DeAnna Moore

Shut Up and Listen
By Dan Bolles [04.09.08]

The most recent facelift at Nectar's has been a hot topic of conversation in Burlington of late. While most folks seem to dig the stage improvements in the legendary nightclub, opinions on the dining room renovations seem somewhat mixed. I'm not a restaurant critic, so I'll not weigh in on the matter, except to say that I'm really going to miss the pool table. A lot. But last Saturday night, I ventured into the joint not to shoot pool or scarf gravy fries but to catch a performance by one of the most highly respected songwriters working today, Brooklyn's Richard Julian.

I arrived in time to catch the tail end of local indie-folk songstress DeAnna Moore's opening set. I've been peripherally familiar with Moore's work for a while, largely via her most recent album, Escape, released in the spring of 2007. The disc ably showcases the songwriter's considerable musical chops, in particular her dynamic vocal expressiveness and nimble, fingerpicked guitar style. But like many a singer-songwriter record before it — and no doubt countless more to come — the album exposes Moore as a writer with a significant amount of room to grow. Judg-ing by the admittedly brief selection of tunes I witnessed that evening, it appears she's well on her way to realizing her potential.

Moore's record displays no small degree of professionalism in its presentation, musically and visually. That distinguished polish is evident in her live act as well. She has a captivating stage presence, proving the immaculate performances found on Escape are not mere studio trickery. At times Moore's vocal flourishes bordered on melodramatic. But she was never out of control, and delivered her lines with sincerity and technical precision.

The crowd, though frustratingly sparse, seemed engaged and appreciative, even when she threw us an interactive curveball to close her set: asking the crowd to snap along while she belted out a jazzy a cappella version of Def Leppard's bowling-alley-jukebox classic, "Pour Some Sugar on Me." In my professional capacity, I have to admit I recoiled in horror and morbid fascination. But deep down inside, my inner hair-band geek was gleefully giddy. I've always been a closet Lep fan.

On the weekends, Nectar's has begun scheduling mellower acts early in the evening in an attempt to draw folks in to sample their revamped, and largely localvore, menu. Again, I'm no food writer, so I'll leave to others the debate over who really has the best pulled (insert meat here) sandwich in town. But I thoroughly enjoyed the combination of dinner and music, as well the table service, which cut down on trips to the bar. It's a great way to start your evening.

Richard Julian took the stage just as I was finishing off a delectable pulled-chicken "sammich" — a Nectar's term, not mine. Expectations run justifiably high when an artist is routinely pimped in the press by folks such as Norah Jones, Bonnie Raitt and Randy Newman. But by and large, Julian lived up to the hype.

Perhaps because of the low turnout, Julian at times seemed somewhat detached — when you're accustomed to touring with the aforementioned Jones and are slated to perform at the Newport Folk Festival, perhaps that's to be expected. But the noticeable disconnect didn't detract from his performance, or mask the fact the dude is an immensely gifted wordsmith.

Vocally, Julian won't drop your jaw or knock your socks off. His delivery is subtle but effective, much like that of Lyle Lovett, an obvious influence. His guitar playing is equally unassuming, but still quietly impressive.

Julian's stock in trade is a razor-sharp intellect buoyed by artfully nuanced turns of phrase. His romantic tunes are familiar but never cliché. Political numbers are pointed and incisive, not inflammatory. He's the type of songwriter who doesn't need to club his listeners over the head with ham-fisted metaphors to get his meaning across. In that respect, he is refreshingly unique, especially given the glut of hackish, cookie-cutter songwriters currently dotting the folk-pop landscape.

But guile of this caliber is a two-way proposition. To fully appreciate it, the listener has to make the effort to engage. In many ways, this sort of appreciation becomes an intellectual pursuit. Sadly, judging by the buzz of conversation throughout his set, a significant portion of the crowd couldn't be bothered to follow along. And that's a shame. They missed a good one. - Seven Days, Dan Bolles-Music Editor

I spent last evening in the company of six singer-songwriters competing at Higher Ground in the ninth Advance Music Singer-Songwriter Search. I wrote an article about it that'll be in Thursday's Free Press, so you can check that out for details if you're interested. One thing I noted in the article is that sometimes you think there's only so much a person can do with six strings and one voice, but these mostly local folks (including DeAnna Moore of Winooski, shown here) demonstrated that there's quite a variety of good stuff a lone acoustic guitarist can do. - Burlington Free Press

SOUTH BURLINGTON -- DeAnna Moore was on stage as I walked into the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge on Tuesday night for the finals of the Advance Music Singer-Songwriter Search. That's the room where I first heard Anais Mitchell perform live, and I thought I was hearing her again -- Moore's high, breathy vocals floated above her acoustic guitar as she sang quiet songs with a little bit of folk, a dash of pop and a pinch of country.

