St. Anthony made it to the last round.
Will be playing that + one other song? tonight.
8pm, pubic assembly, Williamsburg...
link:
http://www.jezebelmusic.com/

Dear Austria,

I'm coming to you tomorrow night.

thank you,
Richard McGraw

"Don't you want a hand on your head
when you close your eyes?
Would it help if death would come
in some funny disguise?"

-Son of the Velvet Rat, GRAVITY

NEW SONGS/EP FROM SON OF THE VELVET RAT
http://www.myspace.com/sonofthevelvetrat

please check it and show your love
-rich

Bjork, Bright Eyes, Fionn Regan, Nick Drake, Tim Buckley, Syd Barrett,
to be featured on a compilation CD
"Between the LInes -Songs from the Blue Bird Diary"
to be released 8.11.07
by EMI Austria

Poptank releases it's 1st compilation "Mutual Appreciation Society". feat.: Audrey Ryan, Richard Mcgraw, Quitzow, Tired Speaker, Dorian Greyskull, You Can Be a Wesley!

http://poptank.com/

REVIEW #1: Performing Songwriter Magazine
LINK: http://www.performingsongwriter.com/pages/music/95.cfm

The mournful Butter Hill kicks off the latest release from Richard McGraw. With a voice thats part Lyle Lovett, part Tom Waits, McGraw tells us how Truth is a light that I could not handle / With my can of Hamms I started that ritual. Hammond organ and a slow, backbeat-heavy snare keep the time.

The record is a true masterpiece, and each song sheds light on a different aspect of the human element. McGraw boldly romps through the piano-laden, teenage angst of Natasha in High School (I dream of Natasha in high school, and all the blood flows to my head / Filled with all the stupid things I said). He folds his hands over the whispered prayer of Find Me Then (What life is left for me / In the love of my country and the hate of its men?). He cries above the apocolyptic electric guitars in Death Is Not Peace. Theres a sense of tortured darkness on Song and Void, but McGraw expertly navigates the waters of our communal subconscious, showing us the beauty in even our bleakest moments.




REVIEW #2: cdbaby.com
LINK: http://cdbaby.com/cd/mcgraw2

Fans of Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Peter Mulvey and David
Gray will never forget the day they first heard Richard McGraw. With
that tossed-around, strained and thrashed voice tainted with whiskey
and smoke-filled dive bars, laced with desperation and hopelessness,
these songs are backed by an assortment of carefully chosen
instruments like accordion, guitar, piano and full-on rock band.
"Song & Void Vol. 1" satisfies some deep need in the soul's ears for
passionate songwriting and fully-committed emotion. Every track, from
one to thirteen, is a world in and of itself. This here is one great
disc.



REVIEW #3: music4m.com
LINK: http://www.music4m.com/Reviews/Albums/Richard%20McGraw%20-%20Song%20&%20Void%20Vol%201.htm

Richard McGraw is a singer-songwriter in the way that I like. Anxious, nervous and a little disturbed sounding. All these songs were recorded with his band in the space of one weekend. I like his style, as the limitations of such a fast recording has done everything to capture the energy levels, which for a largely acoustic based album are near through the roof. When a distorted guitar breaks through on fourth track Death is Not Peace its like a glass against the wall at an uncomfortable dinner.
Vocally McGraw is a blend of Bonnie Prince Billy, Bryan Ferry and Violent Femmes Gordon Gano. In fact Violent Femmes is a very fair reference point as like the Femmes, this is acoustic music with energy and also lyrically it shares Ganos penchant for sounding well, anxious, nervous and a little disturbed sounding.
Lyrically McGraw is frequently exceptional. He covers inadequacy, (I didnt make out brother, till I was fucking 99), mortality, (This is how Im going to die in a bedroom all on my own) and the solitude and loneliness of a failed career as a musician, (Youre at home with all your needs in the basement of your Mother, keeping quiet so she can sleep. Of all of those dreams one could choose, theres one that will place you on display if you lose. Find yourself there, long-haired, 45, rockin out the county fayre). Its safe to say, just like Jarvis Cocker, Richard McGraw is a man well acquainted with The Fear. Hes also well acquainted with what it takes to make a great record. Whether he ends up at in his Mothers basement is up to you, but if this is what it takes to get precisely nowhere then we might as well turn the lights out now. -Andrew Bennett



REVIEW # 4: HANX.NET
LINK: http://www.hanx.net/recensies.htm..mcgraw

Eros & Thanatos. The Life drive and the Death rift. En heel veel libido. In a more than masterful styling, New Yorker Richard McGraw succeeds in letting the Old Master from Vienna sing. Sigmund Freud descended into the deep of the unconscious. Richard McGraw follows in his footsteps on this his second album. Which is a great step forward in regard to Her Sacred Status, My Militant Needs from 2001. That album sounds somewhat more common than this new Song and Void - Volume One. However, things like this have their own meaning when it comes to a man like McGraw. Hear what he sings in Sympathy For The Pervert of that first album.

