dan montgomery
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dan montgomery

Memphis, Tennessee, United States | INDIE

Memphis, Tennessee, United States | INDIE
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""Astonishingly Good Album!""

Dan Montgomery - Rosetta, please(a love story)

New Jersey raised, Memphis based journeyman Dan Montgomery knows that the best stories are told in the most dive - like bars. This one's the tale of an ex-con who falls for a prostitute, a love-hate relationship that's heavy on the former with intermittent showers of the latter. Montgomery's depiction, presented across this album's nine well-crafted roots-rock songs, is so unflinchingly detailed that at the record's end, your clothes carry the smell of cigarette smoke and desperation. "Baby baby,when you coming home?/Baby baby, are you coming home?" Montgomery's protagonist asks in a voice that damn well knows the answer. This is the same guy who, bitterness somehow coexisting with affection, later offers "She wasn't what you'd call the girl next door/ Unless you lived next to the local whore". Montgomery's most brilliant stroke is also giving Rosetta a voice, on a pair of songs that recall Alejandro Escovedo at his most brooding, down to the interplay between cello and violin. "Long Long Night" is especially effective: "I work for the money/ The money's for the drugs/ The drug's for the pain" is one of the most succinct definitions of vicious cycle ever put to record. This is the kind of astonishingly good album that will inspire you to bend the ear of the person the next stool over.
Rick Cornell - No Depression
Jan - Feb. 2007
- No Depression


"#5 Euro Americana Chart"


The Euro Americana Chart is compiled by DJs, journalists, retailers, promotors and other people who are interested in Americana music from all over Europe. Every month they send in their favourite CD top 6. These are the ingredients for the chart.

Here is the Euro Americana Chart of October 2006:

1 Loomer Songs of the Wild West Island Newtone

2 Douglas Green Just A Man Zilker Park rec.

3 Bob Dylan Modern Times Columbia
4 Chris Smither Leave The Light On Signature Sounds
5 Dan Montgomery
Rosetta, please (a love story) Fantastic Yes Music
6 Carrie Rodriguez Seven Angels On A Bicycle Trainwreck
7 Crooked Still Shaken By A Low Sound Signature Sounds HD, BP
8 Sherry Austin Drive On Back Barking Topiary
9 Wheels On Fire Wheels On Fire Rosa rec. TK
10 Chris Knight Enough Rope Drifter's Church
11 Bonnie "Prince" Billy The Letting Go Domino
12 Kelly Joe Phelps Tunesmith Retrofit Rounder Europe SB
13 Rust Kings Hotel West Virginia Dren rec.
14 Paul Burch East to West Bloodshot rec. MP
15 Chip Taylor Unglorious Hallelujah/Red, Red, Rose & Other Songs Of Love, Pain & Destruction Train Wreck
- Euro Americana Chart


"Top 10 CD's of 2006"

This former South Jerseyan's third album is an exceptionally well-realized song cycle tinged with a country soul vibe that reflects his current hometown of Memphis. - Philadelphia Inquirer


"Happy Ending"

Happy ending
Posted by Rick in best bets on Tuesday April 17, 2007




Seems like there is one every year, a record that comes out of nowhere by an artist I hadn’t heard of and ends up a year-end top tenner.

In 2006, the artist was Jersey-raised, Memphis-based music vet Dan Montgomery. His Rosetta, Please (A Love Story) is a concept album of sorts about an ex-con who falls for a prostitute. It was inspired by a tale told to the singer/songwriter in a low-rent bar, and, appropriately, by record’s end you’ll be able to taste the whiskey and the desperation thanks to Montgomery’s knack for scene setting and his way with the selling detail. As you might expect, the relationship depicted is of the love/hate variety, and Montgomery nails it. “Baby, baby, when you coming home?/Baby, baby, are you coming home?” his protagonist asks in a voice that damn well knows the answer. This is the same guy who, bitterness somehow coexisting with affection, later offers, “She’s not exactly the girl next door, unless you live next to the local whore.” Montgomery’s most brilliant stroke is also giving Rosetta a voice on a pair of songs that recall Alejandro Escovedo at his most brooding, down to the interplay between cello and violin. “Long Long Night” is especially effective, its “I work for the money, the money’s for the drugs, the drugs for the pain” one of the most succinct definitions of vicious cycle ever put to record. And throughout, hooky roots rock imagined at varying speeds drives the story, with guests shots from musicians out of my personal heroes book such as Peter Case, Ben Vaughn, and Duane Jarvis adding to the appeal. It also doesn’t hurt that Montgomery’s voice brings to mind Chip Robinson.

The reality is that I rarely get to see these out-of-nowhere artists play live. Turns out, though, I will have a chance to hear Rosetta’s songs brought to life from about 5 feet away when Montgomery and his band, the Professional Badasses, visit the Cave on Monday, April 23. Come on out; I might even buy you a beer. (Not one of those fancy expensive things, maybe a Mickey’s Big Mouth.) I’ll be the tall, lanky guy in the Stax t-shirt, in honor of Montgomery’s adopted home city. And unlike Rosetta’s fella, my smile will be unwavering.
- The Independant - Chapel Hill


"It's A Cracker !!"

