C/D: David & David - Boomtown

Classic.

Song by song, it's Baerwald's photojournalistic images of Los Angeles beyond the bright lights. The desperate hangers-on, the self-loathing minor talents who never quite made it, the just-folks trying to get by, trying to make love work in spite of itself, maybe finding a moment of grace between the natural shocks, all rendered with a clear-eyed absence of drama that neither romanticizes nor condemns. The voice of weary experience is rarely adopted in pop music, and it's even more rare that it works. That consistent POV is certainly one of Boomtown's charms.

None of that would matter if the tracks weren't solid. And for the most part, they're much more than solid. I remember a lot of Steely Dan comparisons at the time, and there's something to that - the way the tracks lay back in a deceptively spacious groove. Multi-instrumental rhythm and texture take precedence. There are relatively few hooks to be found; solos are minimal, and may only appear on the fade. Ricketts hops almost effortlessly from pop-rock to folk-rock to R&B to funk (where the effort shows a little, to my ear), and he's got an ear for counterpoint that keeps things interesting in the absence of lead instrumentation.

It's 1987, so there's plenty of programmed percussion and synthwork, but Sigerson's production holds up remarkably well. It's of a time, but not dated, if that makes sense. Guitar, bass, and drums play nicely together, and most tracks are notable for the kind of open space that only a thick track can give you. (Peter Gabriel is probably a fair point of reference.)

Also, they do real pretty bridges...

Since no one's mentioned them yet, add "Ain't So Easy" (painfully OTM on relationships post-honeymoon) and "Heroes" (the bright spot) to the search list.

Christ, I completely ignored TEH VOX!

Thanks for the save!

Of all the songs to pop into my head...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzQmXIGlRbQ

david marsh was real big on david baerwald at one point. i was pretty underwhelmed by his solo records. the david & david record has its moments. dude made $$ on that sheryl crow LP.

and he sort of looks likes young scott walker.

also that video sucks.

Randomly put this album on this morning it's alright but I'm surprised how much it sounds like a late-80s Bryan Ferry album.

I only recently noticed the big single has a surprisingly Fripp-y solo.

This record has been at the back of the "I should check this out" section of my brain for 36 years now, resurfacing every decade or so. I heard a very striking song on the radio from Baerwald's Triage album.

Long, frequently funny podcast interview with Baerwald.

Mentioning it here because Baerwald tells a great story from his busking days in Venice Beach where every day he'd get a dirty look from an eccentric dude who frequented the same cafe at the same time. One day, the eccentric finally confronts Baerwald and says "kid, you've been ruining my breakfast with your playing" he then takes the guitar, tunes it to open-C, hands it back, says "stop playing the guitar, play the music." This goes on for a couple of times until a server at the cafe asks him how the guitar lessons with John Fahey are going.

!!!

(later on, Baerwald gets into tales of working as a cocaine deliverer - including delivering the drug order to the wrap party for Where The Buffalo Roam w/Bill Murray and Hunter Thompson)

ok I don't know much about this band except the song but this sounds like something I need to listen to