Daniel Amos - "Dig Here, Said The Angel"

Daniel Amos - Dig Here, Said The Angel
2013, Stunt

1. Forward in Reverse
2. Jesus Wept
3. Dig Here, Said the Angel
4. Our New Testament Best
5. Love, Grace, and Mercy
6. Now That I've Died
7. We'll All Know Soon Enough
8. Waking Up Underwater
9. The Uses of Adversity
10. The Ruthless Hum of Dread
11. The Sun Shines On Everyone

I've listened to this album several times and I still don't feel like I've listened enough to review it. I think that's a good thing. A lot of people liken Daniel Amos' new album to Kalhoun or Motorcycle. I don't really see that at all - I think Dig Here is its own animal. I suppose the fact that the album contains eleven self-contained songs which are mostly uptempo rockers is similar, but that's about it.

There are some artists out there whom I've discovered, loved, and then eventually realize that they're one (or maybe two) trick ponies. Daniel Amos is not like that. Each album is fresh. Each album is unique. Dig Here seems to be the band's ruminations on death, suffering, and heartache. Ironically, the morosely titled "Now That I've Died" is probably the most optimistic. It seems like Terry Scott Taylor has been doing a lot of thinking about what may lay beyond and we get to take the journey with him. I like this album. I like it a lot. I feel like this is going to grow on me throughout the years - especially as I get older. Here's hoping the band doesn't take another decade to release another album!

Useless Fact: Dig Here was a Kickstarter funded release. I believe they raised over $30,000 which allowed for vinyl versions of the album to made. Y'know... if you're into that sort of thing.

Daniel Amos - "When Everyone Wore Hats"

Daniel Amos - When Everyone Wore Hats
2002, Stunt

DISC ONE:

The Original Songs of the Heart

DISC TWO: When Everyone Wore Hats
1. Donna Nieche and Her Super Race of Kickboxing Ubber Parrots
2. Piano Intro
3. The Glory Road
4. Can't Take My Eyes Off You/Get Back Into the Bus, Aloha
5. Evangeline
6. Uneasy Lies the Head of the Confidence Man
7. The Organ Bar
8. Our Night To Howl, Time to Go Dancing
9. Sins of the Fathers
10. Loveland
11. When Everyone Wore Hats
12. My Hand To God/Piano Outro
13. The Glory Road (Reprise)

DISC THREE:
1. Part One
2. Your Hidden Hand
3. Part Two
4. Turn This Off
5. Part Three
6. Devil's Elbow
7. Interview

Songs of the Heart is probably one of my top favorite Daniel Amos albums. It's not quite as popular as some of their other albums but it's definitely close to my heart for various reasons. I've always wanted to own the bookset the band put out years ago. Now I've finally got it! It's actually a big package - it won't fit in a normal size CD rack that's for sure. The big draw for me was the acoustic reworking of Songs. It kind of takes a listen to two to get used to the new arrangements. It's also very relaxed - what Terry called a "warts and all" sort of recording. I like it though it's not quite as good as I'd hoped but nothing I'm super disappointed with. I don't think it will replace the original Songs for me. The third disc contains a some readings from Terry and two new songs, "Your Hidden Hand" and "Devil's Elbow" (later recorded by the Lost Dogs). I'm surprised that "Turn This Off" didn't make it onto the Hats disc. The interview is good but the interviewer, Jason Martin, almost sounds like he doesn't want to be there.

Now I'm a sucker for cool packaging and extras and this reissue delivers. There's some ruminations by Terry Taylor about the album, a full short story about Bud and Irma Ackendorf, liner notes about the rearrangements AND full lyrics. I'm really glad that I got it, but it's definitely for collectors and fans.

Useless Fact: Just order the set and read the book - plenty of facts in there!

