Doug
Powell - The Lost
Chord
The Lost Chord is the new
album from Nashville resident Doug Powell, a former member of
Swag and noted Todd Rundgren pal. This is his first album for
Parasol, following previous solo releases for Mercury and Not
Lame. Powell holed up in his one-man-band studio and emerged
with something that is a bit of a departure from his previous
solo work, far more experimental in writing and in production/performance
than anything he's ever done, with a strong emphasis on abstract
sounds and texturing. It is on the fringe of Pop but definitely
still Pop. The title does not refer to last year's vocal injury
that kept Doug from finishing the disc last fall. Rather, it
refers to Powell's feeling like he finally found his own voice
as a writer and performer. According to Doug, this is the record
that most accurately defines him as an artist and a person. The
new album features Powell's trademark full-on pop production,
intricately layered, from grandiose 70s rock epics to eccentric
soft-pop serenades, with creamy vocals reminiscent of Jellyfish's
Andy Sturmer and Cheap Trick's Robin Zander, Doug Powell is a
chameleon, with amazing range. He played all instruments on the
record with the
exception of the drums for "Baby Blue", deftly pounded by former Tubes
skinsman and esteemed session artist Prairie Prince.
Born to a physicist and a flautist, Doug Powell grew up in Oklahoma. At a relatively
tender age he flew to Chicago to hand Jules Shear a tape of songs at a gig. Jules
then produced a demo tape for Elektra, who declined. Doug signed to RCA and recorded
'Ballad of the Tin Men'. He was subsequently dropped by RCA and signed by Mercury
who released 'Ballad' (1996) and sent DP on tour opening for mentor Todd Rundgren.
When an agreement could not be reached for Powell's second album Powell parted
ways with Mercury. He eventually released the demos for never-made second Mercury
record as 'Curiouser' on Not Lame (1998). Recorded and released 'More' with Not
Lame (2000). Joined Swag, a band made up of members of Mavericks and Wilco (among
others), released 'Catch-all' on Yep Roc (2001). Swag then imploded for a variety
of reasons. Released solo Japanese EP 'Venus DeMilo's Arms' on Wizzard-In-Vinyl
(2001). Favorite musical moments: Writing and recording with Cheap Trick's Tom
Petersson, appearing with Swag on Conan OBrien, recording with Prairie Prince,
convincing Todd Rundgren to record some bass parts with Swag, and working with
Brad Jones and Jules Shear.
DISCOGRAPHY…
DP 'Ballad Of the Tin Men' CD album, Mercury Records, 1996
DP 'Curioser' CD album, Not Lame Records, 1999
DP 'More' CD album, Not Lame Records, 2000
SWAG 'Catch All' CD album, Yep Roc Records, 2001
DP 'Venus DeMilo's Arms' EP, Wizzard In Vinyl (Japan), 2001
DP 'The Lost Chord' CD album, Parasol Records, 2002
Doug Powell's website
-----------------------------------
from Rolling Stone:
After a major-label dalliance in the mid-1990s and collaborating with Todd Rundgren,
not to mention a starring stint in the pop alt-country supergroup Swag, Doug
Powell has fulfilled his power pop destiny. His fifth solo album, Day for
Night, is adventurous like Rundgren, melodic like Jellyfish, quirky like XTC
and big like ELO. All this musical whimsy buoys Powell's philosophical concerns,
with lyrics like "Suns rise just to mock me" ("Invincible") and "Another day
in reverse/Another thirst" ("Unmeaningless"). From the soaring guitar of "Big
Blue Sky," to the tapestry of harmonies on "Silent Kisses," to the delicate piano
verses of "Goodbye Lady Godiva" that turn temporarily silly before plunging into
a Beatles-inspired chorus of "la la las," Powell makes music that's larger
than life.
-----------------------------------
from Pop Matters:
Renaissance man and uber-DIY studio talent Doug Powell continues his foray into
the more grandiose and progressive realms of power pop with his latest CD release,
Day for Night. Here is another captivating collection of beautiful songs, bristling
with intelligence and precision, yet requiring more of the listener's attention
than he or she might usually be used to.
