If you’re a fan of the concert calendar with it’s headlining venue, The Reconsider Lounge, you are quite familiar with the growing list of new artist’s on The Ticket’s own record label, “Hot Karl Records”. With acts like Petty Theft, Pepper Theft, Lizard Larceny, The Bird Dogs, Sorta, King Bucks and the newest addition, Danny Balis, Hot Karl Records is becoming a local music label to keep your eyes on. Just a few years ago, if you were a local band, you used to have a chance of possible promotion from the greatness of the concert calendar. Now, you’re getting pushed off the list of importance because either you have to be an artist on the Hot Karl label, a good friend of Danny Balis, a band with a funny name or a name that somehow applies to a bit, a name that would fit into a good drop for Rhynes, or a national act that has already made a name for yourself.
While on the music note, with the big promotion of the Danny Balis solo cd release, I wanted to go check it out and see how it sounds. I remember when Danny used to make fun of country music and it’s weird that he’s now in a full on country band. You can preview all his tunes here. I know the Hardline and Ticket crew make it out to be the best music since U2’s Rattle and Hum, but man, I think it’s horrible. I’ll admit that I usually hate country anyway, but it just sounds like a blue’s/rock guy forcing himself to turn country, like if you or I sang in our best country voice about grabin’ the eggs from ‘unerneath dat chickun. It’s produced well and the musicians are really good, but I’m just not feeling it. When Corby said it was awesome and he wants it to be the biggest local cd, I vomit burped about the same time I heard my neighboring P1 scream how full of shit he was.
Maybe some country music fans can chime in and give some good country feedback. Maybe it’s because I hear Danny all the time saying how much typical music sucks and to me, this is just typical. Give me Sorta, “85 feet” over this crap any day. And I’m a Danny fan…just don’t understand WTF he’s doing with this genre change.
Finally, while discussing this with Jerusalem Jackson earlier, we discovered what Danny might be doing. Could he be following a similar career path of another famous local music star??? (Click the images below to see the similar paths)
I got caught up in them pumping it up so much, and then I realized the song sounded like the country “What’s on Mike’s Mind?” It’s decent, nothing to big, but Danny saying it sounded like a Merle Freaking Haggard song and Corby immediately going “Oh yeah I see that.” No, you don’t, it’s not Merle Haggard.
His voice is perfect for old country, but his former attitude towards it is glaringly obvious…like you said, it seems way forced, like with each breath he’s trying to stay in country-mode…did you get that vibe? Like he had to reassert himself after each line to ensure he’d stayed in country-and a couple times, he strayed just the slightest bit.
Great slide guitar, great music, extremely so-so singing, I’ll go so far as to say cliche singing. Voice sets the tone for the band being a good local act in a location that you can cash in on-hope the best for them, they deserve it, especially the slide guitar player!
But I put my foot down when someone claims Merle Haggard-style. The voice in old country music was what set you apart, holmes. They’d usually sing the same damn songs between them all. Hank Williams Sr. (Tear in my Beer chokes me up every time) is different from Johnny Cash who is different from Merle Haggard who is different from George Jones who is different from Dolly Parton who is different from Patsy Cline because of distinct voices. Danny’s is not, but still cool and wish all the best. 🙂
It looks like I contradicted myself. In the second paragraph, I meant a perfect voice for a sort of retro-Local-old country act, not bona-fide.
Maybe that’s it! The “What’s on Mike’s Mind” bit. Something about it just sounds like a well produced bit. I never thought about his country bit songs.
But yeah, country music it is, but Merle Haggard it isn’t.
I disagree. I think Danny was going for a 70’s country sound and I think he nailed it. I don’t know if either of you were/are Don Williams fans, but Danny sounds very much like the Gentle Giant. His voice is a good fit for the old school country genre. This is not the over produced country/pop that we hear on the radio today. And I think that when they were talking about the Merle Haggard sound it was pointed at the song and not Danny’s voice. I really like the album, and I think he’s done a good job in his first foray into the Country scene. I’m not a huge local music guy, So Corby’s claim about it being the best album from a local artist in a long time means nothing to me. I do like the direction Danny took with this though, and I am already looking forward to his next album.
I love the two sets of pictures. I’m not sure how you arrive at pseudo-old-school-country by way of 80’s hair-band metal, but he’s giving it a shot. I love Danny, but I’ve always had issue with he and Corby’s elitist attitude about music. They’re REAL quick to say something sucks so how are they missing the boat on this??? It’s just plain bad. I’m with Cartman’s Dad….I think the players on this album are good, but Danny does remind me of Jessica Simpson singing country music.
Another great comparison…
Petty Theft – great musicians and “Alligator Gar”
Although I wouldn’t sink Danny’s voice down to “Let’s sing some Petty, whaddaya say?” But where one gives up a better voice, the other gives up in performance.
I too listened to the Hardline go over the album on nude music Tuesday. I can’t help but agree with the majority of things said here. It may be that Ticket listeners can not remove themselves from P1 thinking to be able to listen to this album without bias, but I didn’t care for it mainly because is sounded like a bit.
Corby hailed it as the best album to be locally produced in years. I can honestly think of many, many that were much better. Just grab anything Chris Holt formerly played on and you have better records (last Sorta, his own Summer Reverb, The Jones Thing’s Sweet Simulacra) not to mention the many other great local acts. Anyhow-for Ticket listeners we are waiting in every song on Too Much Living to hear the hook proclaiming, “I like steak” or “I don’t wanna poo poo”. The fake drawl does sound forced, and reminds me of the bit, “Just like the Beatles”, but this is, “Just like Garth Brooks meets The Gentle Giant”.
Danny mentioned that Carter always thought he was suited for country, but if his style is so contrived and forced then is it worth it to honor his friend and in so doing put out a farce? Also, there is a reason Don Williams is Branson material – he appeals to really old people – did then, does now. There’s not a market for blah 70’s country, but maybe he didn’t do the record for it to be marketable or popular. The 70’s country that people however do like is the gritty Merle, Willie, Cash, Paycheck, and the outlaws. As said previously, they had distinct styles that made you pay attention, not nod off.
I think it’s really annoying to already have a geriatric blowhard on the Hardline pumping up his poor, feeble strained voice rendition of Petty music by promoting his gigs ad nauseum in lieu of programming. Hopefully Danny keeps to what he has done and not use the hardline to be a cheap commercial for his musical interests. Grubes, on the other hand can pump up his stuff ’cause we love him. This means Tom Flake Boy can as well but only because Grubes is in the band.
Danny wanted to honor his fallen buddy and hopefully this will get it out of the system and we can see him follow something more suited to him from a listening standpoint. I hope he doesn’t give too much credit to a guy that either made a horrific mistake by drinking lots of alcohol with Chantix and went nuts, or just went nuts on his own, and in either instance got himself killed for no good reason.
-Big Harry Cox
Just read a detailed write up about why he chose country and his roots…puts things into perspective a bit more:
http://www.dallasobserver.com/2009-08-20/music/danny-balis-offers-up-a-gem-on-his-solo-debut&page=1
Well now I feel weird. I like “Too Much Living”.