By Bob McKillop

Fall 2007

The electric guitar reminds you of what you loved about early, innocent rock and roll.  The bass and drums, congas and shakers, triangles, and even a bell and timpani, frame the music, set the mood, highlight the changes, and walk you through the music like a spirit guide.   The mandolin lines don’t wait for you – they dance all by themselves.  The inspired vocal harmonies remind me of the best in gospel and spiritual music.

Truth About Daisies has cut their first album, a self-titled disc with fourteen thoughtful, tastefully crafted tunes written by front woman Sheila McKinley and her multi-instrumentalist husband Doug Swift.  The songs are driven by beefy rhythms, creative chord progressions, impressive instrumental leads, and those wonderful vocal harmonies. 

Sheila’s vocals bring loads of energy to these songs; her voice is confident and strong, and is not lost in these complex and rhythmic-dominated mixes.  Doug takes the lead vocal on several of the songs he’s written, and while he is not as skilled a vocalist, his ownership of the lyrics brings a personal emotional connection that works fine.

Dan Sonenberg is a musical P.H.D., USM professor of composition, and a renowned Joni Mitchell scholar; and, oh, by the way, he is the drummer for this lucky band.  His contributions to the quality of this CD can be heard very clearly in the atomic-clock precision of his beat and the pin-point appropriateness of his drum arrangements.

Ronda Dale’s sweet, high voice is a part of the vocal magic, but she has worked extremely hard over the past few years to become the solid bassist that she is for this band.  I believe that a strong bass line in a song is what makes you remember the melody; it provides the framework that helps you pull the rest of the tune in.  If that’s true, Ronda will be a major reason that these songs are remembered by folks.

Burd plays a shaker like no one I have every heard, bringing out rhythms and tones far beyond what most people expect from this simple instrument.  She also plays a mean conga, and sings like - well, like a bird!  Her nuanced, textured, and highly skilled vocals are the foundation of the stunning backing vocal harmonies that make this band so special.

The CD opens with “Sunshine”, a song with a great electric guitar riff holding it together, nice lyrical hooks, but an intriguing, obscure theme.  It’s an upbeat track, but I’m not sure the message is all that positive – I’m going to need a few more listens to figure that one out.

I think my favorite track is “Out Goes the Old”; I enjoyed its simplicity and innocence.  I love the acoustic guitar intro, the great hooks, and the way the percussion and vocal harmonies build the energy in the song and focus the listener on the catchy chorus.

“State You’re In” is a reggae-influenced, mandolin-based lesson in learning to open up and let the world know how you feel and what you need.  It’s a good lesson to learn.

“Find the place where love hides / view the spectrum from all sides;

Scream, laugh, or cry / it’s not too late to try”

Doug Swift and the band are listed as producers.  The disc was recorded and mixed by Marc and Gina Bartholomew; it was mastered by Scott Elson.  These three fine folks hail from Acadia Recording Company in Portland’s Bayside neighborhood.  A fine job they did, too, with a mix that highlights the bands vocal and rhythmic strengths, and a consistent, polished texture that runs through the entire album.

You’ll love this CD for its cool arrangements, the high level of the instrumental talent, and the soaring four-part vocal harmonies that will get you singing along.  I’m a big fan of Truth About Daisies in a live venue, having seen them several times gigging in and around Portland.  The visual, aural, and spiritual beauty of the band when they are working together on stage is stunning, and brings out the best in the music. 

The melodic and harmonic components of Sheila and Doug’s songwriting are its best qualities, and their instrumental arrangements are very nicely done.  I’m a stickler for lyrical content, and I’d like to see a little more sophistication in that area, but I believe that you will love this CD for its spirit and energy, and for the love of music that it conveys. 

I recommend that you catch this band at a live gig, and learn the Truth About Daisies for yourself.