When you hear the name Danny Vaughn you immediately think of the singer with the awesome voice in rock bands Waysted and Tyketto, well this is a very different side to the man, it is a collection of what Danny himself calls his orphans ,songs he wrote many years ago and some more recent but he just couldn’t find a place to include them anywhere. Stories, folktales, ballads, Celtic, and even a little bit of soul are included on, this new solo album 14 songs that each in their own way convey all his passions and influences, and every one very personal to him.
Brought up myself on Irish folk songs I loved the first track
THE SHADOW OF KING JOHN: this is as Irish as a pint of Guinness with sounds of the Dubliners, the Chieftains and the Dropkick Murphys: the moment you hear this you’ll just want to throw a hooley (Irish party) to those who don’t know.
Keeping the folk theme going with MAN OR MACHINE with a mandolin intro, hand clapping and a familiar Richie Sambora riff running through it.
For those of you who don’t know, Danny is also lead singer with the acclaimed tribute band Ultimate Eagles and the influence definitely runs through THE MISSOURI KID: a nice ballad with some wonderful lyrics and great story telling from Danny.
THE GOOD LIFE has the sound of New Orleans jazz with a fine violin solo followed by some cool guitar Hammond organ and a toe tapping drum beat.
LAST RIDE OF THE SUNSET MEN: The Eagle’s vibe again, but the country side of them, with a surprising bridge that turns into a mythical narration like something out of Lord of the Rings.
BLACK CROW is a wonderful folk song: a dark tale with eerie sounds throughout beautifully sung by Danny.
A comedy song here, led by the Hammond organ a funky little number, MONKEYS WITH MONEY AND GUNS: blues funk at its best.
Another great folk tale again with a fantastic storyline POINT THE WAY, almost spoken by Danny which made this song even more interesting. It reminded me of the great folk singer Harvey Andrews.
DEEP WATER is a mix of folk and blues with a tad of jazz thrown in for good measure, where once again the brilliant story telling of Danny comes into its own.
KELLY’S GONE: Danny’s balladeer head on again with a hand clapping tale of love lost, complete with piano and an infectious chorus.
SOMETHING I PICKED UP ALONG THE WAY is a moody jazz track that shows the versatility of Danny: his voice is just born to sing this type of song and who would have thought it when you have seen him do his rock shtick; it has the sound of the speakeasies and jazz clubs, and is a compete gem of a track.
The Eagles sound again on TIME OUT OF MIND with a southern rock feel: awesome falsetto, a real feel good song.
SEVEN BELLS is the penultimate track on this album and is an epic seven-minute masterpiece: a story about being away from home at sea and returning to your loved ones; a powerful production and a total earworm – the beautiful powerful vocal and orchestral background will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
Ending the album on a folk acoustic song WHAT YOU LEFT BEHIND a beautiful spiritual track that tells of our own mortality, and the ones we have lost but their spirit will always live on.
Danny has waited fourteen years to make this album and all I can say is I am so glad that these songs did not disappear into the void and you finally found a home for them.
For those of you who like your music diverse, this is without doubt one of the best albums I have had the pleasure to hear in a long time and I’m sure its destined to be a classic.
Review by Dave Martin
