An easy going vocal style that belies a knack for literary detail and story telling that's way above the typical folk singer. --- Calvin Powers, Taproot Radio
Heavily influenced by his American cowboy background. Maybe he can't ride a horse, but he certainly takes you there with his songs. --- Roger Giles, President of Devonport Folk Music Club & Auckland Folk Festival
Stormy folk music based around deft picking and strumming. The lyrics are worldly and transcend the sadly usual cliches that seem to come with the territory. ---Simon Sweetman, NZ Musican
Those guys were speaking about BLACK HORSES the solo acoustic album recorded by Robbie Duncan, Braeburn, Wellington and it can be bought HERE (and HEAVY WATERS can be purchased from HERE ).
Black Horses was listed as one of the BEST OF AMERICANA 2008 (small & independant releases) by Americana Homeplace: PRESS HERE .
Some brief and interesting notes on the posted songs:
EVE OF THE STEEL BLUE MOON (unrecorded, R. Leschen & C. Denham): A home, home, home on the reggae ballad where the gypsys and coyotes play.
WILD ROSES & SATIN (Black Horses): An Old Tyme Country Waltz tune about the economic decay of a small town - perhaps your hometown.
BIG CHIEF/LITTLE JONES (Black Horses): Freedom fighters (restless cowboys) join forces with Big Chief to fight antebellum bureaucrats: no one wins, but the guitar pickin is pretty damn good!
ADAMAN TIDE (Heavy Waters): Jam-band meets India modal in a catastrophic narrative (rescue workers are Tui Divers, vocal; Nigel Gavin, bass; Yair Katz, rods and cylinders).
HEAVY WATERS (Heavy Waters): Bluegrass ballad and title track of from Heavy Waters that features excellent fiddle work by Aucklander Coralie Usmani.
WHITE WHITE WEST (Heavy Waters): A
Tex-Mex rocker from the
album Heavy Waters that includes Nigel Gavin (bass) and Yair Katz
(drums).
HEY- you didn't tell
me about the cool video below! Check out BED
MONKEY from Black
Horses (Costa Botes made it!)
Add to My Profile | More Videos
HEAVY WATERS - Richard Leschen
"True and respectful to his
named influences
including Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter and
American
folk, Richard Leschen
has woven a collection of
narratives presented in folk-rock with touches of country and
discernible kiwi flavour .
Highly sentimental, the epic opening track Thanks
For Calling was triggered by Hurricane Katrina putting his friends in
peril, as
well as contact stimulated by a surprise phone call from his father
("Dad
never calls!"). Leschen
writes with his heart on
his sleeve, and captures the moment with cynically crafted and surreal
references to worldly ways, posturing by the undeserving and aloof in
front of
a backdrop of Americana . The phrase title is
referenced
in other lyrics to water in various states: tears, river delta, clouds,
rain
and blood - all presented in emotional weighty contexts, tying the work
together nicely. Recorded to
convey timeless tradition,
capturing the essence of natural Northland beauty, and to be enjoyed
for years
to come."
Andy Bramwell, Wiakato Times
View Richard Leschen's EPK
Feedback on Water Dragon (names changed for privacy) Hi Rich Here are some comments on the water dragon film: --------- From Raphael Lipschitz: 'The pumping sound is a real turn on. For you too?' Reply from Desmundo Mundo: Yes, it certainly had an appealing rhythm to it, but I liked the way the light bulb faded away, like an old memory.---------- From an acquaintance: 'Oddly moving' ---------- From an art school lecturer (Andrew Grewsmith) I like arguing with: 'Very nice actually Desmundo – but I must admit I was expecting some funny or surprising truth about the jerry-rigged plumbing to be revealed in the last few seconds. Without this it seemed much closer to a piece of contemporary video art than I thought you’d want to go without being inoculated.'--------- My reply to him thinking that you made it (Did you?): Hi Andrew, So you're looking for a narrative? It's all there, a metaphor for getting up in the morning and going to bed at night. I don't mind video art as long as it doesn't go on for too long and it's not propaganda for some "issue". It's the endless loop stuff which reminds you there are better things to do in life. I put video under the category of cinema, which I have always enjoyed. At least you don't trip over it when you look at a painting. It was made by a friend of mine - an American scientist I worked with. Perhaps I should suggest he goes to art school or put it into the Walters Prize. He's a fan of David Lynch, and there is a similarity.--------- His reply: 'Hahaha – great Desmundo, Yes I look forward to that downtoearth coffee with you two floors up in nearish future. All best to you, Andrew' ------------ I hope you don't mind if I thought you might have made it. If not, where did it come from? I think it's very good.Cheers - Desmundo