The Reverend John DeLore

Buy & Listen at:

http://thereverendjohndelore.bandcamp.com/album/songs-from-church-avenue

This past summer, my good friend Kara Suzanne & I were asked to participate in The 78 Project.  We performed our own version of the murder ballad “Omie Wise,” recorded straight to a 78RPM acetate via a vintage Presto-Direct-to-Disc machine (the same kind famed folk music collector Alan Lomax used to use in field recordings). 

“Omie Wise” is a classic murder ballad about a ne’er-do-well young man who lures Omie Wise with promises of marriage and then drowns her in a river.  Yes, it’s dark matter for song, but remember, folks in the early 20th century didn’t have a tabloid press to spread the sordid details of crimes.  Folk music was how these stories were spread. 

For our version, we re-worked the lyrics of “Omie Wise” so that the original story is integrated with a more modern and familiar murder trial from the 90s that involved a White Bronco.  If that hint didn’t uncover the secret you’ll just have to click on the link and listen to the words to figure out just WHO we’re singing about.

‘Goodnight Irene’: A musical response to the storm

The Reverend John DeLore, a fantastic singer-songwriter who performed at the Juggling Gypsy a while back, was in his Brooklyn apartment settling in for the storm on Saturday with his girlfriend. As spins of the original Lead Belly version of “Goodnight Irene” played over and over on television DeLore, on advice from his girlfriend, wrote his own lyrics for the song to accommodate the current situation.

DeLore then recorded an acoustic track of him singing and playing and sent the mp3 out to about 30 musician friends. He invited them to play and sing along and then e-mail DeLore their tracks. By midnight DeLore says he had tracks from 17 other musicians, mostly from NYC and a few from Nashville and Los Angeles. All told, the song resulted in a 20-member band and choir.

You can hear or download DeLore’s version of “Goodnight Irene” here.

Or you can watch footage of NYC during the storm with the song playing:

A little more coverage of the weekend’s musical effort.  Dave Bry, writing for TheAwl.com had posted “23 Versions of What is Likely to Be the Last Song You’ll Ever Hear,” with all the various versions of “Good Night, Irene.”  This post spurred me & my cohorts on to provide Version #24.

I sent the final version to Dave the next day & he posted it on The Awl, along with a video that he found on Youtube where someone had set their NYC Hurricane footage to our rendition.  I especially love the hockey game in Times Square.  It’s hard to tell if there’s even a puck or if people are just running into each other.

http://wae.blogs.starnewsonline.com/19730/%E2%80%9Cgoodnight-irene%E2%80%9D-musical-response-to-the-storm/?tc=ar

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/2011/aug/29/scoring-storm/

I’m happy to report that our homespun, remotely-assembled, 20-person rendition of “Good Night Irene” has been getting around the web & blogosphere.  (see previous post for more details).  Some folks over at WNYC caught wind of the recording & I did a short radio interview today on Soundcheck. 

CHECK IT OUT!  An original rendition of the classic “Good Night, Irene,” performed by 20 different musicians in NYC on the night of the Hurricane.  I sent out the original mp3 of just me and my acoustic, and then everyone sent me their parts via email and I put the mix together in my room.  ENJOY! (and if you’re on the East Coast: STAY SAFE!)

http://thereverendjohndelore.bandcamp.com/album/hurricane-irene-nyc-2011

   “Conceived, recorded & produced within a 10-hour span on Saturday, August 28, 2011. All the tracks on this song were recorded by 19 different individuals, in different rooms all across the 5 boroughs, as we sat waiting for Hurricane Irene to arrive over NYC.

    “I tweaked the lyrics of this classic Leadbelly song to fit the Big Apple, recorded a solo-acoustic version around 3pm, and then sent it out to a number of my talented musician friends. They recorded their individual parts, emailed them back to me, and I put the mix together.

    “As I write this, it’s 2:03am, and I’m going to go sit down and have a beer on my stoop, and say, “Good Night, Irene.”

    “Thanks to everyone who contributed their energy to making this song happen, and here’s to Irene: have mercy on our fair city.”