A few yards away in Higher Ground's Ballroom, a show miles away in tone was about to start. "How many people were concerned when they saw Gwar was going to be here tonight?" host Zeb Norris asked the crowd seated neatly in the Showcase Lounge after Moore concluded her set. Gwar is a gory, shock-rock group of metal heads; Norris, program director for the radio station The Point, promised there would be no blood and guts at the singer-songwriter show.

No literal blood and guts, anyway, just proverbial blood, sweat and tears. The half-dozen singer-songwriter finalists whittled down from hopefuls who tried out last month at Halvorson's and Club Metronome might have been a lot quieter than Gwar, but they were no less intense as they sang songs of hopeful love and personal pain.

The night's winner would take home an acoustic Taylor guitar, six hours of studio recording time and, most important, local fame....

Published: Thursday, November 8, 2007
By Brent Hallenbeck - Burlington Free Press

Remember that old saying “never judge a book by its cover?” It’s a valuable piece of advice that we’ve all heard at one point or another and yet, we all seem to do it occasionally. I am no exception. In fact, when I received Vermont songstress DeAnna Moore’s recent album Escape, I was all set to review the album before I even began listening. The cover art features an upclose photograph of the beautiful blue-eyed artist holding a guitar and her name is printed in romantic cursive writing. “Uh oh,” I thought to myself, “I have another generic romantic folk album on my hands.” However, as I started listening, I realized that I couldn’t have been more wrong. Moore’s appropriately-titled album is dark, brutal, and most importantly, honest… and if you’re willing to give it a close listen, it’ll capture your emotions from beginning to end.

The reason you have to give it a close listen? Well… it’s a folk album, and each song’s instrument arrangement is sparse. A few of the songs on Escape feature only Moore’s vocals and her acoustic guitar. Sometimes, the cello of John Dunlap is added, but only a couple of songs include further instrumentation. So, basically, if you’re looking for an album that is going to get you dancing, this isn’t it. But hey, this is a folk album, so that shouldn’t be expected anyway. And as long as you’re not multitasking and giving the album your full attention, there is plenty to enjoy about its music. Remember Jewel before she started enjoying the pop-life and her mediocre-at-best poetry book? You know, when she was singing songs like “Save Your Soul?” That’s what the album sounds like, and that’s a good thing. It’s completely appropriate for this type of album. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that Moore possesses a gorgeous, siren-powerful voice that captures the attention of anyone who lends an ear either.

While the album’s folk-standard music is nice, it’s Moore’s words that make Escape such a wonderful record. This is no happy collection of flower-power songs. The album is a real heartbreaker. It paints a portrait of a woman who has been battered and beaten by love and life. Her world is covered by “Steel Blanket Skies” and memories and loves-gone-wrong haunt her each and every day. While some of these songs may be works of fiction, one can’t help but believe that each story is 100% autobiographical truth. Whether it’s the confession of the naïve woman in “Fragile,” the story of a girl whose lover’s heart is tied to a memory in “I’m Not Her,” or a lady’s desperate attempt to escape in the title track, a combination of Moore’s captivating vocals and her powerfully honest lyrics forces the hearts of listeners to reach out to the tortured soul crying out in song. From the madness of “Grief” to the unbelievably perfect thunderstorm-supported “Lullaby Reprise,” anyone who listens closely to Escape immediately becomes a part of Moore’s lonely world.

Ironically, however, the album’s greatest track is its only lighter number. “Old Fashioned Love,” Moore’s ode to her mother and father’s romance, is truly a lyrical masterpiece in the vein of River-Era Bruce Springsteen. The tale of how the free-spirited, motorcycle-riding Sophie wins the heart of the shy boy down the street, and the support of his mother, is beautiful beyond words. It rips at your heartstrings and by the time it’s over, it’ll have you believing in that Beatles number “All You Need Is Love” all over again.

So let this be another reminder to you all… never judge a book by its cover. And don’t pass by this album like I almost certainly would have. There is so much to love about DeAnna Moore’s Escape. This isn’t just a record for fans of folk music. This is an album for anyone who loves brutally honest music, and who has experienced the dark side of love… and the dark side of life.

www.deannamoore.com - www.cdreviews.com