There's no love for the man
With the cock in his hand
As he bathes in the light of a girl
Such a simple world

Just like Freud, McGraw will find a lot of incomprehension. God, Death and Sex. It is the most explosive combination that we on earth know of. In McGraw's case, nothing is like it is usual. When you consider this in a psychoanalytic sense, you can say that he just reveals what whirls and writhes inside of us.

Women are infinite
So are my needs

So he sings in Death Is Not Peace. And then there is the irony.

I once prayed to God for you
Oh the things I do in my misery

Our thoughts dwell to Gerard Reve. Quite enigmatic is St. Anthony. Is about a saint or about him from The Johnsons?

Violence roams around in To Keep You Safe.

If I have to kill to keep you safe
point to the man
and I will plan his end

Death has many faces. From the deathbed in The Many to the restless considerations of the afore mentioned Death Is Not Peace. There is enough to think about. Smiling and grimsmiling. But the most beautiful is yet to come. Because McGraw sounds quite unique. Like a mix between Gordon Gano of The Violent Femmes, Nick Cave, Scott Walker, Van Morisson, Leonard Cohen and Lyle Lovett. And though he does not fear the exessive, to my opinion he has managed to keep this within an acceptable range. Maybe because he simple shares his confussion in rather sober songs like The Things That Devils Bring with the listener. Who suddenly doesn't know for himself anymore too what to think of things.

Jesus told me he loved you
He told me last night in a dream
And I said, I love her too
take these degrees away please do
They lead me to sin
Song and Void - Volume One. What else do you want to hear?
(Wim Boluijt)




REVIEW # 5: GOD IN THE TV
LINK:http://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/content/content_detail.php?id=522&type=Albums

Richard McGraw..s Song and Void Vol. 1 creaks and meanders with the dark, faceless side of religion intoxicating the mind with false impressions and delusions of grandeur. McGraw..s Leonard Cohen inflected acoustic blues carry strong themes of mortality and morality contorted around fierce Catholicism and all the scary-as-shit images the Deep American South horror movies concoct. But, all of the imagery builds to create an album of touching songs weeping heartbreak and escape.

McGraw..s work seems intensely personal, as an artist playing out his deepest fears and insecurities. The album opens with, of all things so incredibly offbeat and remote, the line ..Glory to God, and all of his children.. with a droning double bass, slow drums and McGraw..s dry pastor groan. It goes on to blend wickedly dark, slow-moving death throes with other rather more up-beat indulgences in Satan..s creations .. women, rock and roll, alcohol.

As a piece of music, the funding and effort required to even make the album happen shows Song and Void to be the mission of hardship and endeavour it truly is. Most people would be overblown by McGraw..s black imagery of death and loneliness (..This is how I..m going to die/ In a bedroom all alone..) and his spooky sojourns into preacher-esque lessons (..So you want to be a rock star/ Well you..re just not that clever..). Richard McGraw..s quiet, understated acceptance of mortality makes Song and Void a hidden gem far too many people won..t see shine.

Song and Void Vol. 1 is one of those brilliantly intimate and blindingly powerful albums that will always remain ignored by the majority and adored with a passion by an enlightened few. -David Segurola




REVIEW # 6: SMOTHER.NET
Sounding like a bunch of old ..78s and ..45s mixed together, ..Song and Void.. jumps ship from Brit-pop to ..60..s psych pop to hipster folk rock. He has an interesting voice that feels, really really feels, his lyrics. That lyrical twist that he boasts is rangy and well versed, seeming to tell your own tale without letting you in on the secret. Melancholy blends into fistfuls of rage and then pours honey on wounds with sweet pop. It..s different that..s for sure. - J-Sin




REVIEW # 7: 75orless.com
An heir to Lyle Lovett and Richard Thompson, Richard McGraw sings of loss and resentment over a variety of musical moods; they range from sorrowful swing to rolling accordion to epic rock guitar. His voice shifts from plaintive to fierce; at one point, he declares, "If I have to kill to keep you safe, point to the man and I will plan his end." With his unique, sometimes antique, always unpredictable sound, I predict McGraw will get much further in his career than "long-haired, 45 and still rockin out at the county fair." -merideth




REVIEW # 8: mic.gr
LINK: http://www.mic.gr/cds.asp?id=29444
Id be the last one to recommend you a country / gospel album, but ..Song And
Void.. is well worth an exception. To begin with, it..s not exactly country, and
it..s not really gospel. Let..s say that it..s as country as Bob Dylan without the
politics, and as gospel as post-..Boatman..s Call.. Nick Cave .. that is, obsessive
with religion, but under a philosophical mood. The main theme here is death,
not in a depressive sense, but viewed from a wistful spectrum, reminiscent of,
again, Nick Cave. Of course this is no ..Murder Ballads.. (a comical splatter
which was pure fun, as opposed to being food for thought), but rather,
something like ..No More Shall We Part.., an introvert work of art that demanded
several listens before revealing its essence.

