Blurbs
“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, 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
“Rob
happens to be one of the most intelligent and wonderful songwriters I’ve
ever heard.”
--Oen Kennedy, Host, The Center for the Arts in
Natick (TCAN)
