Danny McGuinness
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Danny McGuinness

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Band Americana Folk

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"Smother.NET Room 809 review (2005)"

http://www.smother.net/reviews/world.php3?ID=171 Before reading the bio-sheet I figured I knew where the name of the album came from. Written in a demo session at Bel Age Hotel in Los Angeles (obviously in room 809), the album features a talented duo in Danny McGuiness and Ken VanDerKolk, the latter providing slide guitar and some lead parts. It’s Americana folk rock that’s more or less pretty simple. But where that would be a stumbling block for most outfits, it somehow really works here. Maybe it’s the simple honesty and lack of pretension, but something really catches on quick here and doesn’t let go. - smother.net


"RocknWorld.com Room 809 review (2005)"

http://www.rocknworld.com/features/05/dannymcguinness.shtml Before I checked out Danny McGuinness's website, I was sure of one thing. This guy is not from southern California. How did I know this? Because the first song is entitled "Good Rain" and no one from southern California would ever deign to call rain good.

Sure enough, Danny McGuinness is not from southern California. He's from the south side of Chicago. Now, that might lead to some assumptions. Midwestern singer-songwriter, you're probably thinking John Mellencamp or John Hiatt. McGuinness has a little rasp in his voice but not nearly as much as Mellencamp or Hiatt. On his website, McGuinness claims Johnny Cash, David Bowie and Bob Dylan as influences. It's easy to pick up on that sort of storytelling tradition in his songs, but I think McGuinness does a good job of incorporating familiar sounds while maintaining his own distinct style. I had a hard time trying to compare McGuinness to anyone as I listened to this album. The two most distinct comparisons I could draw are to Kris Kristofferson and Lyle Lovett. Now, don't jump to any conclusions. He doesn't sound like Kristofferson at all. However, the song "Whiskey" sounds like a story you might find in a Kristofferson song. The Lyle Lovett comparison is fleeting, but there was a point in "Justified Loser," a bluesy gospel-influenced song, where his vocal quality was similar to Lovett. There is only one thing that didn't really work for me, but it's a minor thing. I didn't really care for the falsetto McGuinness uses in "The Road Ahead." I think he's much stronger when he uses his natural voice. This album fits pretty nicely into the Americana category, although it's hard to classify beyond that. It doesn't have the gritty working-class sound of most Midwestern singer-songwriters and it doesn't have the rootsy sound of a singer from the south. It's just ten good songs that include vocals and acoustic guitar. And there's some pretty good guitar picking on this album. If you like storytelling singers, you should really enjoy this album - rocknworld.com


"Sharkbitten.com Room 809 review (2005)"

http://www.sharkbitten.com/archives/2005_04.php#000487 Singer-songwriter Danny McGuinness has drawn rave reviews throughout his career and has been compared to the likes of Bono and Eddie Vedder. Danny's newest release, Room 809, stands as an original. Besides, we all know Nirvana was better than Pearl Jam--likewise Danny's originality merits his own praise. Room 809 is the product of a demo-gone-right in a hotel room in Los Angeles. Along with sturdy accompanying guitarist Kirk Van Der Kolk, McGuinness recorded what would have been ruined by a studio--a magical evening that could only be captured by the invigorating play between two musicians steeped in each other's ability. The songwriting is what you would expect from McGuinness if you owned any of his prior work. Both communicative and esoteric, the duality of his lyrics are rich on cuts like "Whiskey" and "Forever Be Mine" when he hints at bigger issues than he reveals. The ambiguity of the familiar helps the listener identify with something without fully understanding exactly what troubles Danny. From breakup angst to careful consideration of the human soul, the songwriting exudes a confidence that Danny understands fully that he actually doesn't truly know all that much. Trust me--you'll be delightfully confused and comforted at the same time while searching and finding the deeper meaning of his writing. Like all albums I tend to gravitate toward, this album allows the strength of songwriting to star while pairing it with no less than magical musical underpinnings. The straight-ahead rock tendencies are balanced by the acoustic nature of the album but leaves plenty of toe-tapping room. The sharp guitar work from Van Der Kolk plays nicely with the complex textures of McGuinness' songsmithing. Deep down you can tell that these guys would love to plug in and rock out however. Personally I hope they resist the urge because the album shines as it stands. - sharkbitten


Discography

Coven Of Thieves (EP 1991 Critical Mass)
ICOS: Incurable Contact (1996 slipdisc / Mercury)
ICOS: At the speed of life (1998 slipdisc / Mercury)
Danny McGuinness: Summertime ( Heatshield Records)
Danny McGuinness "What it is"
(Heatshield Records)
Danny McGuinness "Room 809"
(Heathshield Records release date Feb 1, 2005)

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Danny is currently in the studio with his new band "The Ex Senators" putting the final touches on a release for 2008. More information asap.