Dave Rave, Lauren Agnelli, Chris Von Sneidern & John Wesley Harding
Written: Jun 24 '06 (Updated Jun 25 '06)
Product Rating:
Pros: Guest producers and musicians include Lauren Angelli, Chris Von Sneidern and John Wesley Harding.
Cons: None.
The Bottom Line: Great, mellow pop ballads that would make Brian Wilson and Frank Sinatra proud. Guests like John Wesley Harding and Chris Von Sneidern only add frosting to a tasty cake.
Don_Krider's Full Review: Anthology, Vol. 2: The Cool Tunes by Dave Rave
When an artist attracts producers like Daniel Lanois (U2), John Wesley Harding (a songwriter whose work includes "Cartoon World," written with Raspberries' frontman Eric Carmen), Chris von Sneidern (the power popster who was once a member of The Sneetches), Juno Award-nominated Glenn Marshall and Malcolm Burn (Emmylou Harris), it makes me take notice.
Canada's Dave Rave (real name Dave DesRoches) attracted those men as producers. He's a star in his native land (a veteran of such bands as Teenage Head, The Shakers, Fulcrum, The Dave Rave Conspiracy, and many more acts) with an international following. Heck, he even recorded with Lauren Agnelli (of the Grammy-nominated Washington Squares, and who once wrote for both CREEM and The Village Voice under the name of Trixie A. Balm) as Agnelli & Rave.
The first North American artist signed to the Russian Melodiya label, he currently records for Bullseye Records of Canada, the folks behind two 2006-released separate collections, "Anthology Volume 1" and "Anthology Volume 2."
He's been compared to rockabilly-roots-based pop singers Nick"Cruel To Be Kind"Lowe and Dave"I Hear You Knockin'"Edmunds (both of Rockpile fame), but his music also ranges from Ramones-ish punk to Romantics-style power pop on these compilations.
We'll tackle "Anthology Volume 2" here.
This CD
Dave Rave's "Anthology Volume 2" is subtitled "The Cool Tunes," which the record label describes as songs "for sitting back with a cool martini by the fire with a good friend." True, but some of these tracks call for inviting the friends over for a listen with you and your good friend, too.
"Anthology Volume 2" is more mellow than the "Anthology Volume 1," which rock fans may enjoy a bit more. But if you have a taste for sweet, mellow ballads with lovely melodies ala Brian Wilson, then "Volume 2" might be the better choice for you.
I like both albums, but I've always enjoyed artists who record ballads and rockers mixed together, but that's my personal taste. Both albums work very well for different reasons here, and that's fine with me.
The feel of the tracks on "Volume 2" is sometimes like having the artist sitting with a guitar in a chair in your home right next to you (Rave's "Jillian" has this effect on me, much like John Lennon's "Julia" did years ago) - a very personal experience for the listener.
The very well-illustrated, 16-page CD booklet (no lyrics, but a minor complaint) is amazing in itself --- I've seen "mega-stars" have poor CD booklets for their fans, but Dave Rave and Bullseye Records really put out for their fans with this release, which features commentary from the players and producers about the recordings.
This compilation (with tracks produced by the previously named folks) was produced by Lisa Millar, with executive producers Jamie Vernon and Jim Hoeck. Kudos to all involved.
This album features 16 tracks with a total running time 65 minutes and 11 seconds, including previously unreleased and live tracks.
From my perspective, the songs collected on Dave Rave's "Anthology Volume 2" give a much more personal look at the artist's soul; they seem more heart-felt at times (perhaps because they aren't overwhelmed by the pulsing rock instruments that dominate much of "Volume 1").
Among the guest musicians are Billy Ficca of the band Television and John Wesley Harding on guitar, keyboards and Hammonium.
The tracks:
"Gotta Stay True To Your Neighborhood," "Jillian," "Rainy Morning Song," "Everybody Needs Somebody," "She's On The Telephone," "Farmer Needs Rain," "All Over The World," "She's Gonna Change" and "Tears Come Down On Billie's Eyes."
