Search - Dean Friedman :: Treehouse Journals

A masterpiece of Americana, The Treehouse Journals is an eclectic mix of folk, country, pop, jazz and rock which depicts, in subtle and intimate detail, the feelings and textures of life in small-town USA, following the trauma of 9/11. In his inimitable literary-song style, Friedman, proves himself, once again, to be a master craftsman and songsmith, offering up track after track of rich and colorful story-songs, short stories set to music, each of which vividly offers up a portrait of ordinary people, navigating the sea of modern life and grappling, as best they can with these extraordinary times. With the thirteen songs that comprise The Treehouse Journals , Friedman again demonstrates his ability to combine gently whimsy with profound emotional impact as he sings engaging, melodic songs about real life - troublemaking kids, mischievous pets, loyal friends, hope and healing following trauma and depression, and the powerful emotions inherent in our relationship to our family, community and ultimately the country and world we live in. In the tradition of his debut breakout single Ariel, Friedman delivers ear-catching melodies and harmonies wedded perfectly to cinematic lyrics, creating unique and original songs that conjure up vivid life scenes, which resonate and are familiar to us all. This artfully produced album has a more acoustic bent than Friedmans previous work, the critically acclaimed, Songs for Grownups [Real Life Records]. Even while sharing sonic space with assorted rock/pop/jazz elements, the down-home country textures on The Treehouse Journals guitars, fiddles, banjos, harmonicas, upright bass and dobros featured on the album, provide the essential sitting-in-the-backyard, hanging-out-in-the-Treehouse, sentiment that lies at the heart of this beautiful collection of musical treats. A standout track, among many, is the powerful and stirring, George Washington Slept Here , a timely American epic that celebrates the core of this country's great spirit and awesome heritage revealed in a poetic ode to our founding father, George Washington, first president of the United States. The other equally compelling tracks, including The Wind Blows , You and Me, Babe , The Saddest Girl in The Whole Wide World and Picture Postcard Life and the rest, all combine to provide a uniquely pleasurable listening experience for the die-hard fan and newcomer alike.