"Fire's Which Burnt Brightly" was released in October of 2009 and is the sixth CD release for Donovan's Brain, venturesomely led by 23 year music veteran Ron Sanchez of Bozeman, Montana on vocals/guitars/keyboards and string arrangements. Accompanied with a great lineup of Colter Langan on guitars and vocals, Deniz Tek (Radio Birdman) on guitars/vocals/percussion, Bobby Sutliff (Windbreakers) on vocals/guitars/bass/keyboards and string arrangements, and Bob Brown (Deniz Tek Group) on bass.
Special guests include: Jason Lytle (Grandaddy) - vocals/piano/synths, Roy Loney (Flamin' Groovies) - vocals, and assistance: Mike Musburger - drums/percussion, Jeff Artnsen - bass, Ron Crainghead - drums, Tony Horton - drums, Lila Cebulla - vocals, Lizzy McKenzie - vocals and Tony Miller - vocals.
Consisting of thirteen new fabulous songs written by Sanchez-Tek-Langan-Sutliff; this album starts off with "The Same Mistakes", a mid-tempo organ drenched powerpop based tune, which delivers some tempermental lyrics with a classical feel, while maintaining a steady wholesome upbeat harmonous rythmn, with glorious 12 string arrangements, garnished with beautiful slide guitar and jingling tambourines to give it a pleasant folky-psychedelic-pop essence. "Green 17" is a highly admirable riff-laden classic rock style tune with electric guitars and smooth crips vocals. "Broken Glass" is a colorful orchestration of postmodern eclectric that is characteristic of different genres including pop, rock, folk, psychedelic, classical with a bit of symphonics, while primarily dominated by a harmonic choral form, being strongly led by beautiful electric guitar solo's for a gorgeous melody! "You Gotta Go Now" is a well crafted easy listening graceful song that is lyrically a traditional folk-lore, enhanced with syncopated drum beats, smooth organ passages and guitar riffs that flow together nicely making this a very delightful song. Whilst, "Carefully Considered Answers" follows along in a wonderful purcussive harmony exquisitely utilizing the hammond organ delivering a cheerful melodic tune.
"Last Acid Riders" takes on more vigorous harmonous approach with varied levels of magnitude in the form of neo-psychedelia-folk and roots rock, with a wider and more progressive series of riff laden instrumental jams with fuzzed out organ and synths, along with more surreal lyrics capturing the feel of post-psychedelia era of the early to mid 70's, as music started to turn back towards the rock roots. "After The Main Sequence " is predominantly a mellifluous guitar instrumental driven song, that eases off a bit with a more tranquil feel that is highly enjoyable.
"Come For The Sun " and "Wooden Horse" are a couple quirky pop-rock styled tunes consisting of absurd witty lyrics delivered in giddy vocals, with chimming carnival type sound improvisations that are rather amusing and uplifitng. "I Saw Your Light" is perhaps one of the most contempory pop style songs on the album, with glorious piano and elegant female backing vocals with a beautiful charismatic sound. Followed by "Vanished" which comes as a bit of a surprise with it's changeable sassy punk rock feel, that consists of a wide variety of both new and aged elements from neo-psych, folk rock, pop and punk with a spunky crowd gratifying attitude in a timeless sound that is difficult to classify. "High Street Hit Man" follows out with a similiar punky feel that is more consistent with some of todays modern powerpop. The album comes to a close with "Thinking About Neutrons" a ghoulish sounding neo-psychedelic song that is a real trip!
"Fire's Which Burnt Brightly" is a well crafted and diversely impacting album full of creative elements that are both fundamental and complex with some unique sounds of it's own, that gives new life to some of the traditional roots! Highly recommend!!!
Jan (editor)
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