But let..s start from the beginning: Richard McGraw is the ideal incarnation of
the typical singer / songwriter: he pays the rent by doing other jobs -
unrelated to music, he follows the do-it-yourself rules, he is conscious of the
fact that the probability of massive recognition is not very big, but also
stubborn and ambitious enough to believe that his voice is worth hearing, even
by a chosen few. In these regards, the good intentions are obvious: if someone
spends 8 hours a day doing boring stuff that pays 6 or 7 bucks an hour, then
why spend the rest of the day with 4-tracks, and invest the money in recordings
and studios if one doesn..t think this is the big it? Surely not for the hope of
becoming the new Connor Oberst, since the odds would be better if one invested
somewhere else (say, the lottery).

So, here is ..Song And Void.., and what is apparent from the very beginning is
that this is a sincere album, made by genuine need of artistic expression. Even
if this was all we had, McGraw would have won half the battle already, but his
achievement is a lot greater than just making a record worth our respect. ..Song
And Void.. is not just honest, but also deep and inspired, an album that
reflects splendid songwriting ability. Perhaps it is of little use to compare
it to McGraw..s debut ..Her Sacred Statues, My Militant Needs.. (which failed to
attract the attention, despite the meticulous efforts of, er, some old
fanzine), let however just say that McGraw..s semi-acoustic songs sound more
stark, more folk, more personal, less appealing for the casual listener and
much richer in emotion and depth for anyone who..ll really listen. It all sounds
like a concept record, the concept in question being a dark and pessimistic
view on this life..s vanity, with several doses of sarcasm and sensitivity. In
short: it..s not a record for spring time, but rather, an anti-Sunday-morning
album which will be enjoyed more not only if just considered as a piece of
music but as an anthology of bitter and slow-burning elegies that opt for the
listener..s mind as well as soul.

Thus, in a sense, here are the doomed gospels of a man who, instead of
forgiving Jesus in glamorous Morrissey fashion, prefers to sound more down-to-
earth, penetrating and descriptive, not however without some sense of humor
being absent from the whole picture: on the cover, there..s a sketch of McGraw
himself, featuring his year of birth on the left and a place for his year of
death on the right, and this can..t help but bring a faint smile on the
listener..s face, a bit like when you..re told a secret that you already knew but
you were not sure if it had become common knowledge. -Tassos Patokos




REVIEW # 9: delusions of adequcy
LINK: http://adequacy.net/review.php?reviewID=7242
Richard McGraw..s debut album, Song and Void Volume 1, is an interesting, nostalgic affair with precise and deliberate lyrics strengthened by rich musical textures. The beautifully packaged album, released in an embossed paper case, finds McGraw dishing out emotional anecdotes and lessons like a wise old man, though he recorded the album in his late 20s. McGraw..s voice and themes conjure up Bryan Ferry..s quieter solo performances and Leonard Cohen..s dark passion.
Song and Void Volume 1 opens slowly with the country nuance of ..Butter Hill,.. Bob Leive..s trumpet adding a hazy, lush element to McGraw..s appealing lyrics and delivery. McGraw continues to convince listeners of his pain and fatigue as he tackles more emotional crusades in similar tales like ..Find Me Then.. and ..To Keep You Safe... Religion and relationships with women, healthy or not, are dominant themes in McGraw..s songs. Whether mostly autobiographical references or the life experiences of brilliantly depicted characters that were conceived specifically for his first record, McGraw..s lyrics spur curiosity.

On the slower tracks, like the sensitive ..Are You Still.. and the crushing, piano-driven ..Hopefully,.. McGraw sings with passion, if not the most dynamic range. This is when he most recalls Cohen and his poet-turned-singer vocal delivery. Yet, other selections on Song and Void Volume 1 offer the romance and sensuality Ferry has exuded for so many years. ..The Masses and the Craftsmen.. fuses McGraw..s rolling guitar and uplifting sighs with his bittersweet lyrics: ..So you want to be a rock star / But you..re at home with all your needs / In the basement of your mother / Keeping quiet so she can sleep / Of all of the dreams one could choose / There..s one that will place you on display if you lose / Find yourself there long-haired, 45 / Rocking out the county fair...

McGraw bares his emotions in such a raw manner on ..Navy Blue,.. surrounded by guitar, tuba, bass, trumpet, and violin that the listener can..t help but sympathize with him. Many who hear the song will be touched more deeply and feel like some of their own social and intimate experiences are being discussed. The two most up-tempo tracks on Song and Void Volume 1 are ..St. Anthony.. and ..Natasha in High School... While ..St. Anthony.. benefits from the sweet backing vocals of the Sisters of Mercy quartet, the only voice accompanying McGraw on ..Natasha in High School.. is that of multi-instrumentalist Zoe B. Zak. ..Natasha in High School.. is a classic piano bar sing-along tune with witty rhyming lyrics and dominant Wurlitzer and accordion by McGraw and Zak, respectively.

