Dave Porter: S/T

Recorded in Seattle and pressed in Canada, this self-titled album by Dave Porter was one of my most interesting musical discoveries of 2005. I'll be honest and say that there are only three stand-out tracks on here but they're really good. The first being the track "I'm The Boss," which is a hard-driving, funky rock tune where Dave proudly—yet lovingly—tells his woman that he's "The Boss."

Dave kicks it up a notch, both musically and lyrically, with "Why I Can't Love You"—a song to a woman who's been playing games with Dave's heart and putting him through the kind of changes that make a man question his own sanity, and write heart-wrenching love letters containing closing lines like: "Sorry, I can't love you; goodbye." (Stay strong, Dave.) The pace of the track is as torrid as Dave's failed romance, and the force of his yells and growls suggest that he's still wrestling with the pain of heartbreak.

On "Where Do Cloulds Go," Dave shifts gears a little and experiments with a more melancholy, downtempo sound. He likens the transience of clouds to the transience of people, wondering if clouds are ever lonely or if their rain drops are really tears. Through his echoed vocals, Dave tells us: "Sometimes I feel like a small cloud passing by, never knowing where I'm going, and never knowing why." Don't we all, Dave, don't we all.

Audio:
"I'm The Boss"
"Why I Can't Love You"
"Where Do Clouds Go"

Filed under: Folk, Psych / Prog, Singer / Songwriter

11 comments for Dave Porter: S/T

Hey, I have “Where do clouds go” on an old mix tape, it’s a loungepsych killer. Excellent cover artwork too. Thanks for posting this. Do you have the label and release data for this album?

May 12, 2006 at 5:43 am

It’s a private press type deal; no label, no catalog number, no year given. On the back cover it does say that the engineer was Rick Keefer, but the other personnel aren’t mentioned.
Here is the tracklisting:
Side 1
1. Huggy Bear
2. It’s Not Really Me
3. Co Co La Pa
4. Where Do Clouds Go
5. Why I Can’t Love You
Side 2
1. I’m The Boss
2. Must We Say Goodbye Today?
3. Thin Line
4. Debra
5. Blue Day
6. Lonely Nights

I wish I had more info for you.

May 12, 2006 at 8:15 pm

Thanks… that’s still useful, esp as Rick Keefer is a wellknown name on the Pac NW music scene, being involved with the Vanco and Ridon labels among others, and also produced the legendary New Tweedy Bros LP. // Patrick

May 22, 2006 at 2:30 pm