reviews

The country-tinged "Goodbye Old Buddy" features Chris on accordion and Michael Jackson, that Big Bad Texas Thriller, on mandolin. t includes a shot of the patented wordplay you expect from Steve:

The album closes with "Elis’ Song," a tribute to a more recent inspiration: his new bride Elisabeth. It’s just Steve "keeping it simple, telling it true," singing about how much he enjoys her company and the impact she’d had on his life. Anyone who can listen to this tune without a smile or a feeling of uplift ought not to listen to music at all. Come to think of it, that goes for the rest of the album too.

A New Place for Steve Greg Martin

I think of Someplace Different, from 2003, as a breakout album for Steve. His debut effort, Guy Down the Street, contained catchy tunes and great lyrical moments. This second album shows an even broader range of styles and moods. The song structures serve the story-telling more strongly, and the production and pacing are more assured.

Producer Brian Beattie once again works magic with his “Tube-o-Sonic
Insta-Mirror” system. Solid, tasteful backing by Brian on bass and by Perry Drake, Mark Ambrose, and Seela on drums adds just enough rhythmic thrust. The other backing parts provide cool textures without coming between Steve and the listener.

The title track sets the standard for the album. It’s a crowd-pleaser at
Steve’s gigs and a kind of anthem for his label, Subatomic Particles for
Peace. The song talks about people coming together after a natural disaster with a change in attitude — they begin to love more, fear less, and stop chasing after material goods. Post-Hurricane Katrina, the message is more vital than ever; you just hope that it gets through to more people this time.

I ain’t just talking ‘bout the weather or human tragedy
I’m trying to get someplace different
than we get on the T.V.

That place is the realm of the 100th Monkey. If you’re not familiar with
this tale, popularized by Ken Keyes, Jr., you can read it on the Internet. The theory is that a spontaneous and mysterious leap of consciousness can occur when a certain population reaches a "critical mass" point. Steve puts forward the possibility of a leap to “someplace different,” a worldwide ethic of peace and love.

This song is followed by the haunting “Gone,” one of my personal favorites. This is Steve at his most lyrical on the subject of loving and moving on:

It was just a dosey-do
here you come, there you go
like a hitchhiker’s dream
then you’re gone…

“Toast” shifts to a more whimsical, jazzy mood as Steve stretches out
stylistically, aided by Jonathan Meiburg on banjo. Another personal favorite is “3X Good.” This blues, with three verses perfectly constructed like a musical haiku, can also get jazzy in live performance.

“Westernman” has been one of Steve’s most popular songs on the Austin club scene. It’s a biting protest against the greed, consumerism, ecological degradation, and “flimflam fluff” that typify the western world. Steve plays alone on this one, though Brian adds some suitably ominous echo effects.

“Inconsideration” is Steve’s longest song on record, clocking in at 5-1/2 minutes. It mines a deep vein of melancholy (“Isn’t it sad/when all of our best times are partly bad?”), yet it ends in affirmation. The style is direct and affecting, backed by Jonathan’s churchlike organ part.

“Jesus Song,” similar to “Gone” musically, makes a personal spiritual
statement. Since this album came out, Steve has moved on to “someplace
different,” so he rarely performs it these days, but it’s still stirring, especially with Jonathan’s banjo behind it.

Other highlights include “Love I Can’t Live Without,” Eric Leikam’s
gospel-tinged confession of addiction to love, with Craig Ross on guitar and an angelic backing vocal by Seela; “Didn’t You,” a bittersweet ballad with a “live” feel; and “Brown Bag from Florida,” another of Steve’s rarities, with the great line about “a dancing enigma marching in time.”

A bonus track on the newly mastered CD, released in early 2006, is an
alternate take of “Little Girl,” talking about her dolls, her toys, and her little boys. The original, spookier version moves to the end of the program.

Enjoy the place where Steve takes you on this album. The really nice thing is, this won’t be the last time he takes you somewhere new.

Steve Ulrich is coming back home to Austin - April 1 (how appropriate!) at Ruta Maya with Mark Ambrose, Brian Beattie6 and Steelbeam .... Then on Thursday, April 6, the brave and rowdy will gather at Trophy's, including Duane's Burden (featuring Matt Silaski on bass, Perry Drake on drums, and "Duane?" on slash guitar) - and there will doubtless be other gigs. BIG NEWS - the traveling minstrel Matt Williams will be at the Trophy's show along with other "special guests." [Bring your own chemical toilet.] The occasion is the release of Steve's brand-new CD, partly recorded during his sojourn in Guatemala but mostly done here with the afore-mentioned Mister Silaski. Perry Drake is on drums and Silaski on bass where being played except as noted below.