The last stanza of this buoyant tale of memories and regrets demonstrates McGraw..s compositional brilliance: ..So when I lose the wife / And all the kids are cool / I dream of Natasha in high school / And all of the egos and the ids / Laugh at all the stupid things I did / I wish she could be mine / Just one more time... McGraw is much more than the average singer-songwriter. On Song and Void Volume 1, he plays acoustic and electric guitars and piano and demonstrates how important it is to select a group of instrumental collaborators who flawlessly co-create the messages and vibes the singer wants to convey. Song and Void Volume 1 is a rich and impassioned record that builds new musical memories as it explores the unforgettable connections of past years. -Sahar Oz 09/18/06


REVIEW #10: indie-music.com
LINK: http://www.indie-music.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5016

Richard McGraw has his chops down on all levels. From his keen sense of song structure to the intriguingly unique world view presented in his lyrics, from the way his voice and guitar serve his vision to his impeccable choice of session players to his overall presentation, hes clearly ready for any level of success hed like to attain.

Unusual packaging of a CD and promo kit can mean one of two basic things. Either an act feels compelled to overcome aesthetic limitations with cutesiness, or the packaging is of a piece with a seamless artistic thrust. The latter is the case with McGraw. The foil envelope in which its all enclosed, the pointillism renderings of him (in coat and tie) in lieu of true photographs, and the little handwritten aphorism underneath the CD in the cover (There is no demon like nonbeing) work because they convey what hes about as much as his songs. You can tell its not just clever marketing.

At this late date, simplicity must be extremely well-executed to get my attention. Our increasingly vanilla culture can make it hard to distinguish between musical limitation and simplicity in the service of something really refined. McGraws chord changes are simple and his lyrical reflections seemingly so, but because the arrangements in which theyre couched are utterly classic, we can see that hes a singer/songwriter of the first order.

In his voice are touches of many of the greats of his genre, but they dont come across as derivative. Rather, they just sound like nods to influences that shaped him along the way.

The first cut, Butter Hill, is plaintive and wistful. Snare drum rolls punctuate the onset of the various lyrical sections. The recurring line On Butter Hill metaphorically anchors his look at the clumsiness of young love and a young mans inability to fully appreciate its impact. The stately interweaving of Zoe B. Zacks piano and organ with John Plantanias guitar provides a complimentary setting to what McGraw is rendering here.

The next number, Natasha in High School, is jaunty on the surface, but the lyrics again explore the gamut of complex things sexual urges do to a young mans sense of his own sovereignty. McGraws mastery as a lyricist is on full display here: and shes dating a boy named Beret, and I hear he wears one on his head, filled with all the stupid things he says. Regarding the element that makes this song come together musically, this time its the combination of McGraws piano, Daniel Goodwins bass and Dean Sharps drums, resolving each verse with sing-along cohesiveness.

The other most noteworthy track is The Masses and the Craftsmen. McGraw supplies his own background vocals, and they provide a hook that works effectively in tandem with his winding little quasi-Appalachian guitar figure. The songs final lines ought to haunt any artist still ambivalent in his sense of mission: Fear that youll find yourself there, long haired, 45 and still rocking out the county fair.

The session musicians with which McGraw has surrounded himself are not only world-class but comprise an eclectic mix. Keyboardist Zoe B. Zak has a long curriculum vitae including albums of folk, various blends of Middle Eastern tradition, Jewish devotional songs, and cutting-edge pop She is as identified with accordion as any other instrument in the keyboard family. Bassist Robert Kopec has solid jazz credentials. Guitarist John Plantania has been a recording-industry fixture going back to the mid-60s on Bert Bernss Bang label, up through several years with Van Morrison, and appearances with the likes of Natalie Merchant.

The theme of moral confusion over the impulses that sometimes feel like libido and sometimes like the most sublime kind of caring (I loved her breast, her face and her laughter, from Butter Hill; Maybe we could be lovers without touching each other, from Are You Still) recurs throughout the songs on this record. Likewise, the relationship of connection to time is explored repeatedly (This is how Im going to die, in a bedroom without God, this is how Im going to die, amongst my friends and family, from The Many).

A look at the books-Ive-read-lately page on McGraws website enhances the listeners understanding of how these came to be his preoccupations. He lists works by a diverse lineup including Episcopalian bishop N.T. Wright, existential psychologist Rollo May and singer-songwriter / poet / novelist Leonard Cohen.

McGraw is clearly of a caliber I dont often see reviewing indie releases by singer/songwriters. He will no doubt continue to bloom, but he is already, on this second record, a seasoned bard of considerable depth and musicality. -Barney Quick



REVIEW #11: no-ordinary music
Of the many current singer-songwriters on the market, Richard McGraw shares that familiar trait of softness. However to do the man justice, soft songs doesn't necessarily mean weak songs.

For while the music remains acoustically or piano driven throughout, conversely a storytelling bent is concurrently evidenced which helps the songs retain both a depth of
character and strength. Moreover, the idea that the writer has experienced some kind of redemption or spiritual bloodletting is strongly conveyed via lines of regret, contemplation and heavy religious imagery throughout.

Most of the music on the album has an element of darkness, yet is counterbalanced
by that light at the end of the tunnel effect, which is never too far in the distance. A departure in style is noticeable on "Natasha in High School" which contains a jaunty piano driven riff, and could best be described as this album's pop song. Well as much as pop songs about God, Death and Love go.