Much like his previous The Lost Chord, this isn't an easy listen, nor is there
any instantly defined "single." Rather, this music requires several listens to
make itself known -- the complexities and details, the twists and turns of the
accessible melodies underlying each song, the power of the studio offerings.
However, for the listener willing to go the distance (say 10-12 spins minimum),
the rewards are there -- without hesitation, this is perfectionist Powell's
finest hour (or 46 minutes, to be more accurate).
This is music as theater, Powell working his confident sound magic with layers
of intricate instrumental, electronic, vocal, and percussion choices, creating
expansive soundscapes that fill the channels of your headphones to the brim (mastered
by the very talented Rick Altizer). Add to that some oblique, intelligent lyrics
that take a pointed view of life on this planet and you've got what comprises
a very strong collection.
Powell's fine voice is on constant display here (a very good thing), and used
to great effect throughout. Additionally, he is responsible for all the music
and sounds here (quite remarkably).
The CD opens with the piano-driven ballad that is "Unmeaningless". Forget the
titular double negative that forces you to think far too much, or the paradoxes
set forth in the lyrics; this is a bold proclamation of the contradictions inherent
in our universe.
The voice of a much younger Doug Powell (circa 1975, Stillwater, OK) sets the
rest of the CD in motion. "Big Blue Sky" is a heavily-layered production, reminiscent
of some Adrian Belew composition, yet suffused with hints of Rundgren-esque electronic
sounds and studio wizardry, yet oh-so-perfect in its way. Powell gets to show
off his guitar skills (a tasty lead that follows the well-crafted middle bridge,
and more toward the song's end), and the whole thing becomes a finely honed epic
that tops the five-minute mark. It's Powell's attack on the money-fueled media
and hype machine that misguides many. He reminds us of the sacrifices involved
("Nobody ever learned to fly / Without leaving the world behind") and how it
leeches away one's life ("I don't care about averages / They don't mean a thing
to me / There's no fruit in the orchard / Of fame and fortune / It's all media-ocrity").
"Silent Kisses" is a sweet harmonic paean to the equal opportunity gift of rain,
touching all and everything small and grand grows as a result. There are hints
of Brian Wilson toward the latter part of the song. A brief music-hall organ
interlude follows, a light entertainment clearing the palette for the grand work
that follows.
That grandiose work is the epic "Stanislaw Smith". Smith is the existential man,
caught in the routines of a normal life "so certainly uncertain / He doesn't
know where to stop / Or where to begin". Here Powell's music exhibits an ELO-like
grandeur, with soaring harmonies that lift the song higher, while a creepy demon-voiced
monologue depicts Stanislaw as "an ill-made man in this hail of days". This song
is a major achievement, intricately crafted and flawlessly executed.
More toward the power-pop norm is the guitar-driven "Invincible", a declaration
of hardened resistant attitude in the face of a violent fear-infested world: "Suns
rise just to mock me / Night falls but I won't kneel / The world and its clocks
/ They twist and they turn / But I am standing still". Again, Powell masters
the form with seeming ease.
"Beautiful" builds slowly out of spare chords and dissonance, almost like some
Fripp or Eno piece (yet with tonal shades from the Who's "Tommy" as well). While
the cacophony might test the listener at times, the spare beauty of the song
reflects the lyrical intentions: homage to a beauty who is broken and frayed,
a "turn without a wheel" and "a masterpiece never made". Ultimately, she's deemed
beautiful regardless, proclaimed so by his eyes and words. One might say the
same of the song itself.
"Shine" should appeal to Jellyfish fans (though there are plenty of Beatles and
other references contained here as well). From a "Benny and the Jets"-type opening,
Powell takes Queen-like harmonies and an XTC-like penchant for using lyrical
twists and turns in a percussive manner, and turns it into yet another excellently
grand musical production.
Lyrically, it's all about the difficulty of "being here now" or "shining", doing
in life rather than worrying or wondering why. Powell wants that release from
the details and worries, the way we hold ourselves back inadvertently: "the only
fear other than death / That I have is life / My life".
