Published on Jun 7, 1999
I think George Usher is one of the finest songwriters today.
What sets his music apart from others is his unique lyrical
perspective. And that, combined with a knack for writing stick in
your head melodies make him an artist that is definitely not to be
missed. Usher’s main inspriration is the jangle pop of the sixties
band the Byrds, and while there is a vocal resemblance to Roger
McGuinn, his songs rarely sound like that band.
His latest release is called
Dutch April, and he starts the CD on a very strong note with
“My Life With Jack The Fool”, the only really humorous song on this
collection, about a guy who hangs out with a con man. Guitarist
Doug Larcey gives this song a very tasty jangly guitar line.
Larcey is one of the better guitarists in the pop-rock world,
and seems to give Usher a different sound for each song while still
maintaining a flowing melodic style. For example, take the second
song on the CD, “Before The Next Bell Rings”, which is an eerie
rocker that abruptly changes the mood of the CD. Here, Larcey
provides a heavier guitar sound that fits well with Usher’s high,
creepy vocal.
But it is Usher’s lyrics that are the star of this show, and I
like any song that starts out with the lines “When I decided to
give away the moon/Someone provided a darker afternoon/It took them
longer to cover up the sun/But they were happy to be getting
something done”.
Dutch April is full of unusual passages like that.
Another example is on the song “Wooden Nickel” which starts off
with “Time and time again the guiding light is lost/In the never
ending rumble/Of the voices when the border can’t be crossed/Cause
its dark enough to stumble”. As you can see, Usher is no ordinary
songwriter, and you are not going to get one those repeat the title
a hundred times type of song from him.
Still, Usher does know his way around a pop melody. The rocker
“Why Don’t You Say What You Mean?” would not sound out of place on
the radio. “You Better Let It Go” and “Begging For Rain” are the
most Byrds sounding songs on the CD and should please their fans.
“Orpheus Turning” is very catchy and not as weird as the title
suggests.
There are a few flaws to
Dutch April. Two of the ballads, “I Can Still See Her Eyes”
and “Another Fall From Grace”, are not as memorable as Usher would
have liked them to be. Although they are heartfelt, they are
overlong, dragging the pace of the CD. “Violent Courtship” is a
pretty good rocker, but Usher’s voice is a little too soft to
really put it over effectively.
If
Dutch April isn’t as tight as it could be, it still is a
worthwhile CD to purchase. Usher’s music keeps getting better and
better with each release. In short,
Dutch April is a very good CD that is a couple of killer
ballads away from being a great one.