Dave Boutette

Whether banging out a set of saloon songs at some Michigan watering hole, or settling back for an evening of tunes at a fire ring afterward, Dave Boutette will hold his listeners as long as they keep the lights on or until the rain starts. Stories, observations, advice, or 50/50 raffles are as apt to appear during a performance as are his songs. As they unfold the songs testify to the power of true love, hope, rebirth, snow plows, and migrating fish. If you get the chance, stand next to Boutette. Beside feeling taller than you actually are, you may start to see some things around you in an entirely new light.
Here's what's going on now: The Piccolo Heart is out now on the Embassy Hotel Records label. It is a fully realized twelve song testament to Boutette’s commitment to writing and songcraft, blending many schools of American roots and popular music into a unique and accessible statement on love and all that comes with it. Recorded and produced by Adam Druckman. Give me a jingle if you're interested or head over to CD Baby:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/boutette2
Folks seem to be digging this disc wherever it lands. By some miracle of fate, the good bookings keep landing at the doorstep. Chops are happenin' and I can't wait for the next show.
A Little History
Before stepping out on his own, Boutette spent ten years with the Detroit-based alterna-rock bar kings The Junk Monkeys. The band toured the nation like crazy, supporting acts such as the Goo Goo Dolls and Hootie and the Blowfish, while recording under the Warner Bros./Metal Blade label from 1990-93.
In recent years Boutette has performed at many Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio venues including The Acoustic Avenue Cafe Series, The Ark, The Barking Spider, The Crazy Wisdom Tea Room, The Blind Pig, Borders Books and Music stores, The Cadieux Cafe, The Crooked Tree Arts Center, The Inside Out Gallery, Kejara’s Bridge, MAMA’s Coffehouse, Memphis Smoke, The BOB-Grand Rapids, The Wealthy Theatre, The White Crow Music Conservatory, The Trinity House Theatre, Horizon Books, Schuler Books and Music, and Uncommon Ground.
Music and community festivals Dave has performed at include: The Ann Arbor Art Fair, Ann Arbor’s Top of the Park Series, The Dearborn Homecoming Festival, The Grand Marais Songwriters Festival, Milford Memories, and The Muskegon Summer Celebration.
In addition to live radio performances on WDET, WNMC, WYCE, and WCSX, Dave has also been a featured artist on the Detroit Underground television series.
Boutette is among a number of Michigan artists who contributed to Tell it, Think it, Speak it, Breathe it, a compilation cd to benefit the Ann Arbor Area Committee for Peace. Dave is also a regular participant with Dylanfest, a yearly concert to raise funds for the Ann Arbor Ecology Center. Recently he has been busy assembling on a dare, the SugarBeat Cowboys, an all-star-rockin’-zydeco party band.
What they wrote:
“From its cracked cabaret start to the Salvation Army march of its endearing title track ("Bring me back as a bird and I'll sing all day"), The Piccolo Heart exhibits a rare sense of musical and lyrical humor that is not only refreshingly original and most welcome, it is entirely infectious. Like Tom Waits without the early years of bourbon and the latter years of brimstone, Boutette's crafty songs intermittently creep up or pounce on you. Either way, you're along for a fun ride.
