Paul Curreri / Don't Move!
OFFICIAL UK RELEASE DATE: OCT 26, 2009 FROM TIN ANGEL RECORDS
PAUL CURRERI joins us in May
Internationally acclaimed as a songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Curreri helmed five or six albums this year alone, including wife Devon Sproule’s new release ¡Don’t Hurry For Heaven!), California finds Curreri back in his Virginia studio, again handling all the instruments himself, as he did on his critically heralded previous effort, 2007’s The Velvet Rut (“A riveting trip. His best yet.” – Uncut “These songs sparkle like stars on a cold night. 5 STARS” – MOJO).
But a baton has been passed. Atop a circular and unworldly guitar riff, the title cut begins, “Too few folks know how fun it is / To believe in invisible stuff like this.” The Velvet Rut’s joyously pissed snarl has evolved into an undercurrent of something larger, something downright hopeful, unabashedly appreciative to be downstream from some rough stuff. Check the bridge of the opening track, “Now I Can Go On”: “I can not forget deciphering the most horrifying of certainties / Where any illness I was suffering from was a twisted arm behind me. / And there were killers. Real killers! / And I was unaccompanied. / But now I’m leaning toward your finding me / And making new memories.” He repeats that word: “memmmmories,” then hollers, exploding into a breathtakingly eventful solo section.
At 13 tracks, California covers a lot of sonic ground. From the opening track’s pounding piano drive, to the near uncomfortable honesty and simplicity of “I Can Never Return,” Curreri fastballs a lot of sticky ideas at the wall. There’s a fully improvised, fully belted, and fully unintelligible blues bash. Another number, “Off the Street, Onto The Road,” opens with a phone conversation between Scott Joplin and Joseph Lamb. On the only track to feature a guest, Devon Sproule shows up for a gorgeous duet take on Michael Hurley’s “Wildegeeses.” Curreri even throat-sings at the tail of “I Can Hear The Future Calling.” It’s a damn blast, and as life-affirming as a Bob Marley album.
With a deeply rooted guitar style – seemingly flecked by Gary Davis, Frisell, Ali Farka, Ribot – this September, Paul has been invited to travel to Kenya to participate in a collaboration between Western and African musicians. “Just got my shots… I was very brave,” he says proudly. Upon his return, in addition to guesting on telecaster for Devon Sproule’s October run, Curreri will be touring the UK with his English trio for the first two weeks of November to celebrate California’s release. The tour will wrap up with 3 nights at London’s Betsey Trotwood.
Last, when asked how he managed to create such a forward-leaning, positive album while dealing with what many would regard as a career and personal crisis, a long moment passes before he replies. “Well,” he says, “we all live with hardship and crisis. But maybe it’s the price paid for being surrounded by and involving oneself with only what feels authentic and important. I get to play music, even if – yeah – on occasion it’s just at home. But I sometimes wonder if fishing for more doesn’t rip something from someone who – for better or worse – wants or needs it more deeply.”
Tin Angel Records is home to such eclectic and exciting acts as Baby Dee, Polar Bear, Danny Schmidt, Black Carrot, Adrian Crowley, DON’T MOVE!, and Devon Sproule. Though wildly differing in background and style, the artists share Tin Angel’s desire to retain a searching creative vision, and the drive to challenge themselves & their audience.
Support Comes from Don’t Move – Hi this is DON’T MOVE!. We are Mason Le Long, Joe Carvell, Matt Rheeston and Cederick Confuegos, two of us live in Birmingham and two of us live in Coventry.
DON’T MOVE! is a pop band.
We are signed to Tin Angel Records.
The New Pop Sound of DON’T MOVE! will be our first release on Tin Angel Records. It has been recorded and mixed between Midlands venue/studio Taylor Johns House and the sunny climes of Charlottsville, Virginia by esteemed labelmate Paul Curreri….
