Likely Stories

Bio:

Three performing songwriters trade writing and lead vocal duties and accompany each other on backing vocals, keyboards, guitar, cello, drums and more. Tracy Jane Comer, Dave Schindele and Nancy Rost combine radically different musical backgrounds for an amazingly satisfying result.

Likely Stories, the self-titled debut release from the Madison, Wisconsin-based acoustic trio, is a book of short stories brought to life. The songs range from reminiscences of a poor but happy rural childhood, to a romance between teenage suburban goths; from the inner lives of celebrities to the epiphanies of everyday people. Likely Stories takes the listener on an imaginative and sonic journey.

Elegant arrangements and engaging stories propel this collection of songs by performing songwriters Tracy Jane Comer, Nancy Rost and Dave Schindele. The three alternate writing and lead vocals and accompany each other on a variety of instruments, creating a multi-flavored sound that allows the individual writers' sensibilities to shine through. Comer's intricate guitar work and rich cello, Rost's lush jazz chords, and Schindele's musical theater influences combine in unlikely ways to create a unique and varied sound.

The CD includes songs that have won awards and honors in folk ("Yellow Bike" ) and jazz ("Golden Gate"). The uptempo pop of "A Matter of Time", humorous blues of "American Gothic" and playful swing of "My Own History" contrast with soulful ballads like "This Ground" and "Shamu" for a satisfyingly well-rounded collection.

Veteran producer Randy Green produced the CD with Likely Stories. Green, called a "Madison Musical Legend" by Madison Magazine (2001), is also an award-winning songwriter, and contributes lyrics to the album's tracks “Yellow Bike” and the closer, "Silent Care." The CD, released in Spring 2009, is available by mail order or as an MP3 album at http://www.cdbaby.com/likelystories. It's also available at the following Madison, Wis., retailers:

Exclusive Company
508 State Street, Madison WI 53703 608-255-2433

B-Side Records
436 State Street, Madison WI 53703 608-255-1977

A Room of One's Own Bookstore
307 W. Johnson St. Madison WI 53703 608-257-7888

For more about the group or individual members, see these links:

http://www.likelystories.us
http://www.tracyjanecomer.com
http://www.nancyrost.com
http://www.daveschindele.com

Member Since:

July 24, 2007

Members:

Tracy Jane Comer (songwriter, vocals, guitar, cello, piano, fiddle, melodica)
Dave Schindele (songwriter, vocals, piano, percussion)
Nancy Rost (songwriter, vocals, piano, keyboards)

Influences:

Elton John, Carole King, Mose Allison, Indigo Girls, Stephen Sondheim, Randy Newman, Heart, Thelonious Monk, Claude Debussy, Styx, Burt Bacharach, Tom Lehrer, Willy Porter, February Album Writing Month, Dar Williams, Maurice Ravel, Fleetwood Mac, Simon and Garfunkel.

Sounds Like:

"Tracy Jane Comer, Dave Schindele and Nancy Rost have teamed up to make the most creative concept album to come out of Madison so far this year.

Likely Stories is a collection of nine musical tales making up three rounds of sonic turn-taking by the songwriters. It's a structure that highlights the stylistic breadth of the record.

Schindele's acoustic piano is dreamy, rumbling with restlessness on "A Matter of Time." Later, he employs Comer's brooding cello on "Nicole." That track is an odd but gorgeous prayer for Nicole Kidman: "Hope there's a there for you Nicole / Without a role, it's just you and your soul cast together."

Rost's jazzy arrangements are featured in "Golden Gate," about San Francisco suicide jumpers. Comer's "Yellow Bike" is pure folk charm, looking back on a poor but happy childhood in a seaside town.

The album's execution ultimately fulfills the ambitious concept, making Stories a local release to be reckoned with." - Rich Albertoni, Isthmus "The Likely Stories trio makes intriguing chamber folk music. Surprisingly, there is a lot of variety contained within this relatively limited genre categorization. Although Dave Schindele sings lead on "A Matter of Time", this is mostly a female-led outfit. Chimes, however, make Schindele's rare vocal track a memorable one. Sonic moods range from dramatic, with "American Gothic", to gently contemplative, as on "Yellow Bike" with its acoustic piano and guitar. "My Own History" even incorporates blues elements. Obviously, chamber pop and blues are at opposite sides of the musical spectrum. Therefore, Likely Stories are brave enough to throw in a few relatively unlikely aural elements, which makes them a story well worth the telling." Dan MacIntosh, Indie-Music.com

Record Label:

Porch String Music