Nachmanoff’s music is somewhat reminiscent of the lyrical humor of Phil Ochs, with a dash of the romanticism of a mature Howie Day.  Heartfelt and captivating, his songs are instantly accessible, that connection to the listener that often takes repeated playing happened for me at the first play-through.   Dave’s newest offering, "Step Up" contains some real gems.  In the track “Fragile Thing” the listener experiences the irresistible siren-call of the enchanting and temperamental woman–  she is someone we’ve all met and experienced.  The haunting and ethereal “Descartes in Amsterdam” evokes images of modern street gypsies as told in the voice of the nomad himself.  The singer laments:  “it’s nice to just blend in and be unnoticed, with no map to show me where the proper road is, with the sky above my head, and a park bench for my bed” - lovely, lovely stuff.  “Not What I Expected” conjures for me something akin to early Paul Simon—  the folksy heartbeat of the guitar and drums capturing a perfect balance of angst and energy.

Dave’s upbeat and bluesy cover of “Rain King,” a Counting Crows tune, is a fresh and imaginative take on the song.  “Sheila Won’t be Coming Home” is a catchy number you’ll be singing along with by the second chorus.  I could list something about each one, but then where’s your adventure?  Every one of his songs has something unique to offer the listener.  Nachmanoff opened for Al Stewart, his long-time tour partner, at a concert I recently attended, and he  had me as soon as he began to thrum his guitar.   By the time he came out to perform “Fragile Thing” I had already sent my husband to purchase anything he could get his hands on.   I was blown away at Nachmanoff’s skill on the acoustic guitar and intrigued by the poetry in his lyrics.  During the concert, he and Stewart performed “Year of the Cat” and were able to recreate the complex musical structures of all the missing instruments from the original orchestration on two lone guitars.  Bad assess, both.

We listen to music for the familiar pull, the lyrics that cause us to reminisce, the connection to the artist’s view of the world.  When he or she is able to transport us to a moment we recognize, a moment of life captured in song, that’s the success of it.  Nachmanoff is a master.  Get it, dig it.  You won’t be sorry.
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If ever there was a time for everyone to know singer/songwriter Dave Nachmanoff, this would be it! All of his albums should be a part of your music collection, but this one is a great one to start with. It shows off all of his instrumental and songwriting skills and also includes such great talent as Al Stewart, and Liz Bligan, whose incredible voice can be heard on her own album, which is also available here on CDBaby. 

The production on this album is a little bit slicker than Dave’s previous albums, which took a little getting used to. But the songs are absolutely infectious, especially “Sheila Won’t be Coming Home”, a tune that stays with you for awhile, but in a good way. My favorite song on the album is "When You Were Mine". I’ve already worn out that part of the CD! 

Everything else I was going to write has already been written on here, better than I could, so I will end this by saying that Dave Nachmanoff is an extraordinary musician and a remarkable human being. Listening to his albums will make you happy, and that’s all that matters.
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This is a great record by all the measures that I like to apply.  Are the songs good? Yes, all of them, melodic with grown up lyrics. Is it well recorded? Yes, definitely. Are the musicians playing and singing well? Heck yes.  I never really know how to recommend music to people because their preferences are very personal, and that's because people's music is very personal, but if you like great songs, well played guitars, good singing and harmonising, good arrangements and production then you really need to get to know this record.
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With "Step Up," long-time Al Stewart sideman Dave Nachmanoff has emerged from Stewart's long shadow to offer us a gem of his own. While Nachmanoff has won songwriting awards and plaudits for years, "Step Up" establishes him as one of the best singer-songwriters of his generation.

"Step Up" is one of those rare albums that does not contain a bad song. There is no filler, no clutter, no throw-ins. And the songs run the gamut from tender and poignant ballads to hooky pop-rockers that will have you humming the tunes for days.

Nachmanoff is a brilliant musician. He has demonstrated his virtuosity on the guitar for years playing shows with Stewart as captured on the recent live album "Uncorked." Nachmanoff's abilities are fully documented once again on "Step Up," but he also surrounds himself with a handful of talented musicians and vocalists to build an album of real musical beauty and range.

The breadth of styles will suggest a number of possible influences: I hear a bit of Mellencamp violin here, some Springsteen accordion there, a little bit of Gin Blossoms quirk and easy musicality, a leavening of James Taylor guitar, a pinch of Cat Stevens, and a dollop of Stewart himself. In fact, Stewart contributes lyrics and vocals to the instantly catchy "Sheila Won't Be Coming Home," which, in another place and time, would be the album's first single. But the overall result is pure Nachmanoff, and the result is wonderful.

While all the cuts are good or better, the heart of the album is a trio of songs that resonate on a very personal level. "Fragile Thing" tells the story of a woman who finds it difficult to connect with anyone. "It doesn't take much to set her off," but in Nachmanoff's words she's "a fragile thing, a complicated angel," and "this fragile thing will break your heart." Everybody has known a woman like this, and the song rings true from start to finish.

"Descartes in Amsterdam" is a reworked version of a song Nachmanoff wrote and recorded years ago. It is about a man with no ties and "nothing I can lose" who nonetheless walks the world "in search of truth and beauty." The lyrics are sad but noble and uplifting at the same time, and they fit perfectly with the spare and haunting music that weaves about them.

The most unusual song on the album may be "In Sickness and in Health," which describes the relationship between a man wasting away with disease and his caretaker wife. He knows she loves him, and he counts on her tender care, but he is also tortured by the fact that "you didn't know what you signed on for when you said that you'd be mine." Nachmanoff avoids the treacle of the typical song of doomed love, but I defy you to listen to "In Sickness and in Health" without choking back a few tears of your own.

I have enjoyed Nachmanoff's guitar work at Al Stewart shows for years, but I am a recent fan of his own recordings. I was frankly blown away by "Step Up," and if you like great singer-songwriters, I think you will be, as well. It is album I believe Al would be pleased to call his own.
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