Sadly, this more poppy side is only partly explored thus far by Richard, yet could hopefully take a more prominent role in the future. Meanwhile I would say it is fair to compare the album to Nick Cave or less so Johnny Cash, which is no bad thing.

Overall the album displays good songs, lyrics and arrangements are clearly present, however greater depth in musical styles and perhaps a bit less referencing of influences would clearly elevate Richards cause. This reviewer for one is hoping for just the slightest of changes. -John Tonner




REVIEW # 12: 1340MAG
LINK: http://www.1340mag.com/cd_reviews/view.php?review_no=505

You'll need the lyric sheet when listening to this one. That is not to say that the music on "Song and Void" can't stand alone. It is just that the songs are so lyric driven that its hard to dig into the songs without knowing each word. It's a poetic album. McGraw builds these fine crafted vessels of thought and rhyme and sets them afloat on a variety of different musical styles. The album begins with "Butter Hill," a melancholy song that might put you in mind of some of Tom Waits' or Leonard Cohens simpler creations. The move into "Natasha in High School" is unexpected. Here McGraw plunges into a bouncy Beatle-based melody (though lyrically this track may remind you of something by Ben Folds), but after setting that challenging pop stage, he comes back to the folk stuff with "Find Me Then." By the time you get to the angry, electric, wild "Death is Not Peace" you will realize that McGraw is impossible to nail down. The album continues through many hills and valleys, encountering everything from classical piano ("Hopefully") to country ("Are You Still"). "Song and Void" wraps up with a lengthy meditation on death that starts off like a ballad and mutates into a bar room lament complete with accordion, tuba, and chorus of background vocals.

I really appreciate an album that brims over with poetry. "Song and Void" is like a short work of literature set to music. It's a great album to spend time with, mulling over and contemplating. Like any good written work it presents a total human picture, and asks a ton of relevant questions. In addition to that, it's lots of fun.

Key Tracks: Find Me Then, Death Is Not Peace, Navy Blue
-Jared Brown

REVIEW # 13: rock-city
LINK: http://www.rock-city.co.uk/content/EEuAkupkZEKkiaYFWI.shtml

This album is something pretty special from the packaging inwards. The plate-style illustration of Richard Mcgraw as a statue in his suit and sandles, the lyric booklet that hides the lyrics to the last song, The Many on the back and the place inside to place a photo of the CDs owner and a place to write that This album belongs to all in a clerical white case kind of announces it as something of value but the number 76 to the left of the illustration of his face and the space on the right to write in the year he finally dies gives the tinyest clue that theres a darkness inside.

This album is beautiful in many ways but it is also a dark and emotionally darkening journey. I dont mean like all of that sad music that is really a warm wallow in the misfortunes of others that, if you feel it, makes you realise your unhappiness is shared, this music will bring you down. Like Tom Waits, Richard Mcgraw is often singing to a third party in the songs and you cant work out if hes describing his own hurdles in this world from the outside or has a cast of characters battling with theirs. Death is a huge character on the album, This is how Im going to die in a field of daisies/this is how Im going to die in a bedroom on my own but before that there is the most devastatingly lamented loss of love from years ago in are you still, theres the battle of faith in Hopefully, theres regret, frustration, unhappiness, loss, the release of death and an almost unhealthy preoccupation with school as a spectre and women as bitter experiences causing scarring memories. God is a character who he is in dialogue with, without any obvious irony but with resignation.

The voice is that of a man facing the end of his life but Richard Mcgraw, is thirty years old. His narrator, if he doesnt sing as himself is a darkly introspective character, far more connected to the human soul than say the transparently arrogant Will Oldham and like Gordon Gano from Violent Femmes you appreciate the fact that he can wear his heart on his sleeve but you suspect you dont like him and are damn glad not to be him.

It sounds amazing, beautiful folk, country and gospel fuelled songs recorded in a couple of takes with guitar, piano, accordion, double bass, trumpet and the most acoustically real drum sound since Steve Albini recorded Ocean songs for the Dirty Three, playing military fills from time to time. Electric guitars are used sparingly except on Death is not Peace where it crashes in like the Bad Seeds before cutting to a lone piano. He sounds deceptively older Like William E Whitmore does but its a clean, pious voice which instead of giving the impression that he is railing against tribulations makes him seem to be barely surviving them.

The quote from Earnest Becker, at the end of the booklet reads This is the terror. To have emerged from nothing to have a name, consciousness of self, deep inner feelings, an excruciating inner yearning for life and self expression and with all this yet to die and it pitches the emotional impact of this album perfectly. But for all its melancholy, its a rewarding journey and Im going to write my name in the front, stick my picture in there and whenever I feel emotionally robust enough take it out.
-AlMachine on Friday, June 2, 2006


REVIEW #14: anti-music

Being a 5-smile virgin I made Song and Void date me the past month before sitting down to write, and given the religiosity of some of his songs, Richard McGraw might suggest I wait until marrying his disc, but I have cautiously loose morals. So this is my big night, and sadly I am not looking my best. Not to mention the candles that weren't working because the computer screen is too bright. Lily, my dog, also looks terribly enthusiastic as she tries to sleep behind me during this anticlimactic moment, but really the moment is not mine, I'm just a visitor to the beauty of Richard McGraw, and happy to be there.