The challengingly eclectic "Diet of Worms" has an international flavor to its
musical drama. Guitars are used in a percussive way (very Tom Waits), forming
the background to vocals and other instrumentation, as a bleak picture is conveyed: "So
I pray for warmth without the fire / And I believe anything, as long as it's
a lie / Just an opium for the messes / Alone, alone". While again, no easy listen,
this is an impressive feat of a song.
Doug Powell updates the role of music hall entertainer with his infectious "Goodbye
Lady Godiva". Starting with mere piano accompaniment, he tells the tale of one
whose sexual abandon has become rather ho-hum in this modern world. This blossoms
into a chorus that marries harmonies with "Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da" basslines, maintaining
the wry delivery of a stage performer entertaining his audience.
Powell is at his lyrical best here: "She used to cast a shadow shaped like hope
and paradise / Now she's bottled and she's branded and she's simply merchandise".
In this jaded world, saint turned sinner isn't very noteworthy: "If you look
closely at her mixture / You'll see no active ingredient / So please pay her
some attention / Can't you see that it's her only fee / Please realize that without
your eyes / There would be nothing to see".
The CD closes with the charming yet eerie "Too Late Tomorrow". Here Powell ventures
into another dramatic arrangement (I'm even thinking of Kate Bush somehow), the
backing beat almost the tick of a clock, synth strings and bells and reverse
clips adding atmosphere to this plea for change now in a life where tomorrow
would be far too late.
Fittingly, there is another clip from 1975 Doug Powell that wraps things here.
In a world full of many musically talented types, Powell still manages to
stand head and shoulders above the fray. His progressive influences and grand
intricate musical dramas may run counter to the commercial trends of the moment,
but there is no denying his enormous talents and achievements. Day for Night
is the pinnacle thus far in a musical career that seems to rise with each musical
challenge he sets for himself.
Much as the film Day for Night was a tribute to Trauffaut's film-making abilities
(and the process itself), Doug Powell's Day for Night is a dazzling tribute to
his absolute mastery of the studio and his ability to produce impressive and
eloquent music for our troubled age. Remember to give it sufficient listens to
reveal its many charms and you can't go wrong.
-----------------------------------
from Mundane Sounds:
Every decade has produced a rock and roll studio wizard, someone not only
rewardingly produces music, but who has their own band or solo career--people
who redefine music in the way they make their music. In the 60s we had Brian
Wilson; in the 70s, we had Todd Rundgren, and though others will debate this,
I'd say that in the 80s we had Andy Partridge and Thomas Dolby and in the 90s
we had Dr. Dre and Steve Albini. Who, then, will make the double-zero decade
worthwhile? Who will make excellent records on their own within the confines
of their studios?
Ladies and gentlemen, I nominate Doug Powell.
Yeah, you've never heard of him. It's okay, I really hadn't heard of him, either,
until hearing Day for Night his newest studio offering. He was in a minor supergroup
called Swag, featuring members of Golden Smog, Sixpence None the Richer and Cheap
Trick (even if their lawyers won't let you know that), but that's not the issue
here. What is the issue, though, is the fact that, in 2004, you need Doug
Powell's music in your life. You do. You really, really do.
Day For Night is one of those eccentric records that strikes your heart immediately.
You're allowed in--everyone is welcome into Powell's world!--and it's a wonderful
pop kingdom he's created. I'm half-expecting Powell to start singing "Pure Imagination" or
some sort of song that sings the praises of his pure-pop paradise. You want sweet
harmonies? You got it. You want intelligent lyrics? Not a problem. You want some
silly bits of experiments in between some of the richest melodies you've heard
this side of Something/Anything? Please don't feel bad, you're not asking for
too much.
