AJ Roach
Dogwood Winter
© 2003 AJ Roach (829757191423)
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Americana, Appaclachian, Acoustic folk bliss
tracks
- 1 Granddaddy
- 2 Little Bit Brighter
- 3 Dimes
- 4 Hard Being Right
- 5 Cold As Christmas
- 6 Mountain Heir
- 7 Temporary
- 8 December Nights
- 9 Mean Goodbye
- 10 James White
- 11 Lost Again
- 12 Scott County
- 13 Dogwood Winter
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Produced & Recorded by Todd Sickafoose and Tom Meshishnek. Mixed by Nino Moschella & Todd Sickafoose. Mastered by John Greenham at Paul Stubblebine Mastering in beautiful San Francisco, CA. Cover painting by Anthony Amburgey.
Additional Musicians
Tom Meshishnek - Guitars, mandolin, organ
Todd Sickafoose - Bass, clavinet, piano, pump organ, toy guitar
Laurie Lewis - Fiddle
Nels Cline - Guitar
Noe Venable - Harmony vocals
Miss Mia Thompson - Harmony vocals
Jenny Scheinmann - Fiddle & Violin
Alan Lin - Violin
Veronica Lustre - Harmony vocals
Dan Morris - Rattle
Julie Wolf - Accordian
Press:
"There's a sad beauty, a bittersweet melancholy that runs through the songs [on Dogwood Winter], as pure and welcome as an Appalachian spring."
- Paste Magazine
"... Roach is a deep woods troubadour with a cunning wit and a southern gothic spiritualism that sounds older than voodoo. His music is parochial and far flung at the same time, witchy and unabashedly romantic ... He's a shitkicker poet with voice that crackles, pierces, smokes and then smoothes it all over with a shared shot of hope."
- Pop Matters
"This is quite simply the best singer-songwriter album of the year that you probably haven't heard about... this will definitely make my best of the year list and find a home amongst the short stack of CDs that I never get around to shelving."
- indieworkshop.com
"A.J. Roach's solo debut album Dogwood Winter isn't flashy. It isn't upbeat. Nor is it complicated. It's simply beautiful, focusing on emotion, family, and matters of the heart."
- nadamucho.com
"It's easy to get lost in [Roach's] stories of people, places and times we've never experienced."
- The Alibi
"[Roach] is a soulful storyteller with the ability to paint landscapes and personal experiences with his masterful lyrics."
- Flagstaff Live
"The old saying may be that practice makes perfect, but in the world of songwriting, perfect can be boring. In the case of A.J. Roach, the result of his practice is far better than perfection, it's a passionate songwriting style, one that digs into the past and celebrates the musical richness of his Appalachian home."
- Lisa Butterworth, West Coast Performer Magazine
"Roach's words are rich with history, and he delivers his songs with passion and compassion"
- San Antonio Express-News
"Aiming to highlight the intelligence, dignity and creativity of the rural South, so often overshadowed by common stereotypes of his fellow Appalachians, AJ Roach gleans poetic beauty from stories simply, yet powerfully told."
- MilesOfMusic.com
"His Americana folk songs unfold beautiful narratives and a gritty sentiment not heard since the late great Townes Van Zandt last broke the hearts of an audience."
- Eric Shea, Listen.com
"If you don't think you'd be into the soulful brand of country-folk AJ plays, you should attend one of his performances simply for his clever stage presence and dry wit. Once you're there, I guarantee he'll change your mind about the music."
- sfGirl.com
"An absolutely amazing record!"
- producer, Tucker Martine
"... more than pieces of music, more than songs, they are stories to be shared across the campfire, at the dinner table, and in the front yard of the church after the service."
