Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Recording in his Toronto apartment in between play dates and tours, Dean has masterfully strung together a collection of though-provoking and emotional ballads in Dust. Influences from several musical genres are apparent with folk, pop and R&B dominating the disk. Reminiscent of the emotional depth of Duncan Sheik, John Mayer and John Lennon, Drouillard takes a retrospective look at life that is reflective of his age and experience. Old enough to be wise and young enough to be hopeful. A careful balance of mournful ballads and lighter pop tunes, Dust is an intellectual creation of sound and song. It has the feel of an old favourite sweater, comfortable and aged and full of memory.
- Windsor Vox Magazine
After touring with Howie Beck as well as Andy Stochansky, Dean Drouillard holed up in his Queen Street apartment and put down most of the tracks on his second disc all by his weary lonesome. Mellow and introspective, Drouillard is obsessed with love and loss on Dust. All 12 songs explore the theme and never really come up with any solutions. They reinforce the premise that life is long and love hurts... really bad. It makes Beck's Sea Change sound happy by comparison, so it's perfect for when you've gone home alone, again, and feel like no one will ever "get" you.
- Now Magazine
Dean Drouillard has a captivating quality that draws the listener in from the very beginning. His music revels in melancholic introspection; it's quiet and calm, and just downright nice. The Windsor-born guitarist made his way around the local scene in various bands before settling on his current (and well suited) musical mechination.
In Other Words, Drouillard's second independent solo release, is a step in the right direction for the artist.
Staying true to the sound of a live performance, the album was recorded on a 4-track in the musicians apartment studio and on the road.
The result is a personal and intimate sound, as if Dean were in your living room giving a private performance. "November Wind," "Chester" (dedicated to his dog), and "Crushed" are among the notables on the album.
- The Lance
What else can be said about Dean Drouillard? Everything's been told about the Windsor native after he recently scored a highly coveted ROOM cover article. Well, maybe we can actually talk about the music for a change. Quick facts for anyone scratching their head as to who Dean Drouillard is: he's played in local bands such as Racecar, Skin Thieves and Liquid Car Crash, moved to Toronto to be in Johnny Favourite Swing Orchestra, and is now pursuing a solo career. His solo debut, a subtle acoustic effort, might come as a surprise to anyone familiar with the musician's pop, rock and swing resume. With its soft, easygoing layers of acoustic guitars, vocals and occasional drums by Greg Millson, the album presents well-crafted material. Drouillard successfully dons the "singer-songwriter" cap for in other words... creating music reminiscent of Paul Simon, John Lennon, James Taylor or the ballads of American Music Club. Lyrically, Drouillard has written an emotionally introspective album that examines love and relationships. In other words... feels like it's a grade A informal thesis from a master student musician who made the Windsor and Toronto bars his school. - Room Magazine
Discography
in other words... (57 Songs - 2001) CD
Dust (57 songs - 2003) CD
streaming songs available at newmusiccanada.com
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
1979 - October - 3:30pm
A young Dean Drouillard just gets home from grade school. He immediately walks down to the basement of his parents' modest suburban home, cozies himself up to the hi-fi, and wraps his ears in headphones to be swept away by the melancholy songs of The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, and The Beach Boys. There are many records to listen to, but he always goes for the sad ones. This was a typical day for Dean in the late 1970's and early 80's. Not an outwardly sad boy, but often a solitary one - Dean seemed to find early comfort in the slow songs about relationships, love, and loss - an appreciation that would continue throughout the years.
2003 - May - 11:30pm
Dean has just finished recording his latest CD Dust in his Toronto apartment bedroom. He doesn't yet realize that he has created the kind of album that he would have loved to listen to as a kid - an introspective album to experience alone with a big old pair of headphones, and no distractions.
Dust is a collection of late-night, warm and wistful recordings, lyrically revealing Dean's reflective observations about the people and situations he sees in everyday life. The songs were written simply, with nothing but an acoustic guitar and pen and paper, revealing an intimate honesty not unlike Nick Drake or Duncan Sheik. Ethereal and delicate electric guitars, lush harmonies, toy keyboards, and glockenspiel surround Dean's hushed voice and acoustic guitar. From the sparse and personal title track "Dust" to the ghostly Lanois-esque ambience of "Letters", Dean creates sonic worlds to explore - world's more revealed in each repeated listen.
Although Dean played most of the notes himself, he also enlisted some trusted friends to add their own subtle textures to the mix, adding drums, upright bass, lap steel, guitar, piano, organ, and banjo. The performances of each instrument add to the gentle, understated atmosphere of the recording, never drawing attention to themselves. Dust is not the type of CD you listen to for the catchy single, but something to slowly sink into a relationship with - very late at night.
Like nearly all of Dean's releases, Dust was financed, recorded, and produced by himself, mainly at home, allowing him the freedom to experiment and work privately at his own pace. In 2001, Dean released his debut CD in other words..., a moody assemblage of spacious acoustic songs mainly recorded on 4-track, commonly compared to Elliott Smith and Jon Brion. "With its soft, easygoing layers of acoustic guitars, vocals and occasional drums...Drouillard successfully dons the "singer-songwriter" cap... creating music reminiscent of Paul Simon, John Lennon, James Taylor or the ballads of American Music Club. Lyrically, Drouillard has written an emotionally introspective album that examines love and relationships." Trevor Klundert (Room Magazine - July 2001) Nikki Mayville from The Lance says, "Drouillard has a captivating quality that draws the listener in from the very beginning. His music revels in melancholic introspection; it's quiet and calm, and just downright nice."
Dean began playing music professionally in his hometown of Windsor, Ontario, Canada as a fixture and versatile multi-instrumentalist on the local music scene, performing with bands such as Racecar, Anneke's Star, Liquid Car Crash, and We Wish We Knew. A move to Toronto as a result of joining the Juno award-winning Johnny Favourite Swing Orchestra (Alert/Universal) in 1999 led him to eventually becoming Favourite's musical director. In 2001 a string of events brought him to the UK to tour as guitarist for Howie Beck , (still) holding down a reputable house gig at Toronto's fashionable Cameron House with Kevin Quain & the Mad Bastards, and spending 18 months touring North America as guitarist for RCA Victor recording artist Andy Stochansky (2002-2003).
Although Dean finds being an in-demand side-musician still enjoyable (and occasionally necessary), his main passion and focus continues to be writing, recording, and performing his own music.
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