Though he's a real-life disciple of Rundgren, don't think for a minute that he's
trying to be the second coming of the Runt. His music is much more XTC-like,
and Powell's easily a dead ringer for Andy Partridge, it would be easy for you
to think that 'Doug Powell' is another one of Partridge's sneaks on an unsuspecting
audience. I could easily live with that, and it's hard not to think that after
listening to "Now?" or "Stanislaw Smith," which sounds like a wonderful alternate
universe hit off of/outtake from their Oranges & Lemons. It's slick, it's radio
friendly, it's complete with a wonderful cameo appearance from the devil himself,
and I love every dang minute of it! (Go look at the thank you list in his liner
notes. Count the associates to both XTC and Todd Rundgren. Does that tell you
something? It should.)
Every single song on this album sounds like they were hits ten-fifteen years
ago. In all my short years of writing about music, I have yet to find another
record where I've thought I've heard every song on the radio before, but Day
for Night has deceived me in that way. I'm happy for it; heck, I'm mighty grateful
for the deception. And I'm going to use my lazy music reviewer card right now
and say, "I can't properly describe the greatness of this record, go and buy
it and you'll hear what I mean!" I 'm sure you'll love the hard rock of "Stanislaw
Smith." I love the pop goodness of "Big Blue Sky." I think you'll dig the weirdness
of "Circus Minimus." I know you'll love the mellow love sentiment that of "Shine," even
if it borrows a bit too much from "My Favorite Things."
When I make my time machine, one of the first things I'm a-gonna do is go back
to 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988 and make sure every single song on Day for Night
make it onto the radio.After all, in the studio Doug Powell's a wizard, a true
star, and he deserves that kind of respect. He sure as hell isn't gonna get it
in 2004, because this kind of music isn't respected any more. Once I get my time
machine built, I don't think that's gonna be that hard of a feat.
Hands down, Day For Night is one of the best records this year.
-----------------------------------
from Power Of Pop:
Doug Powell never fails to astonish me. His talent, vision, expertise & gifts
are so extraordinary that I often find myself questioning whether any words or
description can fully do justice to the amazing music that he produces with such
remarkable consistency.
As a critic, I would usually search for reference points to make my task that
much more easier when reviewing and I presume that was the purpose of including
names like XTC’s Andy Partridge and Todd Rundgren in the press release.
But really, why stop there?
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Pete Townshend, Jeff (ELO) Lynne,
Tony (Genesis) Banks, Eric (Raspberries) Carmen, Freddie (Queen) Mercury & David
Bowie all figure in the Doug Powell equation certainly but that’s not the whole
story.
Not by a long shot.
I firmly believe that the 70s produced probably the best rock and pop music ever
as the wondrous 60s were absorbed and assimilated and amalgamated into new and
exciting approaches. Powell lays down the 70s template and develops his own unique
voice through the perspective of subsequent generations and the result is a distinctive
sound that is as much 70s classic rock as it is Powell’s.
Day For Night is Powell’s fifth full-length album and quite possibly it is his
most accomplished yet, with songs ranging from the accessible powerpop belter “Invincible” to
the prog-rocker “Stanislaw Smith,” from the fragile epic ballad “Beautiful” to
the pseudo-operatic popper “Goodbye Lady Godiva.”
Powell is also a man of faith & conscience and he deals with these issues with
aplomb and artistic sensitivity, for example:
In “Big Blue Sky,” Powell decries the siren call of compromise, “I don’t care
about averages/They don’t mean a thing to me/There’s no fruit in the orchard/Of
fame and fortune/It’s all media-ocrity.”
In “Shine,” Powell explores the great mystery of the inner light, “There is no
other recipe/No prescription and no remedy/I know, yes, I know/There is no other
whiter paint/Worn by sinners and by saints/I know, yes, I know/When you shine…”
However, it all comes together in the aforementioned “Invincible” in which Powell
wraps his thoughts on a positive outlook – “On the shoulders of God/The only
want is want/I suffer the slings/I suffer the arrows/I suffer for the invincible” – around
a irresistible chord progression and killer hooks. Heavenly!
So yes, Doug Powell never fails to astonish – give him the opportunity to
do the same for you. A+
-----------------------------------
from Obvious Pop:
The First Brilliant CD of 2004!