    Onward, Upward…
    —Rev. John DeLore

    p.s. Thanks for not knocking the electricity out while we were putting this together.

——-

LYRICS:
    On Saturday night, she got angry.
    She stormed up the Long Island Sound.
    But still she had some tears to shed
    So she headed for New York town.

    Irene, good night. Irene, good night.
    Good night, Irene. Good night, Irene.
    I’ll see you in my dreams.

    My baby lives in Manhattan,
    But the trains are all shut down.
    I’d swim across the East River.
    But I fear that I might drown.

    Irene, good night. Irene, good night.
    Good night, Irene. Good night, Irene.
    I’ll see you in my dreams.

    Irene she rides the Cyclone,
    She cries on Jersey shore awhile
    She stops to play in Far Rockaway,
    And dances on Staten Isle.

    Irene, good night. Irene, good night.
    Good night, Irene. Good night, Irene.
    I’ll see you in my dreams.

    Stop your rumbling, stop your cryin’
    Stop your thunder don’t turn out the lights.
    Go to sleep out on the Ocean
    Can’t you hear us sing, Good Night.

    Oh, Irene, good night. Irene, good night.
    Good night, Irene. Good night, Irene.
    I’ll see you in my dreams.

Posted June 10th of this year, a friend just sent me the link to this nice write-up of “Little John the Conqueror.”  Many thanks, Mr. Aural Fitness.  My favorite line? The music has “enough pain to pull it out of the mainstream.” 

—RevJD

——-

I originally thought that my favorite music blog, Berkeley Place, turned me on to The Reverend John Delore, but I’m 100% wrong. Ekko, in his infinite wisdom, did not direct me to this artist, nor can I remember why I originally decided to pick up “Ode to an American Urn,” RJD’s debut album. At any rate, it’s a great album, and left me wishing for more.

Fortunately, The Reverend John Delore delivered with a new album this week, entitled “Little John the Conqueror.” It is a similar vein of country/southern-infused rock, with enough pain to pull it out of the mainstream. Contrary to my usual standards of painful, slow and depressing country & folk music, both albums contain solid pop hooks - albeit combined with some of the pain I expect from a good country-ish artist (see Delore’s cover of “Iodine” off “American Urn” or “When I Think of Home” on “Little John”) - but don’t skimp on a upbeat summertime feeling either (do I sense some Elvis Costello influence in “Wayside?”). You can rock out to this all summer in your backyard.

AND since it’s on Bandcamp, you can download it RIGHT NOW in any format you want AND listen to it for free in its entirety. There is also the limited edition vinyl record album, which I will likely jump on after my next paycheck.

So, if you like what I’ve written, go to RJD’s Bandcamp page and give it a listen, and perhaps a download. He deserves it. You deserve it.

LINK TO FULL REVIEW: http://auralfitness.tumblr.com/post/6384739554/the-reverend-john-delore-little-john-the-conqueror

Presented by the Deli Magazine and the Living Room, Wed. 10/19/11, as part of New York’s CMJ Music Marathon, a night of Americana Roots and Rock:

The Reverend John Delore
Ursa Minor
Lucius
Shenandoah & The Night
Union Street Preservation Society.

MORE DETAILS TO COME.

Wow!  Happy to report that the Approval Matrix in the June 13th issue of New York Magazine featured my album “Little John the Conqueror.” 

Take a look in the lower right quadrant:

“The bouncy alt country rock of the Reverend John DeLore, self-styled ramblin’ troubadour (and real life Kensington resident)”

According to my math, this placement in the matrix amounts to “upper middle low brow brilliant.” 

Review of “Little John the Conqueror” in the Deli Magazine (New York City), written by Jason Bertone:

“…thoughtful roots music with an alternative energy…[DeLore’s] keen observational style and sense of place can turn something as common as a love song into something more subtle and ultimately, satisfying.”

To read the whole review, click HERE.

Performer Magazine review of “Ode to an American Urn,” written by Brian Tucker.

