The Danberrys – Shine
Format: CD – LP – Digital
Label: Singular Recordings
Releasedatum: 8 mei 2020
“…a strong collection of original songs.” Country Music People (4 stars)
“Shine sees them push their boat out into deeper waters to spectacular effect, capturing elements of rock, blues and soul. There’s some great song writing, playing and vocals on display here.” Get Ready To Rock!
Nashville-based Americana duo The Danberrys announce the release of their third full length album ‘Shine’. Comprised of 12 new tracks, The Danberrys masterfully depart from their signature acoustic sound to capture elements of rock, blues, and folk, venturing into a darker atmosphere that allows their original songs to stand tall.
Following the release of their successful 2016 record, ‘Give and Receive’, Dorothy and Ben were approached by producer Brian Brinkerhoff (Van Morrison, Ike Stubblefield, Malcolm Holcombe) to create a new LP, and he encouraged the duo to co-write it. While on their 2017 UK and New Zealand tours, the pair leapt head-first into the process and even worked alongside bluegrass songwriting guru, Jon Weisberger, on a few of the songs.
Once the tunes were ready, they brought in producer/drummer Marco Giovino (Band of Joy, Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller) to co-produce, which was a dream come true for The Danberrys, “[he] has always been a musical hero of ours, and he brought this record to life with some major mojo.” Shine came to life at Dagotown Recorders in Boston, MA and was recorded in three days, featuring several live full-band recordings. Guest musicians featured on Shine include Duke Levine on guitar and mandolin and Darrell Scott, who lent his vocals to the album’s first single ‘The Mountain’.
The title track kicks off the album with moody, guitar-punched swagger. Darkness sets the stage only to give way to the light Dorothy and Ben refuse to stop seeking. “The song is a reminder – a daily mantra”, Dorothy says. “How do you get through today and continue to grow and let go of all the things from your past that want to keep you down and keep you from being who you really are in the world?” Beginning with only Dorothy’s voice, which is soon joined by Ben’s sombre electric guitar, ‘The Mountain’ addresses similar life-affirming themes. The incomparable Darrell Scott adds backing vocals to the track, which grooves as it soars.
“There is a lot of spirituality in our writing. We’ve been through a lot of really hard stuff. We had to grow a lot. That comes out in our music”, Dorothy says.
‘Holding the Bag’, which Dorothy points to as a favourite, mixes sorrow and masterful storytelling, pulling listeners into an unnamed character’s heartbreaking perspective. Dorothy has a habit of diving into her stories and the people in them. “Please forgive me, I’m a selfish man”, she sings on the heavy ‘Never Gone’ – a favourite track of Ben’s. The two wrote the song about a friend’s father who battled chronic illness and chose to say goodbye on his own terms as much as possible, breaking the hearts of his daughters and wife in the process. The haunting ‘Francis’ is another compelling experimentation with perspective and narrative.
While sadness and longing course through the entire record, bright-eyed positivity is never far away. ‘Love Conquers War’ offers timely wisdom, while ‘Coals Glow’ shares a story of stubborn light. Album closer ‘Rain’ features Dorothy and Ben singing in unison, and once again, what begins as embattled pleading and worry unfolds into faith and unity.
Project standout ‘The River is Wide’ is a stunner with classic bones and modern candour. Dorothy got the idea for the song after a vision she experienced while meditating, a practice she’s employed to re-centre and heal for years. Building from a subdued reflection over strings to a heart-pounding, tambourine-led chant, ‘The River is Wide’ lays bare the mental and emotional chains trauma leaves behind, which engulf survivors in feelings of self-doubt and insignificance. “My childhood is scarred by severe physical and psychological trauma, and I was enslaved to the things that happened to me when I was little”, Dorothy says. “I hadn’t really been able to live my life – suffered from stage fright, zero self-confidence, and self-hatred. I had to reach for something way bigger than I am to get out of that. I had to keep on walking.” With strength and vulnerability, the track epitomises the entire album’s tender balance of hard times and hope.
Reflecting on the process of creating Shine, the duo revealed, “Shine represents a major shift in our sound, moving away from our acoustic-centric past while staying rooted in our love for the song and the groove. By venturing outside of our comfort zone, sonically and process-wise, we were able to make an organic record that we’re excited for the world to hear.”
Tracks:
01. Shine
02. Holding the Bag
03. The Road
04. Francis
05. Never Gone
06. The River is Wide
07. The Mountain
08. Undertow
09. Love Conquers War
10. The Coals Glow
11. Maddie’s Ghost
12. Rain
All songs written by Dorothy Daniel and Ben DeBerry except ‘The Road’, ‘Never Gone’ and ‘Maddie’s Ghost’ by Dorothy Daniel, Ben Deberry and Jon Weisberger
Ben DeBerry – guitars & vocals
Dorothy Daniel – vocals & tambourines
Marco Giovino – co-producer, drums, percussion, vibes
Neal Pawley – guitars, trombone & tuba, background vocals
Duke Levine – guitars, mandolin
Marty Ballou allou – upright & electric bass
Darrell Scott – guest vocals on ‘The Mountain’
Amanda Broadway – background vocals
Vanessa McGowan – background vocals
Tom West – keyboards
John Deaderick – pump organ
Brian Brinkerhoff – co-producer, executive producer
Sam Margolis – recording engineer, background vocals
Website: The Danberrys