“Complex Truths” … album released November 1st
Complex Truths takes a serious turn from my last album (Slightly Serious), with 10 originals that speak to major “opportunities for improvement” in our society. I’m a realistic idealist, and firmly believe we can alter our behaviors for our common good, while still respecting individualism!
You can stream the album on all major platforms, and watch the videos below without requiring a purchase:)
“Same Old Replay” … How much more death, damage to our earth, and purging of cultural identity is required for people around the world to eliminate twisted leaders and enforce the sovereignty of each others’ borders? My thanks to a very special Ukrainian artist, who created my album cover during shelling of her city, as her family fled Kiev for safety, and thanks also to her countrymen who shared front-line footage for my music video showing the reality of war.
“Big River” … In the Pacific Northwest, the massive Columbia River begins bubbling out of the mountains of Canada, runs south, and then divides the states of Oregon and Washington; joined by the Snake River, it becomes the largest North American river to flow into the Pacific Ocean. Many such natural wonders were over-damned at the expense of their natural ecosystems, fueled by outdated water rights agreements, and political interests. Destroying many dams will restore spawning routes for migratory species and native American fishing grounds, while eliminating massive financial and safety liabilities from the deferred maintenance of thousands of unnecessary dams. Many thanks to distinguished pianist John Nilsen, for collaborating with me to write the musical score and masterfully playing the piano to help me bring my story to life.
“Natural Stupidity” … Orwell’s “1984” describes a scary future of automated decisions being made by “big-brother”, and the dumbing-down of people given their dependencies on Big Brother. We are closer to that than many want to believe, but it’s not too late to retake our privacy, and think for ourselves rather than becoming overly dependent on artificial intelligence. I love automation and information technology, but not at the expense of my personal freedom. How about you?
Title track “Complex Truths” … For too long we’ve watched swindlers steal consumers’ earnings and savings, through investment scams, products designed for obsolescence, & pharmas that destroy lives, as millions have experienced with the Opioid crisis. If we want to narrow the gap between “haves and have-nots”, people and companies who make and promote such products and services must be held accountable and feel the pain for what they are doing to our people and our environment.
“Looking Past Today” … We are truly in our infancy of knowledge of where we fit into the much greater universe, and where our universe fits into an infinite continuum. But back to our earth, “Looking Past Today” is about mindfulness of our environment and the people around us, rather than obsession on the “me” and the “now”. Opening our eyes to what is around us, is a heightened consciousness that can save us from us.
“Bad Cannot Be Good” … Coming from someone who is NOT politically motivated, but who values quality leadership, this song expresses my disgust with those leaders and their side-shows who have dominated our news and undermined our constitution. I do NOT care what party someone belongs to, yet do believe WE ALL SHOULD DEMAND INTEGRITY from the politicians WE HIRED. It’s very healthy to have a variety of opinions and some friction, but very unhealthy when bad actors disrespect our rules of the road.
“These Old People” … I’ve constantly been inspired by older people, who do amazing things regardless the myths about what can and cannot be done. This song pays respect to them and the world’s increasing proportion of aged people, who all too often are forgotten, under-utilized, and under-estimate their own capacity. A massive opportunity exists to tap into their wisdom, improving the quality of life for all.
“Have I Earned It ? … A widening gap between financial “haves and have nots” has created dissent and despair with many. People have always struggled, and always will, as they must earn their way up the ladder. Yet, if the the gap becomes disproportionate, and widespread despair takes root, society is at risk of the trickle-down effects of lost productivity, diminished quality of life, and increased costs of social services. Many good people can benefit from clarity around what they can possibly do to achieve a reasonably balanced life, and the opportunities to leverage that clarity, without working themselves to death.
“Just a Kindness” … phenomenons such as automation, pandemics, and climate change, cause a natural social syndrome where people regress into shallow zones that disallow deep and meaningful friendships, or rich personal connections. This negative phenomenon is compounded by overwork, as people struggle to pay their bills and toil in their jobs just to survive. We can positively effect others’ lives - and our own - through simple expressions of kindness.
“Mind in a Bind” … Tens of millions of neighbors, co-workers, and family members are stuck in their private hell, struggling with debilitating mental challenges, many of which are treatable. As stigmas drop, the lives of these people, and those around them, can be improved through open conversations and therapy. There is an amazing life ahead for people who can access quality care and will embrace modern and improved mental health therapies.
Album credits … beyond who is noted above, many thanks to the talented individuals who brought their passion and magic to this album. Alie Farah/Backing vocals, Amanda Lawrence/Violin/Viola, Jon Neufeld/Lead Guitar, Adam Selzer/acoustic guitars/organ/Tamborine, Ji Tanzer/Drums, and Luke Ydstie/bass. Also, Marcus Lampros for his backing vocals on Complex Truths. 3 of the tracks were recorded exclusively with other talented musicians located elsewhere in the world: My thanks to TWilson, TBailey, and Lloyd Miller, for their instrumentals and musical score compositions for Natural Stupidity, Have I Earned It, and These Old People, respectively. And last, my thanks to Adam Selzer for his creative consults, his mix and mastering skills, and his coordination of many moving parts found in producing such a project.