Trouser

CD AVAILABLE AT WWW.CDBABY.COM/TROUSER "Who do you guys sound like?" It was always the question I dreaded the most when trying to promote Trouser. I evaded this question with a healthy blend of ambiguous analogies, self deprecating jokes, and subtle contempt for the person asking the question. The question is of course a perfectly legitimate one, but it always left me feeling paralyzed. My goal as a songwriter at the time was to keep my influences guarded like hand of poker, trying to make it seem as though each song leapt out of my brain into the world, free of any traceable roots. I wanted all style blending to be so unconscious that the end result was something that couldn't be described with human language. In retrospect, this approach, as well as being quite impossible, was a recipe for mental illness, but some interesting results did occur none the less. We did create a sound that was quite unique and cohesive, though I'm sure some influences came through whether we wanted them to or not. I was into 1970's Miles Davis at the time, and I'm sure that that my long standing admiration for Tom Waits, James Brown, Elvis Costello, and David Bowie never to far out of my mind, not to mention a bit of Beck and the Beastie Boys, and Medeski Martin and wood.Ultimately, I ask the listener the same Question. Who do we sound like? And then ask your friends, "who do these guys sound like?" and if anyone comes up with a good answer, it might help me figure out what to do with this album. I encourage you to listen to the mp3's and send me your thoughts.Brett VanDonsel PS. YOU CAN HEAR BRETT'S SOLO PROJECTS AT WWW.MYSPACE.COM/BRETTVANDONSEL.