This record celebrates the life and music of Huddie Ledbetter, who was born outside Shreveport but became famous after being let out of a Texas prison Governor Pat Neff (whose MOM has a park named after her). Leadbelly was a HUGE influence on the very young Steve and remains one today... The new CD - "Leadbelly and Me" - starts off with the legendary Leadbelly tale of heavyweight champion (and native Texan, son of former slaves) Jack Johnson's revenge on the owners of the Titanic who would not let a black man on board. The basic tracks on this cut were laid down in Panajachel, Guatemala, by Chris Jarnach; the song features Ted Lindland on banjo and vocals, and Silaski added additional harmonies. This cut has that old-timey feel - you'd think Pete Seeger was singing harmonies.

Steve is an Austin legend - a man who MUST be seen, a man who shared stages with Townes Van Zandt and Blaze Foley (and lots of others, too). Next up on the CD is the Beth Richard (Quatropaw era) song, "Rachel's Dream," with Steve in dark voice and backed by Tony Velasco on bass and Richard Parke on violin. "Joy Today" - which Steve says comes from God - follows an introduction by Steve about his getting picked up by Joe Ely's chauffeur on the way to the Kerrville Folk Festival. Steve says the song was inspired by and written for Stevie Ray Vaughan but put away after his tragic accident until he had a good experience on a bad day in Guatemala.

Then it is back to CLASSIC Steve (aka Steve Duckfoot, Zeus Muldoon, and Steve Convenience - the guy who brought us Salamander Man and many other folk tales) - he's "Savin' My Nickels" so he can play the lotto. Mark Ambrose is on guitar with Steve on this one - a great, funny song.

Goodbye Old Buddy features Jarnach on accordian, (Michael) Jackson on mandolin, Tony V on bass, and Brad Clifford on drums. On Leadbelly's "Good Night Irene," Parke is back on violin, and then Steve goes back to the "Kerrville Security Blues," another tale of the folk festival follies and foibles (with Tony V). Then it's back to solo Steve for Leadbelly's "Midnight Special." Next up is another original - Light a Little Candle, with Jarnach on organ. For good measure, Steve throws in a new version (solo and bluesier) of his classic "Jaded and Bored," and closes with perhaps the best cut on the entire record - his paean to the beautiful Senora Ulrich - Elizabeth.

Posted by: Duggan / 9:05 AM

Ok, Steve, how's this....
Steve is a big, big animal. I'd say he's "Folk", but that's turned into just another 4 letter word. He says he's "new skiffle", which I like better, because it's obscure enough to tell you nothing and leave you curious. Here are some fun steve factoids;
He made a rockabilly single in the late 50's.

He was kicked out of the army during the Vietnam war because he was spotted at a "love-in" in Austin. (Army "intelligence" used to take photos of the crowds of people at anti-war demonstrations, and then blow up the photos till they could ID anyone with a military buzz cut, and then discharge them from the service.) * see Steve's explanation.

He painted my house in exchange for the recording of his first record, "guy down the street". That was back when he lived down the street from me.

He once gave me a tarot card reading, and everything he said was correct and came true.
His voice is as large and craggy as enchanted rock.

Enchanted rock is the second largest batholith in America.

He is a rocker and a hippie and a kommie and a kapitalist and a gypsy and a reformed psycho and a sweetheart and a TRUE ORIGINAL. His songs and his voice are all his own, but he's a generous guy, he likes to share. Stick his music in your ear, and see if it doesn't make you smile.

(James, the part about getting kicked out of the army is not entirely true. What happened is that the Army decided that people like me were considered "turncoat risks" so they sent me to Germany. In Germany they didn't send me to Berlin for the same reason. I found this when I asked Sterling Brown the NCOIC of battalion intelligence why, even though I handled top secret material everyday, I had no security clearance.

One good thing that I did do in the army while in Germany was that on my own time I processed the paper work to get five different individuals out of the thing with "good" discharges. My 1st Sargeant had told me "Ulrich, if you want to spend the time I’ll see if the commander will sign the papers" He did so, I didn't get kicked out but I did help those other guys to stay out of Vietnam. Proud of my service career)