| Deep in the Missouri
woods, deep in the oak and cedar, nestled by maple & dogwood, beyond sumac, beneath clear dome cyan sky, stands
the tiny ancient greenhouse/shed, wood stove churning out waves of heat, sun beating through the south windowwall. Trees don’t know they’re
in south Boone County, don’t vote, just worship sun & pray for rain. Fat White Speckled dog agrees, throwing in a request for the occasional
squirrel or at least a taste of fresh rabbit just once just once just NOW. Black Dog can barely maneuver the shed to get near the fire, bumping
the guitar amplifier, tail bouncing off paintings * stacks of sheet music * scifi books * old scraps of iron loosely arranged in the shapes of
mermaids * Captain America Halloween masks * mirror balls * various driftwood from Mars * knowing there’s a scrap of food near that stove,
nose knows – jambox blares tunes the dog can’t parse in a thousand years - might as well be angels singing gently in the rafters, sitting between
the spare lumber, hair smelling of the last burnt offering, dodging old nails, adjusting robes & harp before the next number; might be angels
between the dirt dobbers, humming out a worship to the day, just as likely humming the latest Plumb Bobs tune.
Big Old Yellow House sits too near & too far to the south, inside the wife still sleeping, dreaming of elm trees & next vegetable garden& morning coffee yet unmade – Bob is already quietly to
the shed, strumming the guitar, marking time & seeing across the yard between the trees to his next painting – bold mythic souls in acrylic,
on a wall for all to see. Contained but not imprisoned.
“Life as Art” AKA the latest set of aural paintings emanating from that shed – contained but not restrained on cd – spilt from the Runyon Mind
through fingers friends and portable digital recording gear – Bob Runyon, Phil Croy, Greg Spillman, Jody Goodman, David Lackey, Kitron
Houston and many others, captured in pristine bits by Mike Robertson, the secret burden of joy, dance, and gentle subversion intact upon
listen – starts with “Purple Cow,” a string band tune by Runyon celebrating living in the moment, and ends with Lackey’s “Name Brand
Cowboy,” western swing sarcasm gentle cow prod at rural-wannabe fashion victims – in between, elaborate visions in full electric post-psychedelic regalia,
meditations on human consciousness, and darkly foreboding nursery songs. In other words, there’s now a porcupine on my pillow, staring at me, strangely
human; I do believe I see him perform at a local vineyard, sipping something warm & red between sets, eyeing the locals carefully. “Who can do
what’s never been done?” one asks him. He laughs and picks up his guitar. Wild birds land and listen.
False pride and trendy existential angst are apparently buried together somewhere south of Ashland, and on their grave grow these flowers,
thorns and pistils rank, bloomglorious, perfumes of honest energy& harmony rising to the sky. Lordy knows what else is buried in those hills, what
else grows upon those obscure but not-so-silent graves. Runyon and his friends have picnicked there, soaked up the vibe, and carried it forth to us.
May they hike back there soon.
-- Goon Wan, video artist, designer, poet for C3 |
Joy and the spirit of celebration.
Despite the pressures of modern life and especially the growing sad tone
of desperation and cynicism creeping relentlessly into his beloved rural
culture (the theme of his last album, titled simply "Plumb Bobs"),
songwriter and singer Bob Runyon continues to defy the times with songs
of humor and dignity and optimism. "Life As Art" is his most powerful
and fully realized expression of courage and hope and charming humor in
the face of difficult, changing times.
From the opening song, "Purple Cow", with it's opening line
of "Things couldn't really be much better....it does you good to sing
a smile upon your heart..." to collaborator David Lacky's tongue-in-cheek "Name
Brand Cowboy", this album celebrates country life. But there's nothing
simple or stereotyped about country living as described by Bob and his
friends. On the contrary, these songwriters are smart, educated and aware,
even wise, and their lives in the country are thoroughly informed by an
up-to-date awareness of all that goes on. As the title song expresses it,
Bob and his friends live their lives with "eyes wide ... eyes open
wide".
The ensemble on this album also expresses a sophistocated, crossover
sensibility. With rhythms driven by jazz drummer Jody Goodman, and St.
Louis jazz guitarist Phil Croy threading amazing, uplifting lines throughout,
with Mark Allred's perfectly timed and tasteful keyboard lines, Greg Spillman's
classical and graceful cello lines, this ain't your everyday string band
in any sense. Underlying it all are more traditional sounds: Kit Tate,
Dave Lacky and Mark Chambers on mandolin and mandola, John Hamlin and Paul
Grace on fiddles, Pat Hamlin on accordion, and Dave Lacky on string bass,
not to mention Danny Hall, Dave, Greg and Bob on guitars, this is a band
which understands the harmonies and subtleties of a traditional string
band. Add to this mix Mike Barber's sitar on "Wild Birds", and
you get an idea of the eclectic approach of "Life As Art". And
it all works. It all uplifts. It all refreshes.
Immaculately recorded by Bob and David, mixed and produced by Bob and
Mike Robertson (who also produced "Plumb Bobs") and mastered
by Jeff Mueller, this album shines. It bores straight to my heart like
a sweet arrow. It is often deeply affecting. Give "Life As Art" a
listen. Loan your copy to your friends. Your lives will be that much smarter
and more refined as a result. You will smile at the very least. And if
you're lucky, you'll discover "what it means to be Strangely Human."
-- Lazlo Kovaks, producer and visionary for C3, and enigma |
