Blurbs on Voices from the Right Brain
“Rob
Siegel’s brilliant new CD, “Voices from the right brain” overflows with
idealism and realism, with wild moonshots and savvy connections, with
polemics and wordplay, with sophisticated chord progressions and references
to philosophy, mythology, history, literature and ethics. Recorded
using only his expressive voice and big fistful of acoustic guitar styles
in a live concert format at Harvard Square’s legendary Club Passim, Mr.
Siegel’s songs are dense and literate; they are a thinking, feeling man’s
response to life in a world as devoid as ever of justice, morality and
grace.”
Geoff
Bartley (read
the whole review here)
“Right
from the first track of Rob Siegel's Voices from the Right Brain, there is
a sense of urgency. For the next 66 minutes there is little chance to let
your listening guard down, with either side of your brain. Siegel's songs
are clever and obviously labored upon. There are lots of lyrics and
political undertones -- all balanced by humor.
The
opener unfolds like a romance novel as the married businessman on the
road convinces himself that it doesn't count as being unfaithful if
you just yearn. Yet chapters go beyond yearning and we are left as our
protagonist adulterer is unsure of exactly
where the "Point of No Return" was. Siegel spends a whole song
writing to "The God I Don't Believe In" tossing out possibilities
of proving who invented whom.
These
songs and the others on the album demand several listens. The concentration
needed and the wide variety of references (Dante, Kandinski,
Ulysses) would make one thing that Siegel is a college professor. He isn't.
Perhaps weary of his own "Social Intercourse" (actually a song
title) he includes a song about a "Shaker Chair," pleasantly
stripped to bare essentials, yet proving him unable to resist adding a
"Naugahyde Barcalounger" in a second
verse. Even humorous numbers demand close following. In "I Met
Myself" he meets his college-aged self, yet doesn't accept his own
hindsight. Insults fly between the two selves and, finally he calls himself
two cabs, one home and one back to 1978.
Often an obviously dedicated writer can't equal his
writing with his guitar chops, but Siegel has solid guitar work able to be
flashy while matching his untypical lyrics. The recordings here were
collected from a live taping at Boston's Club Passim. The performances
prove that Siegel's talents run far wider than great writing: he is
uniquely entertaining and thoughtful.”
--Sing
Out! Magazine
“Rob
Siegel’s songs get you laughing at the little things and reflecting on the
big issues. Then, pretty soon, you’re laughing at the big issues and
reflecting on the little things. Good for the soul.”
--Marilyn
Rae Beyer, WUMB Radio Network
--Marilyn Rae
Beyer, Music Director, WUMB Radio Network
“Rob
Siegel brings a casual storytelling to his performances like a new Arlo
Guthrie. His offbeat sense of humor shines on this new CD as does his
intricate songwriting.”
--Matt
Smith, Manager, Club Passim, Cambridge