Memphis based singer-songwriter Dan Montgomery explores the relationship between a recently paroled loser and his street walking girlfriend on this nine track song cycle. On the surface it is the story of trouble and more trouble, but, ultimately at it's heart lies a love story. Musically, the sound is the simple, but rich, oeuvre of the troubadour and band, The magic here is Montgomery's phrasing and his loving look at characters that we would, at best take pity on, but more typically ignore. 100% Guaranteed !! Jeff Weiss - Miles of Music


"Uncanny !"

"Dan Montgomery's ability to spot people you'd never notice and turn them into characters you can't resist is uncanny."
Shaun Dale - Cosmik Debris - Cosmik Debris


"Bittersweet"

Montgomery’s second full-length album is an entertaining nine-song cycle about a prostitute named Rosetta and her boyfriend. He based the songs on a bar conversation from 20 years ago with a guy at a bar in such a relationship. The richly detailed songs on the disc prove Montgomery, Memphis-based but originally from Philly and New Jersey, has a top-notch memory/imagination. In addition, his raw, subtle vocals convey the hurt and confusion of the narrator over catchy melodies. Montgomery gets help from executive producer Ben Vaughan, Duane Jarvis and Peter Case.
-Andy Turner - Pop Culture Press Dec. 07


Discography

CDs:

Room 104(Fantastic Yes)
Man From Out Of State(Fantastic Yes)
Rosetta, please(a love story) (Makeshift Music)
You'll Never Be A Bird(Fantastic Yes)
Live in Philadelphia - Limited Edition(Fantastic Yes)
Soundtracks & Compilations:

Hit The Hay Vol.8(Sound Asleep)
Wasteland of the Free(Revolution Records)
Away(a)wake - Soundtrack(Sawed Off Pictures)
Good Pickins (Memphis Homegrown)

Photos

Bio

Connecting The Dots
Dan Montgomery was born in Philadelphia, grew up in South Jersey and now lives in Memphis, Tennessee. That's the short version. Let's connect the dots.

Learning to play his brother's guitar on the sly, Dan played in a bunch of teen garage bands including Samuel Jay (Bad Company a specialty) and the 10 piece R&B based Below Average White Band(They played Heatwave three times each set, not that anyone asked them to) around Pennsauken, NJ. In his late teens Dan began playing at Camden, NJ's semi-legendary club The Perimeter. It was a great place to play. People sat quietly and listened says Montgomery "It gave me a totally false sense of what to expect elsewhere".

A few years later Dan spent time as soundman and road manager for The Ben Vaughn Combo. It was an amazing adventure touring the country for five years, learning how it all worked (and sometimes how it didn't work), how to structure shows yet still be able to be spontaneous in the moment, how to live on $5/day and still really enjoy it! Dan also fronted several bands in Philly, most notably the Flamin' Groovies/MC5 inspired Drugs Before Breakfast and Pub Rockers Del Pez. The latter band released a single on the King of Rock label entitled Hope I Had a Good Time.

Personal and musical unrest led to an ill-fated move to the California desert. The isolation brought him back to his Perimeter roots style and a solo career was born. The huge upshot of this move was a visit to Memphis along the way out west where Dan met his now bride. Cali tanked and going back to Jersey was a backwards step, so I came to Memphis for a summer and have been here several years now. I've planted my seeds here and I cant imagine living anywhere else now.

In 2003 Dan released his first solo album entitled Man From Out of State. An acoustic based travelogue that looks back at ten years, Three Thousand Miles and Almost as many sleepless nights. Reviews were excellent especially in Europe and Dan hit the road often with accordionist Gus Cordovox and bassist Neal Arot (the core players on the record). Dan followed the album up with the highly ambitious concept album Rosetta, please(a love story). Rosetta was the story of a guy Dan met many years ago in a N.J. bar who was an ex con and his girlfriend (Rosetta) a prostitute. The album was a bigger hit and even made several year end Best Of lists(including The Philadelphia Inquirer and North Carolinas Independent). The key song Favorite Color even went to number two on radio in Corpus Christi, TX. Americana bible No Depression called it An Astonishing Album! Much touring with the band on the record (The Professional Baddasses) followed.

Now Dan gets ready to release his latest and greatest work yet; You'll Never Be A Bird. A twelve song piece of what Dan calls Omni folk. A sprawling record that runs the gamut from lilting ballads to outright heavy rockers, Bird features the amazing musicianship of Robert Mache(Steve Wynn, Continental Drifters, The Mumps) on guitar and mandolin among others. I've worked long and hard on this album says Montgomery, Going so far as to scrap two previous attempts because they just weren't up to par. But now we've got it and I can't wait for other people to hear it!

Certainly much touring will follow it's release. From smokey corner bars to intimate listening rooms, house concerts to concert halls, solo or with his full band, Dan Montgomery proves night after night that he's a compelling and entertaining performer. It's all about making a connection says Dan, and you have to prove yourself every night.