in my ears

Doug Burr: On Promenade


I've always been fairly aware of the production qualities of recorded music - it's just something I think about when I'm listening. Textures, balance, even how many different sounds are going on in relatively simple songs. I vividly remember, though, when I started thinking more about how nontraditional (postmodern?) production could affect songs that might otherwise be classified as very straightforward folk music. Two albums in particular contributed to that awareness: Richard Buckner's "Devotion and Doubt" and Chris Mills's "Every Night Fight For Your Life". It happens that both of those came out in the mid '90s, which was a very formative period for me, musically and artistically I guess.

I don't really know anything about Doug Burr, but I came across this album on some blog that I don't recall the name of now. It's folk music (just ask iTunes), but the production is stellar, and it's the textural/ambient/slightly dissonant stuff that makes this such a great listen. If you aren't afraid to admit that you like pretty songs, but you love it when they're buried in some really interesting soundscapes, well.......this one's for you (and me).