Daniel Amos - "Mr. Buechner's Dream"

Daniel Amos - Mr. Buechner's Dream
2001, Stunt

Disc One:
1. This is the One
2. Mr. Buechner's Dream
3. The Author of the Story
4. Your Long Year
5. Who's Who Here?
6. Thick Skin
7. Ribbons and Bows
8. Ordinary Extraordinary Day
9. I Get to Wondering
10. Faithful Street
11. The Lucky Ones
12. Rice Paper Wings
13. The Tale You Told
14. Meanwhile
15. Over Her Shoulder
16. The Staggering Gods
17. A Little Grace
18. Beautiful Martyr
19. Mr. Beuchner Wakes Up
20. Joel

Disc Two:

1. Pretty Little Lies
2. Child On a Leash
3. Small Great Things
4. Easy For You
5. Maybe All I Need
6. Pregnant Pause
7. She's a Hard Drink
8. So Far So Good
9. Flash In Your Eyes
10. Nobody Will
11. Fingertips
12. Steal Away
13. And So It Goes

I just want to say that there are 33 songs on this album. I like all but two or three. That's right - 33 songs, no filler. How did they do that? That's just the genius of Daniel Amos baby. Do yourself a favor and go pick up this album. You'll be glad you did... trust me.

Useless Fact: The album title was inspired by the writings of Frederick Buechner and other poets, writers, and theologians.

Daniel Amos - "Songs of the Heart"

Daniel Amos - Songs of the Heart
1995, BAI

1. Can't Take My Eyes Off of You
2. The Glory Road
3. Get Into the Bus, Aloha
4. Evangeline
5. Uneasy Lies the Head of the Confidence Man
6. The Organ Bar
7. Donna Nietche and Her Super Race of Kick Boxing Uber Parrots
8. Our Night To Howl, Time to Go Dancing
9. Sins of the Fathers
10. Turn This Off
11. Love Land
12. When Everyone Wore Hats
13. My Hand to God

This disc is a concept album about the lives of Bud and Irma Ackendorf (pictured on the cover). It's steeped in 50's Americana and is generally another Daniel Amos album that not a lot of fans like. I like it though. It's not quite as awesome or unique as some of the earlier offerings but I enjoy the whole post-WWII motif. The only thing I don't like is that Terry Taylor sings in a lower register and almost talks his way through most of the songs. I think "Uneasy Lies the Head of the Confidence Man" and "The Organ Bar" are my favorites.

Useless Fact: As I understand it the cover art was an actual album that the band found in some studio and used it as inspiration for the album. I can't remember what the couple's actual name was. The Lost Dogs have rerecorded "The Glory Road" for their forthcoming album.

Daniel Amos - "Bibleland"

Daniel Amos - Bibleland
1994, BAI

1. Broken Ladders to Glory
2. Bible Land
3. Theo's Logic
4. Low Crawls and High Times
5. Bakersfield
6. Out in the Cold
7. The Bubble Bursts
8. Pete and Repeat
9. Constance of the Universe
10. I'll Get Over It
11. She's Working Here
12. Stone Away

This is the band's "angry" album. It's dirty, gritty, loud, raw and happens to be one of my favorites! Many fans don't cite this one as a favorite but me, being the metal head at heart that I am, love it. The album almost fools you into thinking it's something else with the mid-paced, chorus-laden "Broken Ladders to Glory" then kicks into gear with "Bibleland" and doesn't really slow down until "I'll Get Over It." It's a simple rock record, nothing more. I don't care what anyone says I'll defend this album til my dying breath.

Useless Fact: Terry says "damn" in "She's Working Here" and I'm pretty sure the cuss word wasn't in the liner notes of the first pressing, but it is on the one I have. I'm surprised this didn't cause any controversy...

Daniel Amos - "Motor Cycle"

Daniel Amos - Motor Cycle

1993, BAI

1. Banquet at the World's End

2. Traps, Ensnares

3. Hole in the World

4. (What's Come) Over Me

5. Buffalo Hills

6. Guilty

7. Motorcycle

8. Wonderful

9. So Long

10. My Frontier

11. Grace is the Smell of Rain

12. Noelle

13. Wise Acres

14. So Long (Again)

This is the very first Daniel Amos album I ever got. After having listened to it for years and recently getting into some of the older stuff I don't really take this one out as much. One thing I can say is that Daniel Amos never puts out the same album twice. I think I would characterize some of this as bizarre, especially "Banquet at the World's End" and "Traps, Ensnares." There's also some country flavor in "(What's Come) Over Me." "Motorcycle" starts of a seven-song cycle that while not unified lyrically is similar musically. I think I've really got to listen to this one again because, to be honest, it's been a long time. Good thing I can edit these reviews!

