Path We Take
Description
Product Description While living in a 35-person village in the mountains of Corsica, David Berkeley wrote the most haunting and powerful music of his life. Upon returning to Atlanta, he began recording a collection of these songs. The result, to be released January 25, 2011 is Berkeley's 4th studio album, Some Kind of Cure, rich with the images from that Mediterranean island and even the sounds of the village church bell and Corsican singers that David recorded while there. Produced by Will Robertson and entirely fan-funded, the album features Peter Bradley Adams on piano, Kevin O'Donnell (Andrew Bird) on drums, Kim Taylor (Over the Rhine) on background vocals, and Lex Price (Mindy Smith) on mandolin and guitars. Berkeley's philosophic and poetic lyrics have always set him apart from other singers of his generation. These songs feature his best writing yet, from the private whispers of a father to a son in the heartbreaking closing ballad "Winter Winds" to the roadside romance in the uptempo "Parachute." His "lustrous melancholy" voice, as described by the New York times, has never sounded better. Berkeley has also written an accompanying book of short stories (one for each song), 140 Goats and a Guitar, the Stories behind Some Kind of Cure, to be released in conjunction with the album. Review Berkeley sings in a lustrous melancholy voice with shades of Tim Buckley and Nick Drake. ... As his melodies ascend to become benedictions and consolations, the music shimmers and peals. - Jon Pareles --New York TimesEmotional story-telling lyrics, charismatic stage presence, and hilarious anecdotes. - June Wulff --Boston GlobeBerkeley crafts his songs like watercolor paintings, intimate and introspective. --Atlanta's Creative Loafing
Reviews
A**E
The best yet from a great singer-songwriter
It is bewildering to me that Berkeley has yet to reach a larger audience. He comes out of the great tradition of folk singer-songwriters---skewing toward the moodier, emotionally evocative tradition of Tim Hardin, Tim Buckley and Nick Drake. His previous records showcase his superb vocals in settings ranging from stark to a bit overproduced. "Some Kind of Cure" finds a solid middle-ground, using trumpet, keyboards, guitar, and bass to create an overall emotional effect.His lyrics are simple but literary; Berkeley says his main influence is poetry, particularly Yeats'. He is also great in concert---very smart and witty but also self-effacing.
T**N
Another great album
My wife introduced me to (the music of) David Berkeley, and now I may be a bigger fan than she is! I don't think there's one song of his I don't enjoy in all of his albums. This album brings some new sounds but stays true to the David Berkeley style. Keep up the great work David!
S**1
Five Stars
A truly beautiful voice that touches the heart.
M**R
Five Stars
great!
R**E
Try it - you won't be disappointed
I have been a DB fan for several years. This is his 4th studio album, and he just keeps getting better. (I also unequivocally recommend his live CD/DVD Live From Fez, if you can get your hands on it.) I have seen him perform several times. The word "concert" seems a little pretentious for his stripped-down, laid-back style, but the music is great and the banter is always entertaining. He truly deserves for this to be his breakthrough album.DB's lyrics are typically dense and literate, often referring back to some historical event. This CD is based on his experiences living in a very small village in Corsica with his wife and young son. A companion book is also on the way. I think that will be a good thing - having heard him talk about the stories behind his songs in the past, I always feel like the songs mean more when you know the background. Not only that, but they are really beautiful. His rendition of Shenandoah never fails to give me chills (yes, that Shenandoah, the only cover on this CD). Homesick, also a beauty. Really, there isn't a subpar song on the entire record.The CD was entirely fan-funded. I am proud to say I had a small part in bringing it into existence. DB's voice is like no other, really. The studio musicians are top notch. I wholeheartedly recommend this CD. This hardworking and talented singer-songwriter is ready to come into his own. You want to be there for it, trust me.
W**L
...offers what it says..."Some Kind of Cure"
At times this album seems disjointed. At times it seems "distant". Then, at other times it all comes together. The hauntingly beautiful "Maria", the anthemic yet honestly self deprecating "Hope For Better Days". This collection of songs has moments of great joy, longing and offers a subtle musical insight into the emotions and vistas that are the human condition. It really does offer some kind of cure...to the common song....
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