Based in Chicago and born in Iowa, singer/songwriter Dick Prall comes to his easygoing – and sometimes goofy – manner quite naturally. In person, he’s charming, often peppering his conversations with clever asides wherever possible. Though he readily admits to enjoying the embrace of company, it was Prall’s exploration of what he calls “autonomy” that brought a whole new spin to his latest work.
After the release of the critical and audience favorite Fizzlebuzzie in 2005, most of the musicians Prall recorded with went their separate ways. It was an amicable split, but one that put him in the familiar position of starting over.
His first album, 1998's rootsy Somewhere About Here, was recorded under the name The Dick Prall Band, but the group disbanded within a year. 2001's Dressing Up The Failure was a hard-driving pop record that found Prall recording with a different set of musicians under the name Starch Martins. Despite the new approach, he says the album left him creatively exhausted.
Though always quick to praise the musicians who help fuel his sharp, observational songwriting, Prall found himself turning away from the madness of crowds as he began work on his next album. No longer surrounded by the familiar, one might have expected Prall to write songs that explore all his inner demons. Instead, he found comfort in being alone, and sought to preserve that intimacy.
The product of that exploration is Weightless.
There's a restless energy coursing throughout the album, in part because of an immediacy of sound attributable to a change in Prall's usual recording style. "Rather than tracking all the instruments and then me coming in and laying my vocals down in sort of a 'studio karaoke' kind of way," he says, "I recorded my guitar and vocal parts first and then we built the song around those." This method allowed him to work at a feverish pace, writing half the album's songs after the band began tracking it, "which is unheard of for me."
And then there are the wanderlust lyrics, often dropping references to cars, the road, or a search for something, usually the truth, either about oneself or one's partner. Prall says that in writing the album, he became interested in those who found themselves living lives they'd never intended.
"Some of the songs – 'I Took A Life,' 'B&W,' 'Devils' – are about some less-than-attractive characters who don't necessarily feel held down by any guilt or real regret for their actions," Prall says.
All this again hints at dark places and angst, but clever turns of phrase keep the whole production from drifting into an exercise in navel-gazing. A song about a dissolving relationship is titled "The Cornflake Song," evoking just a hint of a smirk. Sidewalks are told to behave, and on the muscle-bound "Side By Side," a lover is accused of "talking out your eyes," though the way Prall sneers the last word leaves it sounding more like the part of your body that's used for sitting, not seeing.
The arrangements on Weightless carry the same light. There's violin throughout and a marimba-like instrument called a vibraceleste accenting the songs with a chiming ring. Plenty of space exists for guitar at the forefront and sing-a-long hooks. The crack group of musicians here, some of whom are bandmates involved with Prall's previous works, know when to add a swirling fill, and when to get out of the way. Most of all, the melodic voices of the characters in these songs float to the surface, recalling the album's title.
Prall has said that he relishes the very act of singing, and as he tours behind Weightless, one expects him to find a renewed sense of enthusiasm for crowds, finding that same old energy again. In the past, his albums have taken years to come into being. But now that he's found the same fire in an empty room, perhaps one can hope not just for his usual quality, but an increase in quantity as well. ~Scott Smith
Just wanted to let ya'll know that due to the small amount of internet time i get throughout the week, I can only respond to questions in messages. I certainly love to hear from you, but please send any questions you may have through the messaging function and not in the comments section. It's much faster for me to respond when i get a direct message from ya! Cool? Thanks, folks... ~ Dick
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Hello Dick Prall! Since the summer season is here I’ve decided to let my friends here download a few of my songs – for free! I wish you a great summer!
Chicago Bands and Entainers we are looking to fill some spots in upcoming event show. If you are looking to get in some clubs and festivals please email us.
Sucks to be me!!! YOU'RE opening for Toad the Wet Sprocket!!! Up there in Chicago, no less! I can't even go! Peace and blessings anyways, Eric, St Pete FLA
Now, with the help of gimmesound.com, you can download all tracks from the debut album “Mountains in the Sun” for FREE! Not only does the artist get paid for each download, but each download also generates a donation to a charity of YOUR CHOICE! I’m thrilled that this revolutionary concept will allow the music of Seti Alpha 5 to reach the masses for free and help to change the world at the same time. Please take 5 minutes to do this, help show your support to Seti Alpha 5 and donate to charity without spending a dime! Visit www.gimmesound.com/setialpha5 to learn more and download the album now!
In 50 years, don't you wanna look back and wish you had the guts to check us out and buy our new EP off itunes for only $4.95? I know you have an old gift card from your distant aunt or great uncle from two Christmases ago and they would love for you to spend it on us :) Talk to us and meet some nice guys if you're bored!
-Alex BackDrop
p.s. I know you probably don't have a gift card laying around, i'm just playing :)
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Thanks for the friendship Please check us out if you didn't get a chance yet, as we just recently started up and are trying to spread the word. Let us know if you're into it, and we'd love it if you got your friends to check us out as well Thank you for the support! -Joe AO
We are The Chuckies from KBA/GBG, Sweden & we are proud to get to know you!
The Chuckies is an "acoustic" version of The Chuck Norris Experiment which serves brand new Chuckies songs mixed with classic CNE tracks.
Our swell debut album is released on white 12" vinyl by www.myspace.com/tornadoriderecords. The CD version will be released by Nicotine Records this summer! Digital downloads are available everywhere, for example iTunes & Amazon. We will celebrate these two cool releases with a mini-tour in Italy late september, check our MySpace page for updates on this. Wanna help out? Let us know!
Take care now!
/ The Chuckies 10 NEW TRACKS IN OUR PLAYER! GOING ON ITALIAN MINI-TOUR IN SEPTEMBER!! September 24 - TBA, Bergamo (IT) September 25 - Monster Joe, Padova (IT) More dates soon... www.myspace.com/thechuckies www.chuckgear.com (Official merchandise) www.myspace.com/thechucknorrisexperiment
Check out the Independent Arts and Music Festival (I AM Fest) taking place at the Congress Theatre on Saturday, June 13. Algren joins 24 other bands and numerous artists at this all day 100% local event. Visit www.iamfest.com for more info!