A decidedly happy slop sink of styles, the Junk Monkey's former guitarist ranges woozily from the above mentioned cabaret (Dime In Hand, Love Won't Go Away ("So you'd better make room for it"), then waltzes blithely into Girl In Love ("Who swept the moon from the sky?"). Wilco whispers Brave Little Darling while a bowed bass wreaks havoc on the deceptively pretty First Snow of November. Throw in an inventive rendering of Stephen Foster's Why No One to Love?'and The Piccolo Heart becomes a true restorative in every sense of the word.” Mike Jurkovic, Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange http://www.acousticmusic.com/fame/
“Pop vocalist Dave Boutette fuses a sort of classic folk feel ala Woodie Guthrie or early Dylan with kisses of modern alt folk edginess and a touch of crooner blues. The result is unique and refreshing, with music that lets you pay attention to the wonderful stories while experiencing them in subtly non traditional singer/songwriter fashions. You can also think of Tom Waits without the gruff voice. Songs like “Waltz For Smelt,” “Dime In Hand” and “New Parade” cast perspective on his  talents. Music that is catchy, honest and enjoyable as well as being skillfully crafted.” Music Morsels
"Boutette, with work shaped by the likes of Dylan, Westerberg, Guthrie, Costello and Prine, is one of those guys who will probably wind up being cited as an influence by the next generation of singer-songwriters.”- Roger LeLievre, Ann Arbor News
From our pals over in Italia: "Fermi tutti! Abbiamo tra le mani un bel disco. Niente di cui stupirsi, dite? Non sappiamo a cosa siate abituati ultimamente, ma se prima di pronunciarvi vi esponeste al knock-out di Dime in Hand e Love Won't Go Away, che aprono The Piccolo Heart, forse cambiereste idea. La prima sembra un outtake da The Sons of Intemperance Offering, gioiello dilaniato di Phil Cody che brillò in mezzo al rumore degli anni '90...La parola capolavoro non ci piace: se ne abusa e se ne è perso il senso. Questo poi in fondo è solo un album capace di scaldare i cuori stretti dal gelo di questi freddi giorni… Decidete voi, se vi può bastare. Noi possiamo solo consigliarvelo."-Yuri Susanna, Roots Highway
"Dave Boutette is an interesting songwriter from Ann Arbor, influenced by many artists, from Phil Cody to Ryan Adams. His new album The Piccolo Heart is an exceptional example of new wave of American songwriter scene.
Nel continuo fermento artistico della scena musicale americana e nel suo continuo alternarsi di next big thing e replicanti di vecchie rock icone rock, ogni tanto fa capo qualche sopresa interessante ma pochissime volte accade di trovarsi di fronte a cantautori con reali possibilità di sfondare e molto spesso si tratta solo di lampi momentanei come accadde negl’anni novanta con Phil Cody con The Sons of Intemperance Offering. Di recente si fa un gran parlare di Dave Boutette, un giovane cantautore dalla grandi qualità, che da poco ha pubblicato The Piccolo Heart, un disco di pregevole fattura che mescola sperimentazione e ricerca sonora con un limpido songwriting. Boutette non è un pivellino, ma anzi ha una bella esperienza alle spalle prima con i Junk Monkeys, una punk rock band di Detroit poi come solista. I suoi tre album precedenti non hanno avuto grande risonanza ma ascoltandoli si ha la sensazione che il suo talento emerga progressivamente e se letto in questo senso The Piccolo Heart, è il suo disco della maturità presentando un vero e proprio salto di qualità rispetto al passato. All’ascolto si ha la sensazione di essere di fronte ad un cantautore, una spanna più in alto rispetto al più recente Ryan Adams e ben lontano dalla sua ripetitività, essendo questo disco assolutamente vario nei suoni e soprattutto nelle strutture musicali. Il disco si apre con un uno-due esaltante prima con la torrida Dime in Hand e poi con la piccola sinfonia sgangherata di Won't Go Away che parte a ritmo di polka per poi diventare un blues sferragliante che richiama Highway 61 di Bob Dylan sirene comprese. Seguono ballate pregevoli come Iva, Girl In Love dove le chitarre incontrano il violoncello, e la splendida Waltz For Smelt che ricorda un po’ The Band e un po’ Tom Petty. Ciò che colpisce è comunque la cura sonora, ed in questo complice di Boutette è stato sia l’ottimo Adam Druckman alla produzione sia il sostegno di alcuni membri dei Great Lakes Myth Society, che suonano nelle varie tracce ed in particolare nella bellissima First Snow Of November, un brano quasi rumoristico che ci porta nei pressi del Tom Waits più sperimentale. Sul finale arrivano prima la fascinosa Walk Me Home Again e la rilettura Why No One to Love?, dal songbook di Stephen Foster, poi la sinuosa title track sostenuta dall’accordion di John Comfort, che suggella un disco quasi perfetto. Non ci sentiamo di usare la parola capolavoro ma senza dubbio The Piccolo Heart è un disco che lascerà il segno." Il Popolo del Blues
My Space or Yours? Myspace Layouts and more at myspaceoryours.net!