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Maybe it’s symbolised on the front cover of this album, but
the enormous depth of perceptive song writing vision portrays Danny Schmidt’s latest
record as a lyrical jewel among a deluge of likeminded releases. One can only
marvel at the immense substance of OWLS, which in tandem with the relaxing mood
of its soothing tone heralds an ultra-literate record spearheaded with the power
of words. The choice to bury your head into the lyrical whirlpool or let the
satisfying melodic tide wash over you entirely lies with the listener and each
is of desirable equal merit. However the former unveils some fantastic song
structures which are even more profound to the eye than to the ear.
Danny is a longstanding visitor to the UK and follows a
lengthy line of Austin troubadours to seek inspiration within the dusty Texan
capital before spreading the wares far and wide. This dignified record is Danny’s
seventh studio release and is set to be the focal point of his next UK trip in the
autumn, this time in conjunction with his wife and fellow songwriter Carrie
Elkin. Danny is a mesmerising live act with his almost spoken expressive
singing style shaping the words into a vivid commentary on both the seen and
the experienced. Quite often Danny seeks inspiration from his surroundings with
natural forces driving a desire to fuel an insatiable appetite to communicate through
the artistic medium of music and song.
A minimalist approach to studio involvement optimises the
small band of players selected to bring the eleven tracks to recorded status
and the result is a subtle blend of accompaniment serving as an oxygen source
to Danny’s songs. Only towards the end of the record does the sound escalate to
skirt a little around rock territory. However the true beauty of these compositions
is Danny’s approach to cyclical, symmetrical and repetitive word patterns with
sufficient eminence to drive the literati into raptures. For mere mortals it
adds up to a collection of supremely crafted songs served in a wrap of smoothen
delight. Listening to the 45 minute duration of OWLS without doubt spoils your
ears and more importantly the matter in between.
Although possessing that entity-quality critical to the
survival of the album, four tracks from the record can be hived off to showcase
what Danny does best. The stunning ‘All
the More to Wonder’ will make you gasp with its fabulous use of interlinked
questions and ability to encapsulate some wonderful pontification. ‘Cries of Shadows’ is a fantastic piece
of imagery using an amazing cyclical structure to relay the circle of life
through the perspective of a shadow. ‘Cry
on the Flowers’ is an amalgam of verse and chorus brilliance with the
subject woven into the lyrics in an outstanding format. ‘Soon the Earth Shall Swallow’ completes this exemplary quartet
with pure environmental awareness captured within a smart sectioned and
compartmentalised form of song structure.
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Elsewhere Danny launches the record with a touch of imagery
in ‘Girl with Lantern Eyes’ and does
not shy away from a slither of social commentary in ‘The Guns and the Crazy Ones’. Once again the lyrical patterns scale
another peak in the question and answer structure to ‘Faith Will Always Rise’. ‘Bad
Year for Cane’ is the nearest thing we get to an explicit tale, although
the song itself provokes curiosity amidst the ravages of the natural world. The
message is getting clearer that this record is increasingly best enjoyed in
conjunction with accessing the lyrics which can be found on Danny’s website.
At times OWLS is capable of inducing an out of body experience
and succeeds emphatically in freeing your mind of that mundane everyday
clutter. Diving deep into the lyrical opulence is probably the ultimate
recommendation for understanding the work of Danny Schmidt. Deep down the riches
sparkle and await your act of discovery.
www.dannyschmidt.com
