FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!
|
|
PAUL BENSHOOF For
more information, song samples, and ordering instructions, go to: www.zianet.com/tmpb/artists/benshoof/DA0008.htm. |
Paul who?
Yeah, I
know it’s been a while, and many of you who actually remember me were
probably wondering if my Destiny involved “getting away” and
“being left alone,” if One Guitar had somehow been reduced
to zero, or if The Last Song had become a self-fulfilling
prophesy. (If these references make any sense to you, then you truly are
a fan!) Well, the short answer to each of these concerns is:
no. A better answer might be: Still I Sing!
Yes, still
I sing. I thought the album title was appropriate given the obvious
question at hand; however, the title could have just as easily been titled Love
Songs for My Wife (although probably with negative marketing
consequences). If the notion of “Paul Benshoof Love Songs”
appears to be oxymoronic, I completely understand. My track record for
writing and recording such songs has been dismal at best, unless you include
the “love gone wrong songs” that have embodied much of my
repertoire.
So, why the radical departure from an otherwise solid catalog? The best reason I can fathom
is that during the recording of this album, I found myself working out of town
and away from my family for nearly a year. Although my wife and I share a
solid relationship, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to remind her that I was
actually thinking about her while I was gone. Personalized love songs
stand as documented evidence to this effect, but more importantly, an album of
these songs gives me something to hold up in her face on those occasions when
we are not quite seeing eye-to-eye. It may even shield me from objects
she might violently hurl in my general direction.
Now, this
is not to suggest that all songs on the album are actually love songs or that
all bona fide love songs would be recognized as such by the casual
observer. Instead, the songs on Still I Sing
are more of a record of my life since I met my wife, with an emphasis on events
surrounding the year we spent apart. Most of the songs center on
memorable events we shared, people we know, or persistent phrases that were
coined only after we met. Of course, just in case my wife fails to notice
these subtle themes, other songs on the album are deliberately sappy with no
interpretation required.
In addition
to intentionally diversifying song themes, I also strove to introduce a variety
of music styles on this album. This is mostly due to the fact that, even
after 11 years of marriage, I still haven’t quite figured out what style
of music my wife enjoys. The only specific music genre with which she
seems to identify is “disco,” and I
consider this particular type of music strictly off limits for personal
reasons. The other reason is that, after a twelve year hiatus, I had
pretty much forgotten how to play, sing, and record. Accordingly, many of
the song arrangements were written as exercises to reacquaint myself with my
instruments, which helped accelerate the re-learning process.
Anyway,
that’s the motivation behind this album and a brief explanation of its
somewhat surprising content—but it’s really no more surprising than
the fact that I have an album to present at all. Twelve years is a long
time between albums by any standard, and I’m pleased to have finally
broken the silence. Once you hear the album, I’m confident that
you’ll be pleased, too.
Click here
for more information, song samples, and ordering instructions: www.zianet.com/tmpb/artists/benshoof/DA0008.htm.
Enjoy, and rock on!