Also, "Pray For Rain," "Every Dog Has Its Day In The Rain," "Technicolor Shadows," "Free," "Once In A Lifetime," "The Song Is You" and "At The End Of The Day."
The best songs
"Jillian"
Dave Rave wrote this song about a girl he once knew who had announced she was changing her name from "Jill" to "Jillian," and since that sounded very musical to the high schooler he wrote a song about it. In the traditional DIY (do-it-yourself) music way, he literally recorded the song as a vocal with acoustic guitar on a cassette player in his basement in 1975.
It reminds me of John Lennon (circa "Julia"). Sweet and gentle, simple yet complex.
"...Jillian, could an artist portray you?..."
"Rainy Morning Song"
Recorded live in 1979 at the Knight II Coffehouse in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and previously unreleased, by the band Fulcrum (Dave Rave and Rick Andrew on guitars and vocals).
If you like gentle folk-rock, this will be your cup of decaf. Toss in the handclaps from a live audience, and this takes me back to bands like Poco.
"Everybody Needs Somebody"
Recorded when Dave was singing lead with Teenage Head, this 1988 track was in heavy rotation on Canada's Much Music at the band's peak.
A mid-tempo, soft rock tune originally written in 1985, it stands up pretty well today with it's killer Rick Springfield-ish chorus.
"...'cause I'm up and I'm down, and my heart is yearning, everybody needs somebody, I know I need somebody to love..."
"Farmer Needs Rain"
No exaggeration, "Farmer Needs Rain" comes complete with a late 1960s Beach Boys-would-be-proud production by Gary "Pig" Gold (who plays guitar and keyboards here).
Nice, slow acoustic guitar piece by The Dave Rave Group was originally released in 1990.
"...farmer needs rain to make his heart grow..."
"Tears Come Down On Billie's Eyes"
Written and sung by Agnelli & Rave, with production by John Wesley Harding and Chris Von Sneidern,"Tears Come Down On Billie's Eyes" features some wonderful Hammonium playing by Harding.
The subject character of the title is apparently singer Billie Holliday (according to Harding), but it could be about anyone really. This slow acoustic number has a lovely chorus and reminds me of The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" more than anything else - a tale for the lonely.
"You're sitting there all by yourself, there's nothing I can do to hold the rain, to ease the pain you feel in your heart..."
"Every Dog Has His Day In The Rain"
Great little uptempo ballad featuring guitar and keyboard work from John Wesley Harding (written by Rave (DesRoches) and Lauren Agnelli). According to commentary in the liner notes, this very romantic Valentine's Day treat came about when Rave mentioned to Agnelli a cliche "every dog has his day" and she finished the line with "in the rain."
Recorded by Agnelli & Rave and produced by Juno Award-nominee (Canada's answer to the Grammys) Glenn Marshall, this is easily my favorite song on this volume.
It's a rare male-female duet that works, with prime drumming from Ray Farrugia of the band Junkhouse, with some great harmonies on the chorus. Very Brian Wilson-ish.
"...I wish I could stop all these tears that come to my eyes, I wish that this was hello instead of goodbye, I feel this trembling in my bones, I guess you learn when you're all alone, I remember when you said every dog had his day in the rain..."
"The Song Is You"
An interesting cover of the Oscar Hammerstein-Jerome Kern tune, "The Song Is You" (Frank Sinatra loved the tune so much he recorded it four times in his career!). Recorded as Dave Rave & Mark McCarron (the band's musical director), this swinging, jazzy number features some great orchestration (including cello, piano, oboe and clarinet). He should do a covers album, because this track is great.
It's from Rave's 2006 album, "In The Blue Of My Dreams." And he recorded it as a song he knew his mother would love, according to McCarron. It's beautiful, folks!
"I hear music when I look at you, a beautiful theme of every dream I ever knew, down deep in my heart I hear it play, I feel it start and then melt away..."
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