The songs on my seventh album, ‘Noise’, were written in a 14 month period starting at the end of 1998 through 1999. This makes it chronologically my fourth album, but lyrically it is the follow up to my second album, Pretending. I had drawn on songs from when I first started writing songs in 1981 for my first three albums. So after the songs for the third album, First Love, were chosen, I challenged myself to write a new album from scratch, and that is what I did, resulting in this album, Noise. This song cycle chronicles the breakdown of my first marriage, and contains some of the saddest songs I have ever written, though the last song, New Beginnings, is an optimistic rocker about the future.

I was fortunate to be able to use the same musicians that helped me record the Real Life album (Chris Delis again brilliant on guitar, Kevin Presutti spot on with sax and flute, Ken Adessa fluid on drums and percussion, Gary Georgett impeccable on organ, Marco Vitali perfect on violin, and Brian Connell solid on bass) . The exception is the lead vocalist, but I was very happy to discover Kate Lewis, a wonderful singer with a beautiful voice who captured the emotion of the lyrics perfectly. Also, what stands out on this album are excellent horn arrangements by Chris Rinaman (who also played trombone) and kick ass trumpet solos by Frosty Lawson on the single, Waves, and the closer, New Beginnings.
There is something special about this album. Maybe it’s because it took 15 years of a full life from the writing of the songs to the recording of them. Or maybe it was the magic in the room when the piano, drums, and bass were recorded live in the first recording session. Whatever it was, the result is some of my best work, and I hope this is the album that gets people to notice. Maybe this ‘Noise’ that I make is not just for me.

This album is available to download on Itunes, and the CD can be ordered from amazon.com.