Album Notes

"Writes Of Passage 101"

Growing up in the Midwest under the heavy hand of Calvinism might be considered an impediment in today's complex world. But like anything that's strong enough to kill you and doesn't, it's likely to become a valuable resource.

Dan Connor tells simple stories simply. "Profoundly simple," as one reviewer has said. While the issues addressed are pretty much the usual suspects, "Connor's takes are offbeat and refreshing." People are more alike than they are different, and the authority and musicality of these songs makes them "instantly inviting." But, hey, we are talking folk music here. Hip Hop fans will probably need to look elsewhere.

The music is guitar driven - mostly acoustic, some electric, no synthesizers. The amount of production is chosen to suit the song. All the musicians are top notch, and songs 2, 5, and 14 feature Connor's trio, Little Big Men. There is no attempt to write the same song twice. Every song has it's own color, tempo, and feel. The CD was mastered by Gavin Lursen at The Mastering Lab, who mastered "Oh Brother Where Art Thou." All the depth and richness of sound that Gavin's mastering achieved on "Oh Brother.." graces "Writes Of Passage," which was recently nominated for Best Americana Album in the 2003 San Diego Music Awards.

Connor can be accused of many impertinences, but leading an unexamined life is not one of them. These songs are the result of ten years of planting, replanting, weeding, fertilizing, thinning, and cutting his way through an often disagreeable mix of soil and manure. But it has led to a rich harvest: a gumbo of humor, grit, pathos, and tenderness. It's delicious. Try it, you'll like it.