At first glance, the scene seems the same: another pretty boy huddled in the corner of your local coffeehouse where he is singing his heart out about his newly shattered heart. And yet, Charlie Duncan is anything but that doe-eyed, swoop-haired cliché singer/songwriter. On any given day you can find him in that same coffee shop where he is sipping the house blend, observing the world around him, writing a new song, reading a new book, or chatting about the latest happenings with a close friend. Unlike a lot of musicians who live solely in their heads or in the imaginary world of their music, Charlie take residence in the world he sings about, and as a result, his music never loses its presence. It’s immediacy. It’s intimacy.
When you listen to Charlie’s music live or in a recording, he feels there with you; singing to you, about you, and maybe even because of you. You are the friend sipping coffee with him. You are the person sitting next to him as he picks out a new melody on his guitar. Charlie’s music doesn’t exist for his audience; it exists because of his audience.
Now, four years after his last full CD release, Charlie releases night drive. This album charts Charlie’s evolution into the artist he is today. The themes are deeper and yet they connect with a larger audience, no doubt to commonality of everyone's struggle with expression and identity. Because much time has passed since his last album, Charlie has been able to cultivate his musical and lyrical skills. Moreover, he has been able to "road test" his new music numerous times in front of a live audience. The major themes central to this album are coming into oneself, realizing one's self worth, and, of course, the trials and tribulations of one's love relationships.
“I can only hope that the variety of issues on this album can help at least one person know that they’re not alone in whatever they’re going through,” Charlie explains in reference to the diversity of this work.
Also new to this recording is the clarity and crispness of studio quality sound. Unlike his past cd, Change--a completely grassroots effort that was recorded and mixed by Charlie himself--the new album features a return to the studio with a full band in order to deliver a full-bodied version of Charlie's music that his fans have never heard before.
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