Paul Duncan - Above the Trees

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 8 / 10 / 2007

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Review

An affable singer-songwriter with a slightly dreamy delivery, Paul Duncan blends his southern roots (he was born in Texas and schooled in Georgia before moving to Brooklyn to pursue a career) with the somber worldview of Nick Drake. Duncan’s tremulous, mournful voice may strike some as an affectation, but it seems appropriate for his gloomy contemplation. Musically, ‘Above the Trees’ is pretty if unremarkable for most of its length. The finger-picked entree to ‘Red Eagle’ makes fine use of drifting slide guitar, and the addition of cello and violin adds a sweeping quality to much of the music. The best songs depart from the strings-and-guitar template. ‘Parasail’ conjuring an electrical storm with David Daniell’s echoing guitar; the brief title track links wordless vocals with some subtle Theremin. Duncan’s lyrics focus on brief, memorable encounters between loved ones and the sometimes strange chains of thought – a walk by the seashore turns into a reverie on glowing old together in ‘Red Eagle’, memories of a bonfire turn into a realization that a trip home will likely snare him in the past in ‘Fire’. Water runs through the album, and the characters in Duncan’s songs seem to enjoy shoreline walks. ‘Above the Tree’s is a fine Sunday morning album that goes well with rain, but Duncan would really be a formidable artist if he lets his musicians stretch out more.

Track Listing:-

1 Red Eagle
2 The Fire
3 The Lake, Pt. 2
4 Country Witch
5 Parasail
6 High in the Morning
7 Above the Trees
8 Lake, Pt. 1
9 The Pendulum
10 Memory Curves

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