Title:Brian Dewan Tells the Story By: Brian Dewan Released by: Bar None Records Released on: 1993 Rating (out of 10): 9 Date: 08/27/2001
The Great American Storytelling Tradition Lives On
Most of the earliest songs known to man were written as a way to share and preserve stories, but storytelling is an all-but-lost art in popular music today. This makes Brian Dewan’s peculiar brand of musical and lyrical stylings all the more refreshing.
His tales are often sad, occasionally angry, and sometimes joyful, but they are always sung with utmost sincerity. His primary instrument is an electric zither, a unique instrument he built himself, although he sometimes uses an accordion, piano, and many other instruments as well. His songs are crafted with the same meticulous care with which he builds his instruments, furniture, and countless other things. Dewan's style might not be for everyone, but if you are looking for something that feels both very old and startlingly new, rich in folksy Americana (the dark side more often than not), this album is a revelation.
Dewan’s first complete CD, Brian Dewan Tells the Story, begins with the fierce "99 Cops" intro, in which he bangs on the zither in a manner to rival any guitar god and angrily spits out the lyrics. They're almost a parody of cop-killer songs—these cops aren’t harassing thugs, they’re “sitting in a tree/K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”
Next comes “Obedience School,” an anthem-like tune in which the lyrics reflect an ambiguous attitude toward freedom as he fondly recalls a time when he was told what to do, which gave him a sense of security and purpose (as opposed to the confusion he encounters in a world where “Everybody is in charge/Cooks aplenty making broth for everyone/Bumping into everyone”).
Dewan’s storytelling prowess truly comes into play in the next few tracks, beginning with “The Cowboy Outlaw,” a delightfully creepy (and true) urban legend, given an appropriately mournful, dirge-like tune.
This is followed by the charmingly simple “The Record,” which begins with what sounds like bells gently chiming. The story isn’t much in itself, but Dewan perfectly captures the feeling of falling in love with a new album so much you want to listen to it over and over.
Then comes “The Letter,” providing a bit of comic relief, Dewan-style. It has a jaunty, catchy tune, and the lyrics basically consist of the typical dire warnings found in those chain letters we’ve come to love so much on the Internet. The charm of this song is that it is sung in a totally straightforward manner, as if the speaker believes that every word of the chain letter is utterly true.
The next track, “The Day the Day Stood Still,” is not a reference to the well-known sci-fi classic; it is, however, the most hauntingly beautiful track on Tells the Story. Dewan alternates between using his deep baritone voice and a delicate choirboy soprano, and the lyrics portray a landscape of peaceful beauty with religious reverence.
“Wastepaper-Basket Fire” is an abrupt change of pace, with its insistent rhythm that becomes increasingly intense to reflect the growing danger of the fire; Dewan’s fondness for old-fashioned values is again revealed as the culprit receives a just, if outdated, punishment.
This is followed by “The Creatures,” which starts out as a typical “the day the earth stood still” scenario, but ends with a happy twist, in sharp contrast to the next tune, “My Eye,” in which the eerie tune and Dewan’s matter-of-fact delivery plod along to carry the tale to its grim conclusion.
The tunes that make up the last batch of songs on the album are short but memorable. “Cut Your Hair” is another humorous bit in which Dewan rattles off nearly every complaint and put-down that young men with long hair have ever heard (“A boy’s not supposed to have hair like a girl!”).
In “Breezes are Blowing,” Dewan reveals his gift for writing verses that have parallel structures, giving the song a sense of flow and reflecting both the constant movement and circular nature of life with brilliant simplicity.
“Drinking Bird” features an accordion, and yes, it is an ode to those plastic drinking birds you can find in any decent novelty shop.
And, finally, “Feel the Brain” celebrates both the physical and metaphorical wonders of this mysterious organ, with a somber tune that builds to a stirring finale. It is a fitting conclusion to a remarkably original and intelligent musical achievement.