- SouthOfMainstream.com
Bio:
When singer-songwriter A.J. Roach sings about his grandfather pressing fake five-cent pieces from ore or running moonshine over the Tennessee border, he isn't pilfering story lines from an old western film or appropriating tales told by an aging farmer he met once in a bar. When this genuine mountain man needs a little inspiration, he can just borrow a few chapters from his own family's history. Few country and folk singer-songwriters can boast the bona fide Appalachian heritage and colorful rural upbringing that give Roach's tunes the authentic mountain flavor for which he is quickly becoming known.
Roach was raised in the deep hollows of mountainous Scott County, Virginia, home of such legendary acts as The Carter Family. Growing up, A.J. was fed a steady diet of bluegrass and old-time mountain music that strongly flavors his own vivid and haunting tunes.
Roach's lyrics are at turns deeply personal, lighthearted, comical, fanciful, and spellbinding. This songwriter never loses sight of his first calling as a master storyteller. Roach's ability to strip away all but the most necessary elements of a song gives his music a rarefied clarity and distinctive simplicity unmatched in today's music industry.
Recently, Roach has been taking his music on the road, performing in venues all across the United States. While he says he is thrilled to bring his Appalachian-inspired music to audiences around the country, one of his primary goals is to use his position as a platform for getting people past the common stereotypes involving those who live and work in the rural mountains.
"The people who live in central Appalachia are some of the most intelligent and dignified people I know," says Roach. "But popular culture would have you believe we're all ignorant. I hope that I can [use music to] show people the unique character of the region and of the heritage that I'm lucky enough to be a torch-bearer for."
Talented and thought provoking, this is one act you don't want to miss. Upcoming shows, CDs, sample recordings, and the latest news is always available at www.RoachMusic.com.
reviews
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One of my all time favorites
author: Shanna UnderwoodA friend lent me this CD, and I just sat with it and cried for a few days, until I found myself singing all the songs. The sparse instrumentation and harmony vocals are a great touch to these extremely well written songs.
Different and refreshing.
author: AndrewThis album is a novel in itself. It takes you back to a time when music was simple and purely good. Vocals on this album are amazing and diverse from song to song. Music is basic and uncomplicated and that's what makes it better than most. Check out tracks 1 and 3.
Truly great Americanna music. Tells fine stories with great instrumentation.
author: Steve HewittBeyond folk, with a bit of bluegrass and a kiss of country this cd is full of Americanna. From the tales told to the traditional instruments this is a great cd for folks who love great storytellers.
Beautiful record!
author: BarryLike a lot of the stuff I've ended up buying at CD Baby, I came across this CD by browsing. It was out of stock at the time and I signed up to be alerted when it came back in stock. Got the note, took too long getting around to it only to have it out of stock again when I finally got around to ordering it. I think I missed it a few times but persevenance pays off and finally I was able to order it recently. I'm really glad I did because it's a beautiful record from start to finish. The few tracks I heard on CD Baby were enough to convince me to buy but the whole album is a treasure. It's gentle, well played, thoughful and just delivers a great overall mood. Don't hesitate - go for it, you'll be glad you did. Just hope it isn't out of stock by the time you get around to ordering!!
Appalachian Bliss
author: WillieEthereal, haunting and spooky. Think Gillian Welch. This is a record that you will want/need to listen to all the way through to appreciate it fully. Most of the tunes evoke a cold/wintertime feeling, as the title implies. Stellar songwriting centering on the bleakness of modern life in the once glorious Appalachian coalfields. Several tunes seem to be biographical as well, focusing on Roach's transplant from Virginia to sunny California. Excellent musicianship and storytelling from an award winning artist. Definitely one of the year's best!
A fine troubador, fantastic.
author: Henry and MorganCame across this record a while ago and it has been a staple of our diet ever since. A.J.'s songs, voice, and playing are each amazing. If you are a fan of folk or Americana, you WILL dig this record. Thanks A.J.
Something for Everyone!
author: PreacherYou'd swear there was more than one person singing the lead on these songs--Roach's voice has incredible range! And so do these songs. There's a little something here for everyone. And all of it's good!