GRAHAM, RODNEY - NEVER TELL A PAL A HARD LUCK STORY (CD)

"Never Tell a Pal a Hard Luck Story is the third full length release by internationally acclaimed artist Rodney Graham. This bon vivant and his band lead the listener on a rollicking, booze soaked adventure celebrating music, youth, love and the south. Classic rock songwriting suggests influences from Jimmy Webb to Leonard Cohen and the Rolling Stones. Gritty party tunes (Let's go Swinging) intersperse with languorous ballads (Do the Math) and loping country numbers (I'm Telling you People). The biographical "Ballad of E.A. Poe" details the hard lived life of Edgar Allan Poe and the instructional "How to Avoid an Imbroglio" ends on the patio with a round of gin and tonics. Crack production team John Collins of the New Pornographers and David Carswell (Evaporators, Smugglers) both play on and produce Never Tell a Pal a Hard Luck Story. The album was recorded at two of Vancouver's prestigious studios, the Armoury and the Factory. Rodney Graham's band also features Peter Bourne (Copyright, A.C. Newman) on drums and virtuosic pianist Paddy Ryan. Bill Napier-Hemy (Pointed Sticks) also contributes on bass guitar. Rodney Graham rose to prominence as part of the Vancouver School of Photography. He was a guitarist in seminal '80's punk band UJ3RKS. Since the 1990's Rodney has been releasing music, often in conjunction with art installations. Never Tell a Pal a Hard Luck Story reflects the passion, innovation and brilliance of his conceptual work." (label info)