Almost got Reel

<p>&nbsp;Born in Los Angeles in 1962, Douglas Coleman had the opportunity to travel the world extensively with his parents during his childhood. &ldquo; At that time, I can remember that almost every radio station where ever I went was playing The Beatles&rsquo; music.&rdquo; &nbsp;It was also around this time that he developed the ability to play the piano and began to play every type of music he heard. As he grew up, he began to write his own compositions. At age 20, he moved to NYC and played in a few small clubs around the big apple. Frustrated with the radically changing music scene in the early 80&rsquo;s he moved to Boston and worked for 20 years in corporate America. Still passionate about music, he set up a studio in his home and continued to write and record. &ldquo;The artistic temperament and the corporate environment don&rsquo;t mix very well.&rdquo; Finding it difficult to be inspired creatively, and longing for a return to his musical endeavors, &nbsp;at age 43 he left Boston and the USA for Thailand, settling down in a small rice farming village where he set up a studio and has begun working on his 2nd album. &ldquo;I find the environment in Thailand to be very conducive to creativity and song writing. It is a very inspirational place.&rdquo;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><div><div class="entry">Artist: Douglas Coleman<br />Singles: "Kevlar Bob" and "Language Not Required"<br />Review by Bob Felberg<br /><br /><br />So, what does a man do after 20 years in corporate America? In Douglas Coleman's case, he continues to pursue the musical dream he has carried since his youth. Coleman set out to have a career in music in the early 1980's, but became frustrated and opted for the corporate world. Though his musical temperament and the business world were at odds, Coleman stayed his vocational course for over twenty years before surrendering to his muse, leaving his job and the USA for Thailand where he set up a studio and is chasing his musical dream. In Thailand, he found his small fishing village to be an environment conducive to song writing and creativity in general.<br /><br />In preparation for a new album, Coleman offers us two selections from his as yet un-named creation. At first blush, it would be easy to describe Coleman's style as shoe gazer. The genre might fit, but there is so much more happening here that just the slow, dreariness attributed to that category. "Kevlar Bob" is a sad, but all too true, tale of a disenfranchised fellow who lives in fear for his life. He spends all day in his home alone wearing a bullet proof vest, thus the kevlar in the title, even when he goes to bed "just because/just in case." Bob wasn't always so cheerless, but the world has worn him down. "When he was a younger man, his life was so strong/now he's mad at the world, it's going all wrong" A mystery, Bob "Thinks and he plans all day, for what we don't know." It&rsquo;s a touch of The Beatles' "Nowhere Man" and "Eleanor Rigby" rolled into one. Kevlar Bob is a strange man, yes, but still "a bit like you and me."<br /><br />Coleman cites The Beatles as one of his main inspirations and, in fact, musically there is a lot of Paul McCartney in "Kevlar Bob,&rdquo; primarily on the keyboard track, some smooth bass guitar, and when nearly hidden drums join along the way. Simple production values offer an adequate, if sparse, ambience. With the chorus, there is a nice upturn in time, even offering a solution. "Kevlar Bob get out and go do/The world can be yours again, it's all up to you/Don't think about everything, your mind should be free/The difference between us might make us agree." Melody is Coleman's number one asset. "Kevlar Bob's" melancholy tune is perfect for the subject: simple song about a sad man overcome by society's pressures.<br /><br />The second offering, "Language Not Required," is a most interesting and beautiful cross-cultural love song. Bringing along his love for The Beatles with McCartney in the music and latter-career John Lennon lyrically, Coleman speaks of a relationship that surpasses words and settles on the fact the he is in love. The chorus is at once breathtakingly beautiful and simplistic. "You're just who I love/You're just who I love/You're just who I love/For all you've done and what you'll do/the only one, it's true." The chorus is made all the stronger by the controlled production. Piano, bass and some harmony vocals, it is elegant, intense and beautiful.