Music
Press
Bigger Is Better is a delightful CD and it is a fun listen each time that I play it.
Like many of the other recording artists that I tend to listen too (Jimmie Dale Gulmore, Lucinda Williams, Leonard Cohen, Joe Ely) Dan's music does not neatly fit into any particular genre of music - but certainly the influences of folk, blues, rock and a little country are nicely blended together in the songs presented on Bigger Is Better.
Almost immediately I was struck in the similarity to someone that I enjoy listening too, and by the middle of the 2nd song it occurred to me that the tunes were reminiscent of Jimmy Buffet. All of the songs have a serious message, but they are fun to listen too and on most of them you will be singing along before the song is over. The tunes are catchy and simple and you will be humming them in your head long after you are finished listening to the CD.
Dan shares, with Buffet, a laid back attitude, a comedic style of songwriting, a love for the environment, and a wry eye for things that don't appear to be what they appear to be.
Make no mistake, Dan appears to have an agenda with a liberal tilt - but the message is provided in a fun and pleasant way, and whether you agree with his views, or not, you will still enjoy rhythms, melodies and lyrics.
"Bigger Is Better" pokes fun at the American obsession (some might say inalienable right) to have the biggest and best of everything.
"Just a Bunch of Phones" casts a wry eye at the current state of customer service and the resulting frustration (and reality) of not being able to quickly find a real person to help you when you need a little assistance.
"Big Ol' Thing" takes a jab (I think) at SUVs (SUVs take a hit on several of the songs).
"Don't Mess With My God" is a wicked commentary on the major religions and the fervor in which their members believe that their religion is the only one that counts.
"Glowing Screen" rues how our children have become enslaved by television and video games.
"When I Retire" suggests that our dreams of retiring to a comfortable and relaxed existence is nothing but a carrot on a stick and it slams big business and their influence on the political powers that be and their indifference to the people that made the corporations the behemoths that they are (the gospel-style background vocals on this are really fun to listen too).
"Just Ask Your Doctor" skewers the major pharmaceutical companies and the Doctors who pimp their products.
"Sugar and Grease" takes a swing at the corporate fast food chains and compares them to the companies that sell cigarettes in terms of the total disregard for the impact on health at the expense of corporate profits.
"Homeland Security" takes aim at The Patriot Act and it's usurpation of our constitutionally guaranteed personal freedom in the name of national security.
"So Much" is a melancholy lament about placing too much importance to the wrong things.
"Tread Lightly" cajoles us to take care of planet Earth and not take for granted her resources. - Carmen Diode's Chicago Diary
Bigger Is Better is a delightful CD and it is a fun listen each time that I play it.
Like many of the other recording artists that I tend to listen too (Jimmie Dale Gulmore, Lucinda Williams, Leonard Cohen, Joe Ely) Dan's music does not neatly fit into any particular genre of music - but certainly the influences of folk, blues, rock and a little country are nicely blended together in the songs presented on Bigger Is Better.
Almost immediately I was struck in the similarity to someone that I enjoy listening too, and by the middle of the 2nd song it occurred to me that the tunes were reminiscent of Jimmy Buffet. All of the songs have a serious message, but they are fun to listen too and on most of them you will be singing along before the song is over. The tunes are catchy and simple and you will be humming them in your head long after you are finished listening to the CD.
Dan shares, with Buffet, a laid back attitude, a comedic style of songwriting, a love for the environment, and a wry eye for things that don't appear to be what they appear to be.
Make no mistake, Dan appears to have an agenda with a liberal tilt - but the message is provided in a fun and pleasant way, and whether you agree with his views, or not, you will still enjoy rhythms, melodies and lyrics.
"Bigger Is Better" pokes fun at the American obsession (some might say inalienable right) to have the biggest and best of everything.
"Just a Bunch of Phones" casts a wry eye at the current state of customer service and the resulting frustration (and reality) of not being able to quickly find a real person to help you when you need a little assistance.
"Big Ol' Thing" takes a jab (I think) at SUVs (SUVs take a hit on several of the songs).
"Don't Mess With My God" is a wicked commentary on the major religions and the fervor in which their members believe that their religion is the only one that counts.
"Glowing Screen" rues how our children have become enslaved by television and video games.
"When I Retire" suggests that our dreams of retiring to a comfortable and relaxed existence is nothing but a carrot on a stick and it slams big business and their influence on the political powers that be and their indifference to the people that made the corporations the behemoths that they are (the gospel-style background vocals on this are really fun to listen too).
"Just Ask Your Doctor" skewers the major pharmaceutical companies and the Doctors who pimp their products.
"Sugar and Grease" takes a swing at the corporate fast food chains and compares them to the companies that sell cigarettes in terms of the total disregard for the impact on health at the expense of corporate profits.
"Homeland Security" takes aim at The Patriot Act and it's usurpation of our constitutionally guaranteed personal freedom in the name of national security.
"So Much" is a melancholy lament about placing too much importance to the wrong things.
"Tread Lightly" cajoles us to take care of planet Earth and not take for granted her resources. - Carmen Diode's Chicago Diary
Discography
1977 – keyboards for “Sylvester,” Fantasy LP (F-9531)
1977 – keyboards for “Signs of the Judgment Day,” The Clinton Logan Company, independent LP
1982 – writer, producer and keyboards for “49ers in the Super Bowl,” independent 45
2003 – writer, performer of all songs on “Bigger Is Better,” independent CD
Photos
Bio
With more than 35 years of professional experience, Dan Reich has played just about everything from silent movie scores to major label disco releases to sketch comedy with Robin Williams. A veteran of a diverse assortment of bands, Reich recorded and toured with Fantasy recording artist Sylvester in 1976-77. Since serving as accompanist/musical director for The Wing Improvised Theater in the early ‘70s, Reich has appeared with virtually every Bay Area improvisational theater group, and was hired by Williams for a week of club appearances by the LA Comedy Store Players in 1978. Reich’s versatility has resulted in credits as diverse as gospel albums, industrial film soundtracks and radio commercials. A novelty 45 released by Reich in 1982, “49ers in the Super Bowl,” received considerable airplay and was a regional hit, selling nearly 2000 copies.
By 2002, Reich had logged hundreds more shows with bands improvisational groups and corporate entertainers, and had returned to songwriting. A cycle of songs written about the excesses of modern culture – set in a deliberately retro folk style – was interrupted by a brain tumor. After surgery, Reich finished the cycle of songs and was supported by a group of musician friends who helped him record a self-released CD, “Bigger Is Better.”
Reich currently performs solo with harmonica and guitar for charity shows and festivals, as well as accompanying Bay Area comedy troupes. His inspirational song about life-threatening illness, “Survival,” was recently featured on KNBC News in Los Angeles, and he has been featured in television spots for the National Brain Tumor Foundation, in which Dan is an active volunteer and fundraiser. He also performs frequently for Bread and Roses, a non-profit organization that provides live music in institutional settings.
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