Torey Adler is a guitar-picking wordsmith and a builder of well-crafted, hardwearing songs. He might be young, but he sounds as though he learned to play in the rural South of the '30s, then came of age in the halcyon days of New York City punk.
On this icy winter day in Massachusetts farm country, the dash of his pickup truck is cluttered with CDs of Woody Guthrie, Townes Van Zandt, Otis Redding, and Skip James. The Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed is playing, loudly, as he downshifts hard into a turn. He is talking about the term "folk-music". "Everything is folk music that folks can play" he says, grinning. "Rock, Adult Contemporary, (he puts an emphasis on the industry term that suggests disdain) pop, country, it's all folk. But I understand what the audience means when they use the term 'folk' and it's different from what a scholar means. In the clubs, my music is folk because I play an acoustic guitar. In my mind I sing modern literature with traditional sounding chords."
Whatever it is, audiences are starting to respond. At tonight's concert they start to sing along with "This Land is Your Land", a song he introduces as "Our real national anthem". A woman in the crowd confides to me later that she has to consider Bruce Springsteen in a new light after hearing "Thunder Road" broken down over sparse ukulele accompaniment. But every request during the show calls for one of Torey's own songs, more remarkable for the fact that most of them are not yet released. His guitar ranges from soft and haunting finger-style airs to driving, punkish romps. His lyrics tell stories, capture stills of urban drama. Torey paints a tableau of the American landscape; highways and depots, cars and trains, of bedeviled loners and innocent girls always moving and always wanting.
Rarely does an artist emerge on the scene with a voice so completely his own who so clearly belongs to a deep folklore. There is tradition behind his words, but you’ve never heard it like this before.
hey torey sorry i couldn't make it the other night, the roads were terrible. We just hung out at a friends house, i still have a headache. but it was entertaining.
Hey Torey, how ya doing? I heard a very good version of "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" and I thought of how you set the standard for me of that song. Keep well.
Click this link for Jenna Nicholls album "Curled Up Toes in Red Mary Janes"
"Just as unhurried as it is precious and reflective. The atmosphere is serene; you’ll pick
every word that is uttered and find a world that normally goes at a million miles an hour
slow to a relaxing canter. "
Hey Torey, I've got a show at Toad this Wednesday. It'll be our last appearance for a while cuz we're heading into the studio in a couple weeks, so I hope you can make it!
hey torey hows it going? i ran into mary tonight at muddy cup in albany she played by herself did a really good job. i am doin well have lots of shows for the summer me busy, lots of coffee shops and some farmers market but other than that just working u? when you coming back to these neck of the woods? let me know later
hey torey just wanted to say hi haven't seen ya around these parts of ny much. well i have been playing out right now i am writing a lot of material getting my act together lol. HOpefully record someday soon, take care erin
Torey, Thanks for the Add on. I want to say thanks for droping by, and Like your sound. Do you ever play cafe lenas?? Hope you and your friends stop by now and then to say hi. Chuck
sorry i can't come i would have love to hear your music has been so long when you coming back to ny area? spring i hope. well good luck with that cheers
Heads up all of you in the Boston area!!!!
Both Jenna Nicholls and Michael Brunnock will be playing at this years Camp Fire Festival at Club Passim. They will be performing at 5.30 pm this coming Sunday the 17th.
Club Passim 47 Palmer Street, Cambridge.
Jenna will be playing songs from her soon to be released debut album called "Curled up toes in Red MaryJanes"
Michael will be playing songs from his highly critically acclaimed album entitled "So I do"
Thank You For Your Support!
