Paul Stride’s The Balladeer is an album that will take you back in time about twenty-five years, when power ballads dominated the charts, but Paul isn’t trying to be the next Johnny Hates Jazz or Cutting Crew, though at times you may think you are listening to either of those groups. The Balladeer gives a modern touch to a familiar sound, while still making you think of another time.
The album is aptly titled as all nine tracks are ballads, their melodies gentle and soothing. This album comes twenty years since Paul’s last recording and a few of the songs came from that time period. Maybe that’s why there’s a little bit of an 80s vibe to some of the songs. Not that is a bad thing. Songs like All of You and Take My Heart are ballads that songwriters like Richard Marx or Nick Van Eede would be proud to have in their own repertoires.
One song in particular stands out among the rest and that’s Open My Eyes. The album features a long and short version and whichever version you choose to listen to you will soon find yourself getting a little closer to Paul. Open My Eyes recounts his struggle with depression, something most of us will experience or someone we know has. This song sums up what so many people go through with the words "What is so hard to find. Questions in my mind or answers redefined. Confusion every, a incongruent stare and stigma doesn’t care." The song has a haunting quality to it that suit’s the subject matter to a tee.
Come Back To Me takes its inspiration from a kidnapping and the reaction of the parents. Though the song isn’t about the case, it is a bittersweet tune of someone longing for a person snatched from their lives for one reason or another.
Looking For A Reason is a song about a love affair that’s hit a rough patch. It also serves as a reminder that if you love someone, even when things aren’t all sunshine and roses there is some reason that you love that person and that reason could be a reason to work through whatever problem is breaking the couple apart.
It’s not all deep thoughtful balladry though. Summer will make you long for the season the song is written for, with beaches and boardwalks and lazy days. She’s Not In Love With Me is a fun song about staying strong in the face of unrequited love.
The songs one The Balladeer can be summed up in one word, "pretty." Sure it’s a word that is used to describe a lot of things, but once you give the album a listen you will quickly agree. These are pretty songs. Even when the songs are about deeper subjects, they are still, PRETTY! Oh and they aren’t sticky sweet, like a lot of things on adult contemporary radio. This album is very easy listening, and that’s not using easy listening as a genre, its one of the most listenable albums, that will speak to music lovers of all ages.
Here’s hoping that Paul’s next effort will come faster. It would be a shame to have to wait another twenty years for an album especially when his singing and songwriting is so good. It really would be criminal to make us wait any longer than a year or two! The Balladeer will definitely leave you wanting to hear more!
Paul Stride: Press
20 years later
Local musician releases sophomore album
ASHLEY FITZPATRICK
The TelegramLiving in St. John's, Paul Stride has decided to return to writing, playing and singing his own music. He is offering up a new album "The Balladeer," 20 years after the release of his first song collection.
Stride said the 20-year delay came as practicality kicked in after the release of "Lonely Heart" in 1989 and he stepped out of the studio and into a day job.
"I think, for a lot of us independent musicians, unless you're playing live a lot, there's not much of a living to be eked out from it," Stride said .
Yet having "shelved" his musical thoughts for years, Stride said a new creative work was called for. "I don't know what it is that awakens you, but something did this year," he said.
"Twenty years ago, it was different technology, it was costly to go into a studio. ... In 1989 my record was out on cassette," Stride told The Telegram Wednesday. "It was an amazing process for me to come back and start again."
"Everything was recorded here in my home studio and it's that technology that has been the huge change from 20 years ago."
Stride recorded all of the instrumentals for the songs himself, digitally layering in the tracks. The one exception is in the song "She's Not in Love With Me," wherein a sax solo is played by Andy Najera, a musician in Los Angeles that Stride connected with through saxtracksonline.com.
"I sent him the cut of the track and in a couple of days he just e-mailed me the song with the sax solo in it," Stride said.
While the hard copy of the musician's CD is available at Fred's Records, digital recording downloads on sites including iTunes, last.fm and Stride's own home page are what the singer-songwriter is watching with interest.
"The amount of sites out there that offer this service is absolutely incredible," said Stride, who got his music out into the world by printing 1,000 tapes 20 years ago.
Stride is still working his day-to-day job, but said he is looking at more music work, including local collaborations. He has also started writing his next album.
afitzpatrick@thetelegram.com
New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Paul Stride Official Website) - The talented musician from Newfoundland and Labrador Canada has released his exciting album,
Aired Sunday November 22
Paul was featured on CBC's "Liner Notes"...a 1/2 hour program featuring local musicians - part of the Weekend Arts Magazine.
Host Angela Antle chatted with Paul about his new record "The Balladeer". 2 Songs were played from the CD in between conversation segments.
Paul has been featured in 2 podcasts recently. Atlantic Wave Radio out of the UK and Talentcast NL out of the Netherlands!
A great big thank you to these for supporting Indie Music!