NEWS. PRESS. MUSIC. SIDE PROJECTS. CD BABY. ITUNES. CAFEPRESS. PHOTO. CLIP. THINK. DONATE. LINK. INFO. PRESS. Daniel Gannaway - SUMMER STORM | a collection of ukulele ditties [2005] Review of: SUMMER STORM | a collection of ukulele ditties @ the LogBook: Many times, an album has been sparked by an artist's discovery/rediscovery of a new or unusual instrument, and sometimes it's worked (Todd Rundgren's A Capella experiment of the human voice as every instrument) and just as many times it hasn't. This is one of those times where it really works. New Zealand-based indie rocker Daniel Gannaway constructed this somewhere-between-EP-and-LP-length collection on a simple premise: every song would feature the ukelele in some fashion. (Yes, you read right, the ukelele.) Recorded in NZ and Hawaii, Summer Storm takes that premise, and the instrument itself, through several permutations, and it all manages to work, largely thanks to Gannaway's reliable gifts in the songwriting department. Oddly enough, and this isn't a crack about originality or the lack thereof, the ukulele's role here reminded me of the shock value of the mandolin as a lead instrument in R.E.M.'s Losing My Religion. It's front and center on every song, though the tone of the songs shifts from light and breezy (Across The Sea, which reminded me curiously of early, pre-electric Split Enz) to more straight-ahead rock (Talking Story, which was the song that made me think of the Losing My Religion comparison in the first place), with stops at several stylistic destinations in between. Someone's clearly having fun putting the ukulele through its paces, though again, the songs are the key - they're all good enough on their own, unusual arrangements or not, to stand up. But any preconceptions you have about the ukulele in terms of strumming away at old tropical island tunes may not stand up after you hear this one - in a few places, it's some real rock 'n' roll. If you're in the mood for something different, this is some good stuff. Reviewed by Earl Green theLogBook.com editor/webmaster >> Link to theLogBook.com Review of: SUMMER STORM | a collection of ukulele ditties @ Indie Music: Reviews: Daniel Gannaway ~ Summer Storm Posted on Saturday, December 03, 2005 @ 07:26:44 EST Topic: Reviews Artist: Daniel Gannaway CD: Summer Storm Home: New Zealand Style: Ambient Pop Quote: "These unique Gannaway sounds offer a pleasant musical getaway." By Dan MacIntosh Daniel Gannaway makes pretty and beguiling music comprised of ukulele playing and other more ambient elements. It is also subtly political at the same time. If you listen to tracks like “No Mall At Sharks Cove,” for instance, which rails against the proliferation of McDonald’s restaurants, mini-malls and the like, it’s obvious that Gannaway is angered over the way places of scenic beauty are often spoiled by a quest for the almighty dollar. It’s impossible to neatly categorize Gannaway’s music. The title track, for instance, begins with a kind of Chinese music feel to it, whereas “A Just Senator” is slightly jazzy. Most all of these tracks include the severely underused ukulele, as well. Gannaway sings with a clear vocal tone, although he sounds ragged and drowsy during “Silver Lining.” It’s nearly impossible to tell that he’s a New Zealander. At least until the way he pronounces the word “heaven” on “In Heaven” gives his roots away. Much like Gannaway’s home country, this music is an exotic, faraway place in relationship to the rest of the overall modern musical landscape. Nevertheless, these unique Gannaway sounds offer a pleasant getaway. >> Link to Indie Music Review of SUMMER STORM | a collection of ukulele ditties @ NZ Musician Magazine: SUMMER STORM | a collection of ukulele ditties Singer/songwriter Daniel Gannaway shows the ukelele in an inspiring new light with his sixth solo outing. Written and recorded here and in Hawaii the eight tracks are a rewarding journey for a Sunday afternoon with their folk/indie-rock style, supported with delicate use of electronic synths and loops. The innocence and simplicity of the primary instrument, the ukelele, provides the distinct back-drop for the Hawaiian laid-back lifestyle and certainly creates that picture perfect aesthetic over the album. But within the evocative and convincing vocal delivery Gannaway will allow you to feel the Hawaiian sunshine or push you into darker personal, cultural and social insights with thought provoking vocal harmonies and melodies. The great aspect of the album is that each song's arrangement maintains a minimalistic nature, which shows a discipline and a depth of understanding on Gannaway's part. Underneath the ukelele, the cruising drums and harmonic supporting bass grooves provide an all around easy and easily recommendable listen. Kent Walsdorf for NZ Musician Magazine >> Link to NZ Musician Magazine's website >> BUY SUMMER STORM | a collection of ukulele ditties @ CD Baby Quick links: >> MP3s & CDs @ CD Baby! >> Apple iTunes >> Rhapsody >> iSOUND >> MP3tunes >> Napster >> eMusic >> myspace >> VIRB >> ReverbNation >> CafePress ^ top ^ thankyou for supporting truly independent music