Paul Simon, Beatles, Nanci Griffith, John Sebastian, Joni Mitchell, Burt Bacharach & Hal David, Everly Brothers, Laura Nyro, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Patty Griffin, Sting, Jackson Browne, Ron Sexsmith, Roy Orbison, James Taylor, Incredible String Band, Van Morrison
BEEN DOWN THAT ROAD ================================================ Roger Knott is a contemporary writer/artist who has developed a consistent body of work as a top-notch songwriter since making his debut in 2004 with his album Find Your Wings on Leg Room Records, followed by the first two instalments of a Nashville trilogy, Dust And Promises (2006) and Step Out Into The Sun (2007). Knott’s songs have the ability to bring a little sunshine into even the darkest of days; his melodies wrap around you, there’s this familiar, cosy feeling to the tunes, sung in his very individual voice. As one reviewer put it, “One of Knott’s greatest assets has been his vocals, as soon as you hear him sing it’s undeniably Knott." ================================================ On his fourth album, titled Been Down That Road, Knott once again brings a new vista to his expanding horizon. Informed but not entrapped by Country and Folk music, the album is ornamented by a seasoned Nashville section including upright bass, fiddle, accordion, mandolin, dobro and his own acoustic guitar. At the heart of it, though, is the drumming and percussion mastery of Pat McInerney, a long-time friend of Roger’s from England, who has been the mainstay of Don Williams and Nanci Griffith’s touring bands. It was Pat who gave Roger his original invitation to come to Nashville. ================================================ Working once again with German-born, Nashville-based musician Thomm Jutz, this time as Producer, who as guitarist brought a Country-rock, occasional bluesy mood to Dust And Promises and Step Out Into The Sun, the artist finds a sweet spot in his work. It’s in full flower on such memorable songs as the optimistic “When Love Comes Around Again,” the nostalgic “Sudden Rain,” the humorous "Crazy Rules" and the political “Only On Loan.” Been Down That Road is set in a bed of evocative playing redolent of what country used to be. The record sways back and forth over the borders of genres, written in anything from contemporary country to songs squarely in the folk realm. These 12 songs represent an observational journey through slices of life of little America, and the highs and lows of love. ================================================The album finds Knott at his most folky—not that he sounds like Martin Carthy or anything. “I am not a traditional player, I am more in the Gerry Rafferty or Paul McCartney vein” he acknowledges. “ The title track ‘Been Down That Road’” says Knott, “felt to me that it had a spiritual element to it, although what the song is actually saying is ’beware of false prophets!’ One song, ‘Rolling Oceans,’ offers a non-partisan view on the eternal subject of war. “I didn’t want a preachy song that made judgements, but rather ask the relevant questions that maybe we should all be pondering, especially at this time in our history”. ================================================
“Every time I go in the studio, I don’t want to repeat myself,” says Knott. “Step Out Into the Sun was a straight-ahead, ’70s-style Country-pop album,” produced by Any Trouble veteran Clive Gregson, “but this one is more old Country. At the bottom of it is my acoustic guitar, and in fact the last bunch of records have been all written on acoustic, although in a previous incarnation I was a keyboard player. My first album was a low budget affair, with me sequencing the rhythm track and playing all the guitars, polished up in the London studio of UK pedal steel player Steve Honest, who played on a Dolly Parton guest version of a Culture Club track. These days, my approach is to prepare an unadorned demo of acoustic and vocal. That way, I can tell better if the songs will hold up and have a life of their own without relying on a sumptuous arrangement or production. It also gives the producer a clean slate to work from.” ================================================ There is a spirit of spontaneity in the way that Knott records in Nashville. “All members of the band are given charts, which act as a rough guide to the song structure” Knott explains. “Then I will tell them the tempo. and we‘ll do a run-through with my guide vocal and acoustic guitar. Adjustments are made and usually by the second take or so, the guys have got it nailed, the arrangement and the feel secured and the song has instantly risen up to another level. After that, the solos go down and the final vocals, usually a day or so later”. The album was recorded at Thomm’s Mount Juliet Studios in Nashville, and mastered at nearby Yes Master. ================================================
“There’s very little mainstream Nashville about my music,” says Knott. “But when I heard the players running through the songs on my first Nashville album, I thought it was interesting. Later when I heard the rough mixes back in England, I was really excited; because it was a whole new flavour, one that I’ve never had on a record before. Once again, Pat’s instincts were spot-on—because in bringing me to Nashville in the first place, he’d somehow located the essence of my song writing.”
Hi Roger! Thank you for adding us to your friendlist. You got some great songs, and we are looking forward to hear some more from you. Please feel free to visit our page and listen to something you don't hear every day: Country Music From Denmark!!!!! Cheers! Lonerock - Scandinavian Country That Rocks!! Official Website
Hiya Roger. Long time no see? Hope all is going well with you. Been out of the loop for awhile,but hopefully I'll get more online time. Just wanted to say hi & miss ya. xoxo Lisa
