Dan Sheridan: Recycle
For the month of February we have found another excellent independent album by a Roaring Fork Valley singer/songwriter. Dan Sheridan is an accomplished songwriter and performer having won the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriting Showcase, Swallow Hill Folk Festival Songwriter Contest, and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival Troubadour Contest. Dan has released 5 independent albums with the latest one being "Recycle." Known for his use of alternate tunings, strong lyrical content, sense of humor, and strong melodies Dan is an outstanding writer in the American Folk tradition.
"Recycle" is a strong collection of deftly written stories and commentaries on life. Dan’s trademark humor shines through on several tracks especially "Big Money" where he comments on how Aspen has changed from a friendly mountain town to an enclave of wealth.
"Down in their graves you can hear the miners say, 'Big Money Ruins Everything'" -Big Money, Dan Sheridan
The best written song on the album and my favorite would be "Noah" where subtle thoughts and ideas flow throughout the song. Part love song, part commentary; all wrapped up in the story of Noah and the flood. The music also adds significantly to this song, the melody sounds like something that you heard in your youth and are hearing for the first time in may years. An all around excellent track.
Though not the strongest song on the album, I have to comment on “Dog Food.” This song is written from the point of view of Dan's dog. Some of the lines in the song are incredibly well thought out; what a dog would feel for it's master. A very tender song, but still fun.
Another track that I enjoyed was "Sheep". It talks about people that "travel down the road of least resistance." Other lines such as "living everyday with passive abandon, brand new pair of hiking boots to find a line to stand in" speak to several themes running through the whole album. These themes are living for each new day, creativity, and running off and exploring even though you might scrape your knee.
Dan Sheridan’s Recycle is well worth a listen with 10 well written songs covering different topics but unified by several strong themes. Recycle is a Paravellum recommendation with 4 ½ stars. Well worth picking up a copy!