Doug Powell has done it. Are you familiar with Doug's music? Forget everything
you know. I am the first to admit, that I was not bowled over by Doug's early
solo releases or the super-group Swag. But I've always been a fan and have appreciated
his talent and songwriting. With the release of his 2002 album, The Lost Chord,
he became one of my favorite artists. I'll be forever grateful to Rick Altizer
for introducing me to Doug and suggesting he do a track for the Brian Wilson
tribute CD that I helped put together. Doug is back with a brand new CD,
Day For Night, and where The Lost Chord was good, Day For Night is great. I know
it's early in the year, but this one's destined for Best Of 2004 lists. I
hate to use comparisons here, because this album is not derivative, but I would
highly recommend it to fans of Jellyfish, Superdrag, XTC and Tim or Neil Finn.
Doug is influenced by the Beatles, Brian Wilson, ELO and others, you can hear
bits of those on this new record, the Beatles influence comes through stronger
than the others on a couple of tracks, but this an album that stands alone on
it's own merit. Make sure you check out the incredible "Silent Kisses" and "Stanislaw
Smith," two of the best songs I've heard in a long time.
-----------------------------------
from Fufkin.com:
Doug Powell has truly found himself as an artist. Not that Powell was ever lost,
mind you. But if you chart his progress from his debut to the more layered More
to 2002's The Lost Chord, you can clearly see his evolution, as Powell has carved
out and defined his sound. It's a layered and ornamented pop sound that reaches
for the stars. Two obvious points of comparison are known influence Todd Rundgren
(who is thanked in the liners) and Jellyfish, though Powell's flashiness is not
merely for the sake of flashiness.
Since emo has already been copped as a term to describe a strain of punk rock,
it can't be applied to Powell's baroque concoctions. But emotion pours out of
every track. With dense wordplay to match the dense arrangements, Powell writes
songs that observe human nature, with a specific moralist bent. What saves Powell
from merely being a nag is that in pointing out the limitations of others, he
is well aware of his own. We're all human. We all need improvement. Though some
of us might need it more than others.
Two of the more compelling character studies on this disc are "Stanislaw Smith" and "Goodbye
Lady Godiva". On the latter track, Powell appears to be taking on the Britneys
(and Madonnas?) of the world. This Beatlesque track appears to have a small whiff
of "Lady Madonna" in the chorus, though it's only a slight resemblance. The verses
are a mix of stately ruminating and vaudevillian whimsy, as Powell looks at selling
sex as a road to nowhere: "She's a word that's worth a thousand pictures/but
some things are better left unsaid/and if you look closely at her mixture/you'll
see no active ingredient."
Meanwhile, "Stanislaw Smith" has his own identity crisis to deal with. Or rather,
a lack of identity crisis. This song has one of those instantly memorable choruses
that is monumental. Powell seems to be taking pity on this man who is so unsure
of himself. Just another lost soul, I suppose. Fans of Jellyfish songs like "The
King Is Half Undressed" will go nuts for this tune.
If there is a message to be gleaned from Powell, it's not that everyone is wrong
and doomed. It's that you have to strive, you have to try. This is highlighted
on "Big Blue Sky", which may be the second best song ever with the term ‘blue
sky' in the title. In fact, there's a bit o' Jeff Lynne/ELO magic in the chorus,
particularly with the dramatic way he moves out of the chorus. I could definitely
hear Lynne singing the same tune, though not with a voice as spectacular as Powell's.
This intent tune is a call to arms for folks to be the best that they can be.
I suppose that this song could be narrowly interpreted to apply just to artists
taking chances (sample great line: "nobody ever learned to fly/without leaving
the world behind"), but whatever Powell's intent, the message is much more universal.
This song also displays his ability to write songs that build to big moments,
with a killer middle eight to boot.
Powell is equally constructive on the pretty "Silent Kisses", gleaming with its
light Brian Wilson gloss, which has a spiritual uplift. The shimmery song waltzes
along as Powell glorifies all that rains (and reigns) down from the heavens that
he feels needs to be appreciated and celebrated more. On "Shine", Powell shows
that he can do something that XTC's Andy Partridge does so well, moving from
harsh foreboding music into something lovely and uplifting. This musical structure
is in perfect lockstep with his lyrics, which contrast the vagaries of a life
without purpose with shining, which I take to mean a life of commitment and principle.