<br /><br />There may be some bumps in this musical road, however. The sameness in the time, sound and presentation of the 2 songs makes them a bit tedious, and the lack of high-end frequencies tends to dull the listener's pleasure. Although the songs, especially "Language Not Required," benefit from this hands-off approach, it would be lovely to here them with full production. However, something lush and over-the-top might seem to clash with Coleman's musical nature. His work demands that we slow down a little bit. We need to pull up a chair and hang out with him a while to find out what he is trying to express. We need to get to know his world. It should be time worth taking.<br /><br /><br />Review by Bob Felberg<br />Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)<div class="caption">Bob Felberg - Reviewyou.com (Dec 16, 2010)</div></div><div class="entry">Douglas Coleman's "Language Not Required" is a deeply provoking melody, full of insightful, inspired lyrics and perfectly mellow piano. The orchestration is a bullseye. Other highlights of this middle of the road artist include the equally pensive "Plastic Flowers" and the sweet "Kevlar Bob". Overall, a collection of old school emo full of drama and musical power that grabs our attention.<br /><br /><br />A&amp;R Select<br />8286 Santa Monica Blvd<br />West Hollywood, CA 90046<div class="caption">A&amp;R select (Dec 17, 2010)</div></div><div class="entry">Douglas Coleman<br />Almost Got Reel<br /><br /><br />Douglas Coleman has a calm, relaxed style but his words really sting on this record. The opening title track sees him lash out at an ex while playing a sharp tune. His solo artist with guitar shtick might be common, but when he's got songs this good it hardly matters.<br /><br />"Blue Anime Eyes" has a brilliant title and a suitably catchy tune to boot. It's a ballad that's guaranteed to not pile on the sugar. "Corporate Hangover" is sharp and bitter; Coleman singing of a life lived in compromise. "Night in Montreal" sees the singer use his expressive voice well and acquire curious warmth. He paints vivid pictures here as ever. It's a strong album all told.<br /><br />Copyright &copy; 2010 Anna Maria Stj&auml;rnell<div class="caption"><a title="Anna Maria Stj&auml;rnell - Luna Kafe" href="http://lunakafe.com/moon173/usnh173.php" target="_blank">Anna Maria Stj&auml;rnell - Luna Kafe</a> (Oct 23, 2010)</div></div><div class="entry">Inspired by classic &lsquo;70&rsquo;s Soft Rock stylings, singer-songwriter Douglas Coleman captures the spirit of the times on his excellent CD, &ldquo;Almost Got Reel.&rdquo; Channeling the sounds of Gerry Rafferty, Al Stewart, and Chris Rea (among others), Coleman avoids all the pitfalls of the genre (i.e., sappy, cloying) with his original mid and up-tempo piano-led pop songs. CD-opener and title track, &ldquo;Almost Got Reel,&rdquo; nails it with its minor key melody and a moody after-midnight ambiance that recalls the spirit of &ldquo;Baker Street,&rdquo; but with its own unique and original flair. &ldquo;Almost Got Reel&rdquo; is also reprised in a terrific acoustic guitar-backed version at the end of the disc. Elegant, similarly &lsquo;70&rsquo;s-influenced harmonies help set the tone on other album highlights as well, with &ldquo;Blue Anime Eyes,&rdquo; &ldquo;Night in Montreal,&rdquo; and the power ballad-like, &ldquo;Gone More Slow,&rdquo; finding Coleman at his most tuneful and engaging best. These days Soft Rock is better known as Adult Contemporary, but the strength of Coleman&rsquo;s music is that he hasn&rsquo;t forgotten the Rock: although there are no screaming guitar solos or over-the-top production flourishes, nonetheless the vibe on &ldquo;Almost Got Reel&rdquo; is hardly laid-back. Like the above-named singers best works, Douglas Coleman&rsquo;s &ldquo;Almost Got Reel&rdquo; CD strikes a smart balance between folk and pop melodies on this timeless collection of well-crafted and well-executed songs.<br /><br />-Rice B. and the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team<div class="caption"><a title="Rice B. and the RadioIndy.com reviewer team. - Radio Indy" href="http://www.radioindy.com/bands/6242/" target="_blank">Rice B. and the RadioIndy.com reviewer team. - Radio Indy</a> (Jul 20, 2009)</div></div></div>