Useless Fact: If I recall correctly, Jerry Chamberlain came back into the fold for this one and does some vocals on "Wonderful."

Daniel Amos - "Kalhoun"

Daniel Amos - Kalhoun
1991, BAI

1. Big, Warm, Sweet Interior Glowing
2. If You Want To
3. Kalhoun
4. I Will Return
5. Tracking the Amorous Man
6. Virgin Falls
7. Gloryhound
8. Prayer Wheel
9. Note to Anna
10. Father Explains
11. Gate of the World

Kalhoun is a more straight-forward album than just about any of its predecessors. There's no overarching theme and little experimentation. Honestly, it's just good old alt-rock that's pretty simple compared to what's come before. I love "If You Want To" and I think it's probably one of the best love songs I know of. The acoustic opener "Big, Warm, Sweet Interior Glowing" is awesome too. I think I spin this one less than the others but there's no specific reason that I can pinpoint other than it's not really "groundbreaking" or anything - simply pleasant.

Useless Fact: The Lost Dogs covered "If You Want To."

Daniel Amos - "Darn Floor - Big Bite"

Daniel Amos - Darn Floor - Big Bite
1987/2008, Arena Rock

1. Return of the Beat Menace
2. Strange Animals
3. The Earth Household
4. Darn Floor - Big Bite
5. Safety Net
6. Pictures of the Gone World
7. Divine Instant
8. Half Light, Epoch, and Phase
9. The Unattainable Earth
10. The Shape of Air

So you've finished a four album cycle of some of the most creative music ever, what do you do? Well, if you're Daniel Amos you regroup and put out the best record of your career up until that point. This album came out in 87, but it could have come out in '97 or even '07. It just doesn't sound like anything out there before or since. It's the very definition of "alternative rock" in that it's anything but pop. The band was probably at their most experimental here but what's really the highlight is Greg Flesch's guitar playing. All those keys on previous albums are eschewed and the guitar takes center stage. It's really amazing to hear how atmospheric the album can be with just the guitar. This has recently been rereleased with a bunch of extras so now's the time to snag it if you haven't done so already.

Useless Fact: This album was not well received when it was first released. You might not like it at first either, but give it a chance. It'll grow on ya!

Daniel Amos - "Fearful Symmetry"

Daniel Amos - Fearful Symmetry
1986, Frontline

1. A Sigh for You
2. The Pool
3. Sleep, Silent Child
4. Neverland Ballroom
5. Strong Points, Weak Points
6. Instruction Through Film
7. When Moonlight Sleeps
8. Sudden Heaven
9. Shadow Catcher
10. Beautiful One

Upon hearing the opening notes for "A Sigh For You" you know that Fearful Symmetry is going to be another unique experience. As a contrast to the rest of the Chronicles this one is a lot darker - full of lush synth arrangements which are now center stage for most tracks. I like this one too but I think this is probably the least accessible of the four. "Sudden Heaven" manages to combine keyboards and a country riff and in my opinion is the strangest track on here.

Useless Fact: Throughout the tours for these four albums the concerts consisted of big mult-media presentations with videos, costumes, etc. Man, I wish I could've seen that when they were doing that.