Like a lot of Powell's work, I believe there is a veiled Christian message, but
regardless of what informs his viewpoint, the view is well expressed and well
taken.
The final song, "Too Late Tomorrow", is introspective and a nice low key way
to wrap up the album. Without specifying what his problems are, Powell realizes
that he can't wait to change and improve. There's no time like the present. While
I think that Powell has a high personal investment in all of his songs, this
is one that I think is particularly close to him. It's a pep talk to himself,
sung with unmistakable devotion.
With this album, Powell has really reached a great place in his career. He
has something to say and has found a great way to say it. He has mastered the
musical styles he loves, and absorbed his influences in a way that honors them,
while yielding a sound and vision that is truly his own. A wonderful achievement.
-----------------------------------
from High Bias:
Nashville's Doug Powell has existed on the periphery of the pop world for almost
a decade, beloved by hardcore power pop cognoscenti, but known to the rest of
the universe, if at all, as part of the short-lived supergroup Swag. While it's
a shame his music hasn't gotten the mainstream acclaim it deserves, it also means
he's been able to develop his talents as he sees fit, without outside pressure.
He's made some excellent records in the past and continued to develop his own
take on power pop, borrowing bits of Todd Rundgren, XTC, Cheap Trick and ELO
and using them as nuts and bolts in his own distinctive construction. His last
album The Lost Chord (which also folded a few ounces of - gasp! - progressive
rock into his batter) indicated he was about ready for a breakthrough; lo and
behold, here it is. Day For Night puts Powell's best set of songs into a one-man-band
setting that makes the most of traditional tools to make a very contemporary
sounding record. Subtle electronics add some spice the usual guitar-oriented
arrangements, but never come close to dominating the sound. Powell's singing,
always the most instantly appealing thing about him, has gained resonance and
soul over the years; coupled with a lyric like "My eyes have spoken/And they
love to say your name" in the edgy "Beautiful," the effect is genuinely moving.
Of course, this being a pop record, all the filigrees and progression in the
world mean nothing unless the hooks are there, and, brother, there are plenty
of them here. "Big Blue Sky" and "Unmeaningless" grab the ear and tweak the pleasure
centers immediately; "Goodbye Lady Godiva" and "Stanislaw Smith" (which boasts
the witty lines "And he's unique/But only in the way that/Every other unique
thing is unique") have choruses that just beg for amateur accompaniment. If there's
any justice in a universe ruled by Clear Channel, "Invincible" will find itself
conquering the airwaves; it's got such an indelible hook and radio-ready sound
that you'd think it would be inevitable. Regardless of whether or not Day
For Night results in stratospheric popularity or continued obscurity for its
creator, it's a masterpiece that puts Doug Powell in the pantheon right next
to his heroes.
-----------------------------------
from Comes With A Smile:
After almost a decade of label-hopping and false starts it’s reassuring to find
Doug Powell has at last found a more stable home - ‘Day For Night’ being his
second album for esteemed US indie Parasol, following ‘The Lost Chord’, his impressive
first outing for them in 2002.
A protégé of Todd Rundgren, Powell is a similarly ambitious, technically proficient
multi-instrumentalist, ‘Day For Night' being an entirely solo undertaking. Not
that you’d guess from the everything plus the kitchen sink approach he adopts.
Perhaps slightly lacking the comparative immediacy of its predecessor, as a master
craftsman, Powell never allows his sublimely melodic, grandiosely arranged, occasionally
lyrically impenetrable songs to be overwhelmed by his ambition to push at the
boundaries of the form. Admittedly it may be a close call at times but for me
his marriage of baroque pop and progressive rock conveyed with an almost cinemascopic
breadth of vision is a habit well worth acquiring. I defy anyone not to be smitten
by the likes of Stanislav Smith, a 24ct pop diamond or Shine, which does that
and more. Providing yet more evidence of a bold and innovative pop talent at
work, ‘Day For Night’ is a more than welcome addition to Powell’s far too brief
résumé.
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