“With Ode to an American Urn, DeLore crafts music and literature, topography rich in American scenery and weary hearts.”

To read the whole review, click HERE.

FreeTime Magazine (Rochester, NY) - A review of “Ode to an American Urn,” by Michelle Picardo.

“Following his higher power, the Reverend John DeLore finds heavenly intervention on his inspired first effort…Strumming tales through melodic guitar chords and lyrical sincerity, DeLore creates an artful and entertaining batch of songs that grab you with gritty hooks and rocking tempos (“Art of War”) or swirling and sweet introspection (“Everybody Loves You Just The Same”) or bluesy soul (“Jerusalem”)…”

Read the whole review HERE.

Beat Surrender (Music Blog) - A review of “Ode to an American Urn,” by Simon

“…packed with tracks that get into your head and pull you in, hook, line and sinker…an accomplished work that leaves a lasting impression and is endlessly listenable.”

Read the entire review HERE.

“Met Amerikaans patriottisme heeft de in een stars-and-stripes-hoesje gestoken cd Ode To An American Urn (eigen beheer) van The Reverend John DeLore gelukkig niets van doen. En een echte dominee is deze reverend ook niet. The Reverend John DeLore komt uit Brooklyn, New York, en vestigt de aandacht op zich met een sterk debuut…”

Umm…yeah…I can’t really read this either, but 4 stars out of 5 is great!  I was reviewed the same day as Kris Kristofferson and he only got 3 stars.  Bam! No hard feelings, Captain Kristofferson.

Click HERE for the full review.

Or, if you speak Dutch, send me a better translation & I’ll post it here…

No Depression review, posted by Jim Simpson of the “Country Music Pride” blog

“Throughout Ode to an American Urn, DeLore has assembled an enchanting work of Americana art worthy of our attention — and that of major labels.”

“DeLore’s talent exists not only within his lyrics…but in his highly infectious melodies that linger long after the music’s over.  He roams that problematic (for some folks) crossover territory between desolate country and shimmery-guitar pop.”

Read the whole review HERE.

Guilt Free Pleasures (NYC Music Blog) - A review of a live show and a review of “Ode to an American Urn,” by Emma Mankey Hidem

“…the epitome of Americana to me…had everyone in the bar bopping, tapping and even dancing….The album alternates from gritty country rock to gentle ballads to catchy (almost poppy) tunes. His music would be perfect to blast at full volume while driving through the desert with your windows down.”

Read the whole review HERE

Jezebel Music (music blog) review of “Ode to an American Urn,” by Drew Citron.

“John straddles the line between old-timey country and blockbuster license-worthy pop, like they’re neighbors bordering the same Mississippi fence. The remarkable thing is, that unlike many who’ve tried this crossover and failed, The Reverend manages to perk your toe-tapping sensibilities without forsaking good lyricism.”

Read the whole review HERE.

“The first time I heard this song, I fell off my motorcycle. It’s one of those vocal performances that takes a simple lyric and turns it into a kite made of silk. My only wish for this song would be for Roy Orbison to have done a cover of it.” - Rev.John DeLore

Recorded at the rehearsal for “Songs From Church Avenue,” this cover of Etta James’ “At Last” comes complete with tattered sleeves, a three-legged piano, a plug of chewing tobacco, and just a bit of compression.  

“The first time I heard this song, I fell off my motorcycle. It’s one of those vocal performances that takes a simple lyric and turns it into a kite made of silk. My only wish for this song would be for Roy Orbison to have done a cover of it.” - Rev.John DeLorecredits

I’m in the running for “best emerging artist of 2011 in NYC” —

VOTE HERE:

http://nyc.thedelimagazine.com/snacks/2011

Good news! There were hundreds of bands that applied through the open submissions, and only four of us made it to the next and final round for the Deli Magazine’s 2011 End of Year Poll for the Best Emerging Artist in the Traditional/Rootsy category.  CLICK HERE TO SEE THE POST ON THE DELI’S BLOG.

The next round will be a vote open to the masses.  I’ll be sure to send an update when the voting begins.  Until then, have a happy new year!