Songwriter Marc Berger will be releasing his album, Ride,
on July 17, 2012, via his label Real Records. Inspired by his lifelong
love affair with the American West, and co-produced with drummer Mike
Ricciardi, Ride presents ten cinematic recordings capturing
the vastness and romance of the West while exploring its deep roots in the
American psyche. From the haunting message and beat of “Twister,”
through the soul shaking experience of taming a wild horse in “Take It On The
Chin,” to the sexy, mind blowing, middle-of-nowhere encounter of “Time Waits
For No Man,” Ride takes listeners on a thrilling, dusty
traveling tour of the Great American Frontier while introducing them to some of
its more intriguing characters.
Besides his band (composed of Berger on vocals, acoustic
guitar, and harmonica; Ricciardi on drums and percussion; Jack O’Hara on
bass, electric and slide guitars; D’Raz on accordion; and Rob Meador on
mandolin), Berger was joined in the studio by a number of special guests,
including Eric “Roscoe” Ambel (Steve Earle, The Del-Lords, Joan Jett) on electric
and acoustic guitars, Tony Garnier (Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Paul Simon) on
upright bass, and Joe Flood (Levon Helm) on mandolin and fiddle. The
album, which was recorded by Jules Bailis and mastered by Greg Calbi at
Sterling Sound, is already at #28 on The Alternate Root’s
Roots 66 International Airplay chart. Ride is out now at
Triple A radio format and public radio stations nationwide.
Early album reviews have been extremely positive. Says Rambles.net:
“Guy Clark with more consistently memorable tunes. …This is the good stuff,
roots music infused with intelligence and wisdom.” FAME (Folk
& Acoustic Music Exchange) concurs, saying, “…this is country folk
music wrought by a working philosopher who's missed nothing, kept a lot inside
for a time, and captured the land.” Jersey Beat’s praise was
similar: “Berger’s stark and straightforward musical evocation of the
American West eschews cliché and sentiment in favor of an admirably clear-eyed
honesty and reflectivity. One can almost taste the dust and feel the desolation
of the wide open prairies…” The Alternate Root calls it “a
gem of a record.”
Music was always a passion and after graduating law school,
Berger put his diploma on the shelf and fronted bands that played locally in
New York City in venues such as CBGB, Wetlands, and The Knitting Factory.
At the same time, Berger also explored the American West, venturing into remote
regions of its deserts and mountains. On one such excursion, he
discovered “The Big It” by A.B. Guthrie on a revolving rack in a Navajo
reservation trading post, and the collection of short stories ignited the idea
of using his own travels to create a set of songs in the same cultural
tradition. Now, utilizing the medium of music, Berger joins American
artists such as John Ford, Frederick Remington, and Guthrie in celebrating the
unique landscape and mythology of the West.
Berger has performed at Austin’s SXSW Music Festival, The
Kerrville Folk Festival and has opened shows for Bob Dylan among other national
acts. His song, “The Last One,” has been performed by Richie Havens at
antinuclear rallies in the United States and Europe, and he’s been quoted in
the New York Times and featured on the CBS Evening News.
Berger’s song, “Nobody Gonna Ride On The Railroad,” from the album, was honored
in the 2009 Billboard Magazine Songwriting Contest.
www.marcbergermusic.com
www.facebook.com/marcbergermusic
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