THE BEAT

by Seth Rogovoy

(WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., Sept. 4, 1997)

Cliff Eberhardt: Beyond good and evil

The key word in the title of Cliff Eberhardt's fantastic new CD, "12 Songs of Good and Evil" (Red House), is "and."

"Nothing is black or white. Nothing is good or evil," said Eberhardt in a recent phone interview from the Left Bank Cafe in Blue Hill, Maine.

Eberhardt took the question of good vs. evil as a starting point for the songs on his new album, his fourth, and came up with a dozen ambiguous portraits that explore the cracks and crevices and gray areas of morality.

Along the way, Eberhardt visits some pretty strong emotions, including greed and hate, and portrays some unusually seamy behavior, including theft and assault. It's not typical fare for a guitar-strumming, sensitive, new-age folkie, which is in part what attracted Eberhardt to it in the first place.

"I think we've lived so long in this era of denial, this politically-correct age where everything's great and we think only positively, while we get screwed by our government, by our neighbors and by our family," said Eberhardt, who lives in the Pioneer Valley, and whose songs have been covered by Richie Havens, Shawn Colvin and Buffy Sainte-Marie.

The characters in Eberhardt's new songs are, for the most part, morally and emotionally challenged. Alternately plagued by guilt, drugs, lust and pain, they nevertheless defy judgment, each in their own, eloquent way arguing their case for the listener's sympathy. It's a tricky play, but one that Eberhardt -- long considered one of the top contemporary-folk singer-songwriters -- pulls off with the ease of a veteran all-star. With unequalled directness and with a stark, raw presentation on this mostly acoustic, rootsy album, Eberhardt carves out miniature masterpieces, giving voice to life's complexities and ambiguities.

"Why is it that we are restricted to what we're supposed to write about, and if we write about an [unseemly character], people find that wrong?" asked Eberhardt rhetorically. "It's not about me. It's an evil character. It's like you're not allowed to have fiction in your songs."

Part of Eberhardt's success is due to his taut, muscular lyrics. His songs don't beat around the bush with fussy imagery; they deal directly with the matter at hand. "The songwriting community doesn't need another person writing half-baked metaphors," said Eberhardt. "Directness to me is a lot better than unclear poetry. I have written songs that use metaphors and have very poetic images, but the older I get, the more direct I get. It's also a challenge because it's harder that way."

Likewise, Eberhardt's songs work because they are instantly catchy, with recognizable, classic-pop style melodies and hooks that grab a listener and don't let go. "There's an outrageous lack of melody in modern music," said Eberhardt. "To write a song that is melodic and sounds simple is actually 20 times as complex as writing a droning, open-tuning melody. You have to actually know a bit about music. I've always loved melody. I listen to '30s and '40s music all the time." Eberhardt appears this Saturday, Sept. 6, in the campus center at North Adams State College at 9, as part of the free, CC's Cafe music series.

Terry A La Berry: Out from behind the drums

While it's a matter open for debate, the musical partnership of Terry Hall and David Grover might well be the longest-lasting one in the Berkshires. Drummer Hall and singer-guitarist Grover have played together in numerous bands and lineups throughout the years, including the long-lasting Shenandoah, the '70s country-rock band that toured the world behind Arlo Guthrie.

For the last dozen years or so, Hall has provided the backbeat for Grover's Big Bear Band, which entertains children in live appearances and on record and video. But Terry "A La Berry," as he is known to kids and to many adults, has always been much more than just a drummer. Even with Shenandoah, he was a colorful personality who occasionally stepped out front for a lead vocal turn and some musical mischief.

Now, with the release of the children's album "Surfing with Dinosaurs" (Big Bear) -- Hall's very first solo recording -- Terry A La Berry finally gets the chance to step out from behind the drums for more than just a number or two. "There's a sense of security being behind the drum set," said Hall in a recent phone interview from his Lenox home. "Now with doing this record, that's not there. It's frightening to put yourself out there. When I was writing the songs and doing basic tracks, I was wondering if anyone was going to want to listen. It's a very different feeling for me. I'm glad we're still doing what we do in live shows. I wouldn't like to be out there trying to do the whole show. That was never something I aspired to. But I liked doing my own tape. I'm already picking songs for the next one."

As the title hints at, "Surfing with Dinosaurs" -- available on both tape and CD -- has a tropical-style theme that also touches on the Jurassic craze. The album includes old favorites familiar from Big Bear shows, including Tom Paxton's "Mashed Potatoes" and surf music like " Wipeout," as well as several Hall and Hall/Grover originals. While it's a Terry A La Berry show from beginning to end, Grover, who co-produced the album at his home studio in Monterey, and Kathy Jo Barrett, who plays bass and sings for Big Bear, are both on hand to help.

The recording also includes Woody Guthrie's "Mail Myself to You," a nod to Hall's longstanding connection to the Guthrie family and their music, and an aptly-chosen version of "Octopus' Garden," the Beatles song that features drummer Ringo Starr on lead vocals. "That meant a lot to me because the Beatles were the reason I got into music," said Hall. "It was also one of the first songs I ever sang with a band. It meant something to me and I thought it was a kids' crossover, if you will -- a sentimental thing."

The initial response to Hall's new recording is a unanimous thumbs-up from the kiddie set. "It's a thrill for me to have kids come up and not only request my songs but sing my songs back to me," said Hall. "That's something I never experienced before -- something David gets all the time. Now I know how thrilled he must be. It just makes you want to cry." And yes, the solo debut of Kathy Jo is near the top of the list of upcoming Big Bear projects.

As for Grover himself, he recently released a new children's album of lullabies. "Where Do the Balloons Go? Music to Dream By" (Big Bear) is credited to David Grover, and includes some backup by Barrett, Hall and vocalist Peter Davis. The half-hour recording, which mixes traditional lullabies with David Grover originals, is programmed as a kind of soporific -- particularly recommended for nap-time or late-night car rides. "Surfing with Dinosaurs" and "Where Do the Balloons Go?" are both available at local retail outlets that carry works by David Grover and the Big Bear Band. They are also available by mail from Big Bear Music, 80 Hawthorne St., Lenox 01240.

Seth Rogovoy
rogovoy@berkshire.net
music news, interviews, reviews, et al.

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