WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING:
Vanishing Moon
"Perseverance. Authenticity.
Love of music.
Joy in the opportunity to speak through music. These outstanding
qualities characterize The Groove of Greensboro, North Carolina, and
have come together to create their terrific, even astonishing, new 2004
album, Vanishing Moon. V. Moon sounds like exactly what it
is: five lifetimes of listening to and making good music blended
and meshed together under the leadership of a visionary songwriter and
singer/front man (Rich Lerner) with a charge of inexplicably youthful
energy that successfully gets across where we, the band, and you, the
listeners, are, and how we feel about it, right now.
"From the perfect opening track (as though they were
saying/echoing 'Allow us please to introduce ourselves…') of 'Who Would
Believe It?' through the anchoring proclamation of identity, 'Strength
of the Will,' through the haunting, thematic title track, up to the
marvelous instrumental summary of it all, 'It's Not the Same,' these
five players/singers and their friends speak in the voices of many
musics past and deliver a new musical voice to express the present
moment so clearly and confidently it seems almost too good to be true
and to be coming out of nowhere into our hungry ears today."
-Paul Williams, founder of
Crawdaddy! (the first rock music magazine), and author of many books
about music including the acclaimed Performing Artist three-volume
series about the music of Bob Dylan
Cover Down
Dylan Cover Album: Rich Lerner and The Groove: A Review
Rich Lerner's new CD, Cover Down, features terrific cover versions of
11 Dylan tunes. It's an eclectic collection, featuring familiar
pieces like Forever Young and Simple Twist of Fate, and
underappreciated gems like Covenant Woman.
The band is terrific. Think MTV Unplugged. Gorgeously recorded
acoustic instruments. Guitars are crisp and clean. Bassist Dave Talley
really shines throughout, his liquid and slippery basslines opening up
songs in ways Brother Bob probably never dreamed. (Talley's work on
the CD is topnotch.)
The greatest strength of the album might be how Lerner and the backing
band (The Groove) have re-imagined these tunes. The arrangements are
familiar, but not too familiar. In fact when they stretch the tunes
furthest is when they're most successful, like in their version of
Changing of the Guard. (Think Tom Waits meets the Chieftains.)
There are neat touches throughout, Sammy Smith's tender work
in Simple Twist of Fate, and piano flourishes by Jason Flegel in Every
Grain of Sand. Drummer Sam Seawell patters out a neat double-time feel
on Love Minus Zero, working against the progression of the guitars;
yet, it fits!
I imagine Bob would be pleased with these results.
Lerner's phrasing, like his arranging, reinvent the songs,
shining light on the tunes in completely
different ways.
The CD can be ordered at Lerner's website, http://www.freethemusic.net.
For a Dylan fan, this CD is a revelation. To hear Bob's work stripped
apart and then re-invigorated is always thrilling.
The artwork and design are first rate. Lerner writes to us on the back
of the CD: "A good cover version...has to walk a thin line, expanding
the dimensions of the song witout betraying the essence." I'd say he's
done that and more.
Wilhelm T Parker
rec.music.dylan
"utterly unexpected...a very rewarding listen for those keen on Dylan
covers"-The Bridge (vol.#6)
About the cd Sampler-"4 tracks from each of 3 of Rich's albums for
Rockduster show that he's obviously spent a lot of time listening to Neil
Young, especially the electric material. There's plenty of echoes of tracks
like "Cortez" on here but only echoes, and there's an acoustic side
too reflecting a love of Petty and Dylan, the latter confirmed by his 1995
release dedicated to Bob. But don't think this is a poor facsimile of the
greats. In fact, it's good quality originals in a strong traditional
style.-----ROBOTS & ELECTRONIC BRAINS (issue 4 Great Britain)
"Rich Lerner and his band have a certain Tom Petty ring to their
work...They do it well...Several songs here could beat many of
McGuinn's"-----lNDIE FILE
"...from the heart lyrics which give insight to the human
condition...highly recommended" ----ESP
"...tradition minded rock and roll ala Tom Petty...Lerner writes
unabashedly melodic pop-rock with intelligent, thoughfful Iyrics...Lerner's
vocals are reminiscent of The Band's Rick Danko"---GATE CITY MUSIC JOURNAL
"socially conscious Iyrics and rural/folksy blues approach...there's a
certain Dylan like quality about Lerner's vocal style"----RELIX MAGAZINE
"Visions of folk hootenanies on Bleeker St in Greenwich Village dance in
my head when I hear this album...plenty of heart and soul"---Parke
Puterbaugh STYLE MAGAZINE
"Inspired songwriting...Lerner sings with sincere emotion"---COLLEGE
MUSIC JOURNAL
"...excellent Dylan covers...Lerner's original music is easily as good as
anything John Hiatt has done...High Praise"---LOOK BACK MAGAZINE
"Unreservedly recommended...and the tape of Dylan covers is one of the
best I've heard"------Paul Williams, founder of CRAWDADDY