We are nearly halfway through 2006, and Song and Void is the best album to be released. In fact, I guarantee that if this same album was the product of Tom Waits or Bright Eyes (this matches their better work), it would be on display in every independent record store and charting on college radio, but to this point Richard McGraw is a victim of obscurity, releasing his own music when his funds allow. Impressively, the disc does not suffer from its extreme independence, showing a high degree of quality even prior to play. The design is antiquated with raised etching on the corners of the cover, and a turn of the century illustration of a man with R. McGraw in a classic banner underneath. Inside the cover there is space to attach your own picture and write your name, essentially marking your property, which means I would have even loved this album at age 7, when I embraced any chance to label possessions. The recording is as professional as a commercial label also, although the first note on the insert confesses that most of the album was recorded in one or two takes during a recording session one weekend. Song and Void proves that it is possible to make a top album without industry backing.

A particularly great track from Richard McGraw is "The Masses and The Craftsmen", which seems to have some autobiographical fears involved lyrically. This simply beautiful two-minute song, which is stripped down to acoustic guitar, drums, and vocals, talks about the plight of wanting to be a rock star. The narrator is this parental, or god-like figure, who reminds the dreamer that if you lose, you'll "find yourself there (in mom's basement) long-haired, 45, and still rockin out the county fair." In an interview, Richard McGraw referred to this fear, so it seems to be a motif for him. Another song, "St. Anthony" is similar in length and musical feel, although the backing vocals are more melancholic coming from the Sisters of Mercy. This is fitting because "St. Anthony" looks back at childhood alienation rather than adult failure. These are two of the gentler songs on the album, almost guaranteed to have any singer, or pretender, singing along with the perfect harmonies.

Richard McGraw also has a more unbridled side to his spirit, which is evident in songs like "Natasha in High School" and "Death is Not Peace". These songs pick up the tempo, volume, and full band sound a bit. "Natasha" is the most lighthearted song on the album, and the most obvious single, sounding a bit like Ben Folds, although I hear Bryan Ferry (Roxy Music) in the vocals periodically. From the lyrics, you can picture this married man trying to recapture old high school glory, remembering the day he took Natasha's virginity. The story is told so well, with images like, "Then there was the kitchen pantries, panties, flowered lovely for me." This is where the magic of Song and Void is clearly found, in that there is such honesty and clarity to the words and the melody, the narratives never border on perverse or vulgar, no matter the subject. In this way, I would say Richard McGraw is most comparable to David Barzan as a lyricist. "Death is Not Peace", with its distortion and emotional delivery, could be easily transposed onto a Bright Eyes album.

During a time when religion in our country is threatened by its failure to adapt to our changing society, it is interesting to hear artists like Richard McGraw, Ben Gibbard, David Barzan, and Conor Oberst, include religion consistently in their lyrics. In no way would Christian Rock, as a genre, welcome these writers as devout Christians, but I think they express spirituality in a truer form than I have generally heard during a sermon, and that is what appeals to Christians and Non-Christians alike. I would not ask someone how religious they were, and what religion, prior to recommending Song and Void because I don't think it would make a difference. There is humanity, and a spirit to Richard McGraw, which helps his music transcend personal differences, making it worthwhile to music fans of all backgrounds. This is why Song and Void is an incredible album, worthy of the highest rating possible. -Patrick Muldowney




REVIEW #15: www.onetimesone.com
LINK: http://www.onetimesone.com/music-reviews/mcgraw-song-void.php

The first outstanding thing you will notice about this album is the exquisite packaging. It is appropriate for the contents, for they are both ornate in their simplicity. The music will pick at the yolk of your psyche by reminding you of the fears, inadequate feelings, frustration, and joys of everyday life. It does not bother to include the rest of the world, instead it keeps it very personal, sticking to subjects that are universally personal. These are the songs we have all wanted to write while staring at a lone cloud in quiet reflection and speculation on the past and of the future.

The lyrical style of Richard McGraw is a unique blend of Leonard Cohen and Conway Savage, which is a huge complement to Mr. McGraw. It is very up-close and personal, as if he were in the room with you and speaking directly to you about your own past, the anxiety of mortality, and how or even if (gasp) you will be memorialized. Another complement was given to Mr. McGraw by the John Lennon songwriting contest in 2003 where he was a finalist.

Though most of this album was recorded in one or two takes back in the winter of 2004, it sounds as if it was done a thousand times to get that perfect feeling in the voice, to emote just how genuine these songs are. The songs were refined for over a year, and when the money ran out, the album was declared complete. Thank God the money ran out.

It would be a shame to miss out on this working class hero's labor of love, because it is so genuine, and pure. Musicians of this caliber need to be supported by lovers of music to show them that what they do matters, and we need more like them. -Jason Hall 05/01/06




REVIEW #16: big o "BigO (acronym for "Before I Get Old") is Asia's most respected rock magazine."
THE LINK: http://bigozine2.com/tradelist/list01.html

Was singer-songwriter Richard McGraw ever a Catholic altar boy? His combination of Nick Cave's religiosity and Leonard Cohen's sensuality sure qualifies him. The gospel-tinged Butter Hill has McGraw declaring himself as the "holiest of them" and in the next verse, he confesses that he "loved her breast, her face and her laughter on Butter Hill."
McGraw's desperation is belied by a certain jauntiness and Natasha in High School is everything that you cannot hear in a pop song on radio today - wicked, original humour ("Then there was the kitchen pantries/ panties, flowered lovely for me"), an eccentric wit ("And all of the egos and the ids/laugh at all the stupid things I did") and real love ("And how could it be that/you'd give me your virginity/and I would let you go/on account of bad chemistry"). In a normal sane world, this would be number one with a bullet.

McGraw has taste. Butter Hill features Van-Morrison guitarist, John Platania. And he doesn't hide. After the songs, there is the void. Find Me Then, the third number after two rousing tracks, is a cry of defeat: "Oh dear lord I'm losing again/My body is tired so are these plans/I would like to buy a neck tie/For every dream I cannot defend". John Platania returns on Death Is Not Peace to whip up some drive into McGraw's hopelessness "I think I see a tunnel/I think I hear a train". The songs maintain their tenderness, anger, worry and desperate cries to God throughout. Recorded in 2004 in mostly single takes, mounting debt prevented its release until last month. In the pantheon of desperate, funny, loser singer-songwriters, please welcome Richard McGraw! - (7.5) Philip Cheah



REVIEW #17: FLUXBLOG
LINK: http://www.fluxblog.org/2006/03/on-account-of-bad-chemistry-richard.html
On Account Of Bad Chemistry

Richard McGraw "Natasha in High School" - There's a moment about halfway through this little number about being obsessed with a girl from high school long after the point when that sort of thing would be remotely charming or sympathetic when the song briefly deviates from its jaunty indie pop for a bit of Meat Loaf-ish bombast. It's absolutely wonderful, and though I'm fine with this song as it is, it does make me wish that McGraw went all the way with it, because you know, it might not be such a bad idea to borrow some ideas from Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman. Maybe someone needs to write the indie pop version of "Paradise By The Dashboard Light." As it is, the lyrics deal with very similar subject matter as Art Brut's "Emily Kane," but if that song is more like a feel-good romantic comedy, "Natasha In High School" is a droll, pessimistic indie dramedy. (Click here to buy it via McGraw's official site.)

C-Mone "Catch Me If U Can" - Fans of The Streets (and apparently there's a lot of them; I'm still getting lots of visitors looking for "When You Wasn't Famous") will recognize C-Mone from "Get Out My House" from A Grand Don't Come For Free, but her own record isn't much like Skinner's in terms of style and performance. Her vocals remind me quite a bit of Martina Topley-Bird's raps on the first few Tricky records, which is immensely appealing to me since I haven't been pleased with Martina's solo work, and welcome anything that comes close to her versions of "Bad Things" and "Lyrics of Fury." C-Mone's voice is similarly pretty, with a heavy British accent that thickens when she needs to sound dismissive or irritable, but her tracks tend toward a more wide open sound, rather than Tricky's typically claustrophobic beats.


REVIEW # 18: headphone sex
LINK: http://www.headphonesex.co.uk/2006/04/all-kids-are-cool.html

All The Kids Are Cool
I was sent a CD last week that really grabbed my attention due to some truly exquisite packaging. As well as a beautifully embossed sleeve, the plush silver envelope contained a beautiful hand stamped print and a touching little note.

Well I had to slip this lovely thing in the CD player... only to find ***OMG!*** SINGER SONGWRITER ALERT!***. Well if there's one thing I hate it's angsty singer / songwriters armed with acoustic guitars and reams of faux-meaningful lyrics.

I guess the problem is that I usually listen on a musical rather than lyrical level, and apart from geniuses such as Morrissey, Jarvis Cocker, Paul Smith & Eddie Argos, if i'm honest with you I rarely manage to work out what (if anything) songs are all about. And in this oevre, if you take away the lyrics you're usually left with someone twanging an acoustic guitar over a tepid drum beat.

Now i'm not going to make any grand claims for Richard McGraw's lyrical genius. Although the words sound great, to be honest with you after 3 or 4 listens to the album I couldn't tell you what many of the songs are about other than he's pretty unhappy.

But strangely, I really really liked this from the start, and was quickly sucked into his tales of mortality and memorial. For Richard McGraw, for that is he, has got the blues. And a voice to match. Either he's spent the majority of his 28 years staring into an empty whiskey glass, or he needs to get some throat sweets.

The packaging also gives the impression of some long lost blues recording... as if the etchings on the sleeve are the only remaining representations of some mystical Robert Johnson-type figure.

Remarkably, all the tracks on the album were recorded in one or two takes. Especially remarkable when you consider the range of instruments used here: Wurlitzer; Hammond; Tuba; Accordian; Trumpet; The Gay Men's Choir of Newburgh! After that the money ran out... but from the sound of the record that's no bad thing. With unlimited funds the temptation can be to fiddle and tweak the life out of a recording until you're left with over-produced garbage.

The best track isn't really representative of the rest of the record, with it's jaunty Belle & Sebastian vibe. However you will find yourself whistling along from the first bar. Seemingly about a drunken high school shag that meant nothing to Natasha, but about which the protagonist still dreams many years later. (You see... I can attempt this lyrical analysis lark!), it's none the less pretty poptastic. After all, Matthew Fluxblog posted it up!

It was pretty hard to decide on another track to post, since they're all excellent. However after careful deliberation I think this is my other favourite

It's like the Tindersticks on 20 B&H a day instead of 80.

So in a just world, this guy would be selling millions of albums instead of James Blunt, David Gray and the like. Maybe you could make your little contribution by buying it. However it doesn't seem as if it's that widely available. If you're in the states then CDBaby looks like your best bet.

I am now contractually obliged by Rupert Murdoch to point you towards his myspace page where you can listen to some other songs. Album opener 'Butter Hill' is also highly recommended. Well, as are the other two in fact. Yeah I really like this, and I hope it gets the success it deserves.

REVIEW # 19: kinda muzik
LINK: http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/richard-mcgraw/song-and-void-vol-1

Mysterieuze songwriter zoekt publiek.
CD, Eigen beheer
Minutenlang keek ik naar de knipperende cursor in het witte vlak op mijn beeldscherm. Er moest én zou een bespreking van Song and Void Vol. 1. komen, terwijl ik ook wel wist dat er over Richard McGraw weinig valt te vertellen. De schamele biografie is in volledige mysterie gehuld, iets met een gewonnen wedstrijd voor songwriters en John Lennon.

Wie zijn eenvoudige, maar fraaie website bezoekt, krijgt eerst de mededeling: "Anthony, if you can hear me... I hope that you're better." Het eerste wat in me opkomt, is de klassieke song 'Famous Blue Raincoat' van Leonard Cohen.

De openingszin van het nummer van de Canadese bard, dat op het album Songs of Love and Hate uit 1971 staat, lijkt enigszins op de geheimzinnige boodschap van McGraws website: "It's four in the morning, the end of December. I'm writing you now just to see if you're better."
Cohen lijkt een belangrijke bron van inspiratie voor McGraw, voor wie er eveneens nooit genoeg ruimte is voor symboliek en zwartgalligheid in zijn songteksten.

Een vluchtige blik op songtitels als 'Death Is Not Peace' en 'The Things That Devil Brings' bevestigen de rol van McGraw als duistere troubadour in een misvormde wereld, waar de melancholie en oude jeugdliefdes in ere worden gehouden. "I think of Natasha in highschool and all the blood flows to my head", zingt hij in 'Natasha in Highschool', alsof hij een carnavalskraker op een begrafenis laat horen.

Song and Void Vol. 1 is een heel rare plaat. Ten eerste is er McGraws aangrijpende stemgeluid, dat continu overloopt met dramatiek en zelfmedelijden, zoals we dat eigenlijk alleen kennen van Scott Walker. De soundtrack die bij zijn macabere songteksten hoort, is een eigengemaakt brouwsel van dodenmarsen en bizarre folk, waarmee hij niet in de laatste plaats aan Tom Waits doet denken, al is het alleen maar omdat hij als het ware een eigen genre creëert. Onbeluisterbaar is het echter niet.

De cd is al een tijdje uit. Is er eigenlijk wel iemand die van McGraw heeft gehoord? Misschien komt het omdat McGraws exorbitante fijnzinnigheid en zwarte humor niet zozeer voor het grote publiek zijn weggelegd. Aan de andere kant lukt het Sufjan Stevens toch ook. Het blijft ronduit ongelofelijk dat het wonderschone Song and Void Vol. 1 nog niet is opgepikt. -Maurice Dielemans, 13 augustus 2006

REVIEW # 20: bonafidestudio.co.uk
LINK: http://www.bonafidestudio.co.uk/Reviews.htm

Another album worth your listen from this talented New Yorker.
Song and Void is bursting with emotions and love for all and it should please Richard's loyal fan base.Having Van Morisson's legendary guitar player John Platania on this album made this project even more special.

the full aricle can be read @
http://www.chronogram.com/issue/2006/08/arts/music/

"Nick Cave. Bob Dylan. Leonard Cohen. Tom Waits.... a man who is following in the footsteps of the greats in a massively competent way... He sings of misery, memorial, mortality, and loss. He evokes religious imagery, erecting church houses to pray in and supreme beings to beseech." -Sharon Nicholes, CHRONOGRAM

the link:
http://www.jezebelmusic.com/weblog/pivot/entry