Hall's strongest poetry to date. After another string interlude, we are treated to a closing trilogy that mirrors the opening one. But this time the songwriter is able to see death through wiser eyes. First, in "His Was," the death of the friend is viewed somewhat differently - still with regret, but also now with peace. This song is followed by the folk song "Black is the Color," which is in turn followed by an instrumental version of the opening Bach, bringing the recording to a quiet close. Hall is responsible for most of the guitar work on True and all of the arrangements. And on this record Hall's singing, always expressive, is featured prominently. His voice trembles and soars, gently guiding the listener along a musical path that travels from death and mourning, through life, love and redemption. As he has in the past, Hall has produced a rich and compelling record. Truly tuneful and beautiful, quiet and introspective, it provides good food for the soul. Photos By Anna Vasquez |
DAVE HALL 