Candid and visceral portraits, hearty piano-driven songs
Southeast Performer, March 2008: Asheville, N.C.'s Dave Turner serves up candid and visceral portraits of real life against a hearty background of piano driven songs. Utilizing the tapestry of American life is either done adroitly or ham-handed, but Turner is frank in his delivery without resorting to catchiness or cliche. He focuses on family, a workingman's life or the slippery slope that accompanies the inevitable fact of growing older.
Turner paints his themes as simple Rockwellian images, love songs or tongue-in-cheek numbers as on the aptly titled "Belly At The Bar." The piano driven ballads ("Damn, She's Aged") and pop songs ("Not As Old As Daddy") draw on melody as much as distinct slices of life. "Tears on the Page" is an elegant nod to San Francisco and beer joints are a staple of lyrical focus on many songs - a place where life happens when one wants to avoid it or haunts for touring musicians.
Turner's vocal timbre is akin to Van Morrison in later years with the additional salt of Leon Russell. On "Never Meant To Stay" Turner glows on the song's chorus while back-up singers echo a la many a song by Joe Cocker.
Turner's Could Have Talked All Night was recorded live during a single session and inadvertently added additional vibrancy to the whole. It feels more real, more in the moment. What Turner brings to the album is something that only comes with time and experience. (Brian Tucker)
Well-crafted melodies, narrative depth of short stories
Mountain Xpress, December 26, 2007: Coming from the tradition of bar-bound piano players with a tip jar full of stories to tell, Dave Turner knows how to relate a memorable story over a simple yet well-crafted melody. With nice production values and great backing performers (including Stephanie Morgan), Turner’s tunes are given a nearperfect studio treatment. At their best, his songs have the narrative depth of short stories ("Lumberton" and “Billy Ray’s Chevrolet,” in particular), and while some tend towards the melancholy, the songs never overstay their welcome. (Steve Shanafelt)
Asheville Citizen-Times, November 16, 2007: Inspired by artists such as Elton John and Carole King, Turner also reveals the rougher edges of Tom Waits and James McMurtry in his lyrics. (Jill Ingram)
Mountain Xpress, April 12, 2006: Turner comes from a musical world where Sir Elton John is king best described as Americana with a British twist. (Hunter Pope)
Rapid River Arts Journal: Dave Turner is a powerful vocalist and accomplished keyboard player. (James Cassara)
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Could Have Talked All Night
Released 11/16/2007
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Download it now on iTunes.
Stories That Are True
Released 07/13/2004
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Download it now on iTunes. |
