Dan Bern, Regent Street Review
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Dan Bern is a singer-songwriter that has a gift for lyrics and melodies. Bern may be best-known for his songs “Jerusalem,” “Marilyn,” and “Tiger Woods.” He has released 25 albums and EPs, and has played thousands of shows across North America and Europe. His massive recording catalog is also backed by Bern being a solid live performer, with a loyal multi-generational following. Ani DiFranco, an early supporter of Bern’s, took him on tour with her and produced his second album, Fifty Eggs. Bern’s songs have appeared in numerous films and TV shows, and he has written original songs for the films Walk Hard — The Dewey Cox Story and Get Him to the Greek, as well as the 15-song soundtrack for Everett Ruess, Wilderness Song, a documentary produced by Jonathan Demme. Bern is a modern-day Renaissance man as he is also a writer, poet and visual artist. Bern’s paintings are on display at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Museum and the Bob Feller Museum. His gallery exhibitions are often accompanied with a live performance. Bern is the author of several books, including his latest, Encounters, a collection of poetry based on Bern’s chance meetings of such figures as Jimmy Carter, Bruce Springsteen, Hunter S. Thompson and Wilt Chamberlin. Bern hosts a podcast — 10,000 Crappy Songs — a radio drama of a songwriter-turned-detective. He also runs the 24/7 internet radio station, Radio Free Bernsteinn. Bern is releasing a collection of ten songs that represents a new artistic triumph called, Regent Street, which will be released Friday, September 13. The album is produced by Jonathan Flaugher.
Positives:
A solid variety of styles and subject matter. The instrumentation is varied, and each track has its own sound.
Bottom Line:
Regent Street not only shows Bern’s continued growth as a songwriter but is also a personal triumph. Bern lost two fingertips from an accident with a snowblower in March 2018, which made him unable to play guitar for nearly a year. Turning to the piano, he found fresh perspective that can be heard on Regent Street. The title track and lead single was previously recorded by Roger Daltrey, a fan of Bern’s work, after Bern sent The Who singer a demo. “Regent Street” was recorded for this album in a style inspired by Daltrey’s version, and Bern considers it a cover of his own song. Throughout the ten songs, Bern’s mastery of the power of lyrics is evident. Bern's vocal quality is that of one that has seen more than its share of miles, which brings power and focus to the storylines he is expressing. Bern’s writing style and song forms are familiar, simple and stunning in their depth of text. There is plenty of intellectual fullness, wordplay and poetic schemes. Regent Street is an album that is passionate, spirited and moving. That’s the short of it!