First Listen: Steve Allain Singles Volume 3
Steve Allain has got something figured out. Releasing smaller sets of songs in different volumes to keep an audience anticipating what is next. On my trip a few weeks back Steve sent me over volume 3 of his singles project to check out and he did no disappoint.
‘Damaged Man’ has am almost Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes acoustic feel to it. Man, it’s really great. Allain’s voice doubled, sing-speaking is what I would call the tone of his voice on this track. The call and response is like a tornado of voices vibe, spinning around, confusing you a bit, but then easing you back into the verse. It is such a cool concept, you aren’t just listening to the song, you are playing an active part in the experience in it, thinking, feeling, moving with the way the songwriter moves.
‘The Fisherman’ takes on a bit of a more traditional folky song. With a strong and steady finger pick leading the charge. This is kind of the quintessential “song” from a songwriter for me. A song about a simple working type (a fisherman). The prechorus is particularly interesting to me. While it is a song I would think of when I think “traditional songwriting” it has these nuances that are really smart. A voice and a guitar, that’s all it needs to be great.
I think the side by side comparison between the two very different tracks makes this collection all the more interesting. One being much more “acoustic” while the other has some more depth and layers to it. It puts Allain’s ability to put his songs into different contexts and be extremely successful in all of them on full exhibition.
As great as the songs sound, I think that you cannot overlook Allain’s great songwriting abilities. The Fisherman really gives you this visual of a man who could be living in Alaska fishing crab or in some coastal New England town catching cod. Regardless it really hits the mark for me. I picture the town I grew up in just south of Boston on the shores.
And he can’t believe it’s been three years, the sea has taken all his tears
A pretty standard rhyme, but it’s really not just that. Sea and tears, both salt. Sweat, also salt. Hard working fisherman. Little things like this just stand out to me as great songwriting.
The opening line of Damaged Man hits me hard:
I’ll become a good actor, I’ll make you believe
I’m well versed in fiction, how to deceive
Seriously, what a line. The song is a great rise and fall of one liners like that. The verse being simpler, quieter, just the one spoken voice telling all the things wrong with himself. Then the chorus builds the excitement. Shit man, this is a great tune.
