Dana Falconberry
Paper Sailboat
© 2006 Dana Falconberry (859700060049)
CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.
In person, as on record, Falconberry's low-key charisma and unconventional vocals will instantly capture your heart. Her down-home sincerity, nuanced folk-influenced melodies and a lyrical sense that blends classic simplicity with subtle literary finesse.
tracks
- 1 My Sweetheart, My Dear
- 2 Leave in the Middle of the Night
- 3 Paper Sailboat
- 4 Sophie
- 5 Old Red Hat
- 6 Sadie
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In person, as on record, Falconberry's low-key charisma and unconventional vocals will instantly capture your heart. Her down-home sincerity, nuanced folk-influenced melodies and a lyrical sense that blends classic simplicity with subtle literary finesse marks her as a surprisingly original artist. For a young songwriter, the songs on Paper Sailboat are marked by an unusually confident artistic voice.
"In the last few years my writing style has changed drastically," Falconberry explains. "The songs are more character driven now; before I was mostly writing about myself. The aesthetic of the music is different, too. It's darker and more complex, but there's a thread of optimism running through it that was absent from my writing before."
Roy Taylor produced Paper Sailboat with a light hand that gives every tune its own unique flavor, but it's Falconberry's singing that grabs your attention with its unassuming power. It's a voice that blends the breathy innocence of girlhood with the understated maturity of a woman sharing her hard-won insights with a close friend. It's an untrained voice, in the best sense of the word; a voice without pretense or artifice; a timeless voice that speaks straight from her heart to yours.
"Leave In The Middle Of The Night" has a ragtime feel that's augmented by Michael Longoria's playful drumming, Brian Beattie's inventive walking bass, Doug Lancio’s spastic guitar and Falconberry's bouncy guitar. Falconberry delivers the lyric with a impish enthusiasm that belies the song's underlying sadness. "The character in the song is at the end of his proverbial rope," Falconberry says. "The song is about moving forward despite all obstacles. The bass and drums complement the motion of the lyrics."
"Sadie" is a brooding song of loss and regret. Patty Griffin's stately piano notes and the dark colors of cello and viola create a desolate setting for Falconberry's plaintive vocals, a performance marked by an almost palpable sense of grief and sorrow. "The song is a portrait of a farmer who's lost his wife. He's left in the fields and can't see anything but rolling hills. He still farms everyday, so he's stuck doing the things he used to do with her, thinking about her, unable to get over her. I wanted a rolling flavor to the music, a kind of spooky, lost feeling."
"My Sweetheart My Dear" is a desperate plea for love, but it's delivered simply, with Falconberry's weary vocal imbuing the lyric with a feeling of immeasurable sadness, augmented by the understated backing harmonies. The title track is the original demo, recorded on one mike, just Falconberry and her guitar. "We recorded that the first time Roy came to my apartment to work on the album. It was going to be a blueprint for a bigger arrangement, but that first vocal and guitar take captured it best. You can hear the birds singing outside the apartment if you listen closely."
“When I first heard about Dana, she was singing for tips at a patio restaurant during happy hour,” recalls producer Roy Taylor. “My friend Pat Guillory took me to see her and she was bringing people to tears. Anyone who can make people cry during happy hour really has something unique.”
Taylor, who works as a touring sound mixer for Patty Griffin, Lisa Germano, Kasey Chambers and other performers, wanted to start producing. He'd recorded Glass Eye, Stick People, and Craig Ross years ago, and Falconberry's music blew him away. "The more I hear her, the more I'm fascinated by the ancient, timeless quality of her voice and the depth of her lyrics," Taylor says. "The songs have so many levels, so many nuances, and it's always heartfelt and honest. The new songs we’ve demo’d delve into more realms than the last."
Falconberry and Taylor decided on a hybrid acoustic/electric approach as way to open up the songs without overwhelming their basic, folky beauty. Taylor assembled an Austin/Nashville dream team including Brian Beattie, bass (Glass Eye, Daniel Johnston;) Dean Berner, dobro; Luis Guerra, bowed bass (Terremoto, Kim Richey;) Patty Griffin, piano; Pat Guillory, squeezebox; Red Hunter, accordion (Peter and the Wolf;) Doug Lancio, baritone guitar (Patty Griffin, Nanci Griffith, Robinella;) Michael Longoria, percussion and vibes (Patty Griffin, Terramoto, Kim Richey;) Eamon McLoughlin, viola (The Greencards;) Bonnie and Eleanor Whitmore, violin & cello (Slaid Cleaves) and the harmonies of the Gregorianaires.
“We looked for the balance between me sitting alone in my apartment at four AM and the sound of a polished studio recording,” Falconberry concludes. “I think we did a good job.”
j.poet
reviews
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A unique style
author: JimI heard Dana Falconberry performing in the Austin Airport and was so taken with her style, I went in search of her work and found this album. I do enjoy it, especially Paper Sailboat, but I think she has improved since this album and am looking forward to the release of the album she is working on now.
Fantastic!!
author: jklDana's voice is absolutely beautiful and her songwriting is terrific. Can't wait for the next CD!
Beautirul and delicate with the perfect amount of longing
author: MathewDana's voice is gorgeous when sung soft. Reminds me of Ricky Lee Jones with more contemporary and esily accessible song writing. Fave song by far is Sadie. And I think she is at her best when she writes and records songs of this tempo.
Wife's favorite song
author: SDKLeave in the middle of the night is my wife's favorite song. Should I worry?
- author: Cherie
I loved the spunky leave in the middle of the night and her original sounding voice
this is a great place to start
author: Jason PerkinsI bought this and the first album this last week. Both are great but you can certainly hear the changes from the previous songs. All of the same things are there though. They are just a little more polished. Wonderful imagery.
I love the cd! Thanks too for the speedy delivery!
author: paper sailboatSome of the songs on this cd makes me want to cry...but I love them, and can't stop singing them all the time!