No Easy Answers
Words and Music by Tom Adelstein unless noted
The assessment below came from a critic on a well-know Creative Commons Music Web Site.
01 [What are you standing for?]
Possibly one of the best soundtracks from the 1990's. Works today. Uncovered
from original recording.
02 Stephanie Johnson's [Dance
with a stranger]
Instant hit single or album title song. Remarkable soundtrack with one of the best country rock violin solos ever by Danny Levin. "Young love was easy but now you're experienced".
03 [The
enemy at home]
Prophetic words about the attitudes that pre-curse 9-11. 100% acoustic
and stylistic. High-level poetic in tradition of Guthery, Dylan and Donovan.
(ta: I didn't have attitudes in mind. This some is more about wherever
you go you're always with you.)
04 [Put
the Soul back in rock'n roll]
Haunting prayer and slowed down rock licks. Penetrating lyrics saying that
it's time to put soul back in rock and roll.
05 [Where
are you now?]
Duet with former female vocalist from Asleep at the Wheel. Chris O'Connell
makes this song work. Chilling music. Get used to the male voice.
The featured artist originally filled-in for a celebrity male vocalist.
This artist stayed behind-the-scenes as a producer-writer. His curse and
blessing lie in stylist vocal approach. He began his recording career at
age 14 and wrote the leads to a "Best R&B Instrumental" by
age 22. Versatile music style reflects his passage as a writer and studio
musician for hire to the world of the top 40. Road band experiences broke
his idealistic view and he left the industry only to revive with a wiser
head a few years later.
These are the remain tracks:
Have you every thought that life is basically a series of chapters. Some of us have just a few chapters in our lives. We're born, we go to school, get a job or two; we marry and have children who in turn have children. We become grandparents and enjoy our later years and eventually die. Some call that series of chapters the American Dream.
Once and a while, I wonder how I missed that American dream. I lived an exceptional number of lives.
OK. I'm an author and was a musician, businessman, lecturer and a few other things. I can't recall doing anything in life that one would call unequivocal. I have ridden a roller coaster.
The first song, "What are you standing for" is about me. At some point I realized that I had taken a few stands and I wanted to re-examine those parts of myself.
I was at home alone one night when I lived in the hill country. I strummed my guitar and played around and out of nowhere "Dance with a stranger" came out. I originally liked the song with just me and a guitar. Then the team led in revolt by Danny Levin put together real music around my vocal. I then sang the lead and it really sounded bad. Stephanie came down from Arlington, Texas and put down her own version of the vocals.
I wrote "Put the soul back in rock 'n roll" when I was a teenager. It morphed some over the decades, but it was originally a poem.
I heard Cathy Young sing the title of "Where are you now" when she was a freshman down at UT Austin. I knew someday I would need that line just in case she wanted to call me. So many years so long ago, Cat.
"No Easy Answers" morphed too. It started out as a stylist coffee house song. Oh, I should have mentioned I played in some coffee houses and bars. That song was originally called "Anytime you think you want to leave".
So, it was a ballad that went "Anytime you think you want to leave babe, it's ok, I won't beg you to stay".
Well, the band, especially Mitch couldn't get hold of it. So, I had to come up with new words and it was difficult. I remember driving to Austin from Dallas with Kristi Dorn and I said to her something like, I don't have any answers, I can't think of a thing. And she said, "there's no easy answers here". That's how it started. Then, Mitch speeded up and added some major guitar licks. I think you get the picture. I may have to revive the original.
If you want a kick, I suggest you take a listen to the last link. As a band, we all got together at Bee Creek to see if we could play together. This was a "live" second take. We decided we could play together and it was fun. What you'll hear is a bunch of guys looking at each other, a few of us for the first time and I'm whaling away while the other guys are doing some improvisation. Personally, I think it rocks.
Maybe I'll see you around the circuit. Take care.