Daniel Amos - "Vox Humana"

Daniel Amos - Vox Humana

1984, Refuge

1. Travelog

2. (It's the 80's, So Where's Our) Rocket Packs

3. Home Permanent

4. It's Sick

5. William Blake

6. Dance Stop

7. Live and Let Live

8. When World Collide

9. As the World Turns

10. She's All Heart

11. The Incredible Shrinking Man

12. Sanctuary

Okay, now if someone said this was New Wave I'd completely agree. It's full of upbeat synth laden tracks that sound distinctly 80's. While I think Alarma! and Doppelganger are pretty timeless, Vox Humana sounds like the best 80's record you've never heard. I especially like "(It's the 80's, So Where's Our) Rocket Packs" which reminds me a lot of The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" but mainly in the way the vocals are processed. I also love "William Blake" which sounds like a song David Bowie would have done, but I can't really compare it to a specific song. That's the thing about Daniel Amos - they almost hover on the verge of familiarity yet everything they offer is always fresh and new. Oh, and "Sanctuary" is a beautiful, touching song about God being our true refuge in trouble.

Useless Fact: Leo Sorentino, the road manager for The Choir, appeared on the cover in the place of keyboardist Rob Watson despite looking nothing like him. I don't know if that's actually true but I needed a fact for this record and wikipedia happily obliged.

Daniel Amos - "Doppelganger"

Daniel Amos - Doppelganger
1983/2014, Born Twice

1. Hollow Man
2. Mall (All Over the World)
3. Real Girls
4. New Car!
5. Do Big Boys Cry
6. Youth With a Machine
7. The Double
8. Distance and Direction
9. Memory Lane
10. Angels Tuck You In
11. Little Crosses
12. Autographs For the Sick
13. I Didn't Build It For Me
14. Here I Am
15. Hollow Man (Reprise)

The first part of the Alarma Chronicles was full of warnings and exhortations. This second part, Doppelganger is an examination of the duel natures of man. The sacred and profane, the genuine and the counterfeit, and the masks we all wear. They lyrical themes deal with such topics as the objectification of women ("Real Girls"), the prosperity gospel ("New Car!"), and empire building TV preachers ("I Didn't Build It For Me"). It's all set to the same quirky "New Wave" except this time there's a lot more synths. Still - it's creative and unique and doesn't sound like it's a rip off of some other secular band. I like this one a little more than Alarma! I think. This is truly another groundbreaking record. I don't even think my little crap-reviews can even do these Alarma discs justice.

Doppelganger has since been reissued by Born Twice records. It's a quality package much in the vein of the first one. The packaging is superb as is the liner notes. The remastering definitely brings out some of the nuances I missed the first time around. It's also got an extra CD full of alternate mixes, live tracks, etc. Glad to finally have a hard copy of this!

Useless Fact: I wonder if Jimmy Brown from Deliverance got the phrase "River Disturbance" from this record? That and the phrase "Who has failed, mankind or the church?" appeared on Camelot-in-Smithereens. Okay so I guess this makes this fact more about Deliverance but Daniel Amos. But it's my blog I'll do what I like... and you'll like it!

Daniel Amos - "Alarma!"

Daniel Amos - Alarma!

1981/2013, Born Twice

1. Central Theme

2. Alarma!

3. Big Time - Big Deal

4. Props

5. My Room

6. Faces to the Window

7. Cloak and Dagger

8. Colored By

9. C & D Reprise

10. Through the Speakers

11. Hit Them

12. Baby Game

13. Shedding the Mortal Coil

14. Endless Summer

15. Walls of Doubt

16. Ghost of the Heart

I first heard of Daniel Amos back when Motorcycle came out so I've only a vague familiarity with the fabled Alarma Chronicles when I first started liking the band. I then heard the quirky "Faces to the Window" on some M8 sampler years later. Finally, I was able to hear this first part to the Chronicles entirely. I love it. The whole album is full of quirky little songs like "Faces to the Window." I guess people call it New Wave but it doesn't sound like any New Wave I've ever heard. I think it's a good sign for a band when you can't say exactly who or what they sound like but you can hear who they've influenced. I immediately thought of Deliverance's later works during the chorus of "Central Theme." This album has finally been rereleased by Born Twice records as a two disc special edition. That's the one I have and it's dreamy. Definitely worth picking up if you don't have it.

Useless Fact: Jupiter VI covered "Through the Speakers." I love both versions - that's how good a song that is.