fritz doddy. the feeling of far. review by alan haber. buhdge

hot buhdge too good to pass up in a world gone mad

They're hot, alright: the latest releases by music's best. Too good to pass up in a world gone mad, they're must-gets in a world full of must-avoids. They're the cream of the crop, and we review them here.

The Feeling of Far Fritz Doddy (Self-released) (2004) I've written extensively about my fascination with the one-man band. I was pretty sure I'd exhausted every angle, but here comes New Jerseyan Fritz Doddy with a whole new slant on things, a whole new foundation from which to spring poetic waxing, so here I go again, fingers to keyboard, a whole new approach to kick around. A whole new way of working the room, is what Doddy has come up with. Seven years in the making, The Feeling of Far changes the one-man-band rules, and boy, and how. What Doddy has created, seemingly from whole cloth, is a children's album for adults, and not just for adults who think like adults, but also for adults who think like children and can still shoulder enough responsibility to keep up with the mortgage and just be generally, well, adult. So right away, right from the start, this is a whole new thing. Weaving phrases from earlier into later songs, drawing from a rich mixture of instruments--all of the usual suspects plus mandolin, melodica, bouzouki, kalimba, pots and pans, a barking dog, erhu, cavaquinho and God knows what else--and utilizing a variety of additional players (including members of his talented family), Doddy has lassoed aspects of world music, melodic pop, and the collective childrens' soul to create a unique work that speaks from the heart with nary an evidence of sweat on his brow. The album seems effortless, but that's just a testament to the man's talent and ability to pull it off; he's been working hard, and it shows. The Feeling of Far, created as a singular work, is meant to be played, and works best when heard, from start to finish in one sitting, although I'm sure Doddy wouldn't mind a little picking and choosing when the mood strikes. The expansive, pop-folkish "Cynical Eye," wrapped in elements of world music helping to define a dream state, sets the stage of a tour-de-force of epic proportions. Mandolins, mellotrons and minimoog sounds combine with guitars and various keyboards for a warm, melodic experience; Doddy's rich harmonies are treasure-worthy. The harmonies on the wildly-exotic "Amieveliano" are similarly rich and beautiful, set against Doddy's gorgeous music (anchored by a real Mellotron), once again a meeting-of-the-musical-minds between melodic pop and world (the striking percussion section is a real attention-getter). Dedicated to Doddy's sister Amy and sung by co-writer Susan McKeown, the song examines the complication of communication, the growth of an imperfect heart, the changes that one goes through while living a life. The title number, as much an expansion of the musical themes of the first two songs as a overture of sorts, is redolent of this album's overall construction. It leads into the classically-pretty, gently-told "It's Only a Dream," a look at purpose, at dreams (apropos), striving to find one's way. "And it's only a dream/So don't take my only/Reason to wake me slowly/I fell off my wagon/Trying to find a rhyme," Doddy sings with resolve. If this album has a straight pop song, it's the catchy "All the Best," which is preceded by an amusing cameo from Doddy's dad, who calls his son to get him out of bed. Oh my! Doddy's got to get up, so he can get to work and provide! The singer is the regular man who reaches for the stars, who can be heard better at room temperature than he can if he's shouting, who's "not too smart" but knows who he is, who plays "bass in a rock 'n' roll band" because it's "just way too hard to play lead guitar," who...well, you get the idea. He's just trying to keep on keeping on, defying the odds, trying to get up when it might feel better to just get down. The sunny background vocals, often sung in a round style, are entrancing. At the beginning of "In the Tree," Doddy sings about a guy who's "hiding from the sun"; in the next song, "Over You," he heralds the coming of the rain against a mix of Hawaiian swing and ballroom, thirties pop, bolstered by real strings and horns. "The leaves will never fall/Long as the grass is growing tall," he sings, noting that, if presented "with the opportunity to fly up to the moon," he'd "gladly take it," building on themes presented earlier. There he is, reaching for the stars again, yet remaining grounded enough to offer some sage, everyday advice: "And don't forget to wash behind your ears/And brush and floss your teeth/And don't forget a tissue to wipe your nose." Do a lot and never be lazy, indeed. Good advice, and from a man who knows the score, settled in the two closing songs, "Nothing But Laughter" and "The Lonely Path." In the former, Doddy's kids comprise the children's voices, all expressive and true, in a song about hopefulness; in the latter, a real string section, passionately giving life to some truly beautiful music, gives weight and purpose to a song in a foreign tongue (Chinese?) and in English translation, with childlike innocence, light as air yet bearing weight. With this, the feeling of far is brought closer, within reach, a warmth lighting the light of life. And, thoughtfully, a period of reassessment, a time to think over what has come before, closes the album proper. Radio mixes of "Cynical Eye" and "It's Only a Dream" close out nearly an hour's worth of important, vital music. Grand in scope, with a panoply of simple messages offered, The Feeling of Far's soul is as close as your heart, something to carry with you on your journey through life. Truly exceptional, and one of the best melodic pop CDs of this or any other year. More, and soon, please. Alan Haber April 24, 2005
alan haber's pure pop buhdgeblog hot buhdge \| pop buhdge \| buhdge remembers television buhdge \| film buhdge \| books buhdge video buhdge \| buhdge fine print \| links about buhdge \| write for buhdge \| contact home (c) 2004 Alan Haber

The Feeling of Far
Fritz Doddy
(Self-released) (2004)

fritz doddy's the feeling of far I've written extensively about my fascination with the one-man band. I was pretty sure I'd exhausted every angle, but here comes New Jerseyan Fritz Doddy with a whole new slant on things, a whole new foundation from which to spring poetic waxing, so here I go again, fingers to keyboard, a whole new approach to kick around. A whole new way of working the room, is what Doddy has come up with. Seven years in the making, The Feeling of Far changes the one-man-band rules, and boy, and how.

What Doddy has created, seemingly from whole cloth, is a children's album for adults, and not just for adults who think like adults, but also for adults who think like children and can still shoulder enough responsibility to keep up with the mortgage and just be generally, well, adult. So right away, right from the start, this is a whole new thing.

Weaving phrases from earlier into later songs, drawing from a rich mixture of instruments--all of the usual suspects plus mandolin, melodica, bouzouki, kalimba, pots and pans, a barking dog, erhu, cavaquinho and God knows what else--and utilizing a variety of additional players (including members of his talented family), Doddy has lassoed aspects of world music, melodic pop, and the collective childrens' soul to create a unique work that speaks from the heart with nary an evidence of sweat on his brow. The album seems effortless, but that's just a testament to the man's talent and ability to pull it off; he's been working hard, and it shows.

The Feeling of Far, created as a singular work, is meant to be played, and works best when heard, from start to finish in one sitting, although I'm sure Doddy wouldn't mind a little picking and choosing when the mood strikes. The expansive, pop-folkish "Cynical Eye," wrapped in elements of world music helping to define a dream state, sets the stage of a tour-de-force of epic proportions. Mandolins, mellotrons and minimoog sounds combine with guitars and various keyboards for a warm, melodic experience; Doddy's rich harmonies are treasure-worthy. The harmonies on the wildly-exotic "Amieveliano" are similarly rich and beautiful, set against Doddy's gorgeous music (anchored by a real Mellotron), once again a meeting-of-the-musical-minds between melodic pop and world (the striking percussion section is a real attention-getter). Dedicated to Doddy's sister Amy and sung by co-writer Susan McKeown, the song examines the complication of communication, the growth of an imperfect heart, the changes that one goes through while living a life.

The title number, as much an expansion of the musical themes of the first two songs as a overture of sorts, is redolent of this album's overall construction. It leads into the classically-pretty, gently-told "It's Only a Dream," a look at purpose, at dreams (apropos), striving to find one's way. "And it's only a dream/So don't take my only/Reason to wake me slowly/I fell off my wagon/Trying to find a rhyme," Doddy sings with resolve.

If this album has a straight pop song, it's the catchy "All the Best," which is preceded by an amusing cameo from Doddy's dad, who calls his son to get him out of bed. Oh my! Doddy's got to get up, so he can get to work and provide! The singer is the regular man who reaches for the stars, who can be heard better at room temperature than he can if he's shouting, who's "not too smart" but knows who he is, who plays "bass in a rock 'n' roll band" because it's "just way too hard to play lead guitar," who...well, you get the idea. He's just trying to keep on keeping on, defying the odds, trying to get up when it might feel better to just get down. The sunny background vocals, often sung in a round style, are entrancing.

At the beginning of "In the Tree," Doddy sings about a guy who's "hiding from the sun"; in the next song, "Over You," he heralds the coming of the rain against a mix of Hawaiian swing and ballroom, thirties pop, bolstered by real strings and horns. "The leaves will never fall/Long as the grass is growing tall," he sings, noting that, if presented "with the opportunity to fly up to the moon," he'd "gladly take it," building on themes presented earlier. There he is, reaching for the stars again, yet remaining grounded enough to offer some sage, everyday advice: "And don't forget to wash behind your ears/And brush and floss your teeth/And don't forget a tissue to wipe your nose." Do a lot and never be lazy, indeed.

Good advice, and from a man who knows the score, settled in the two closing songs, "Nothing But Laughter" and "The Lonely Path." In the former, Doddy's kids comprise the children's voices, all expressive and true, in a song about hopefulness; in the latter, a real string section, passionately giving life to some truly beautiful music, gives weight and purpose to a song in a foreign tongue (Chinese?) and in English translation, with childlike innocence, light as air yet bearing weight. With this, the feeling of far is brought closer, within reach, a warmth lighting the light of life. And, thoughtfully, a period of reassessment, a time to think over what has come before, closes the album proper. Radio mixes of "Cynical Eye" and "It's Only a Dream" close out nearly an hour's worth of important, vital music.

Grand in scope, with a panoply of simple messages offered, The Feeling of Far's soul is as close as your heart, something to carry with you on your journey through life. Truly exceptional, and one of the best melodic pop CDs of this or any other year. More, and soon, please.

Alan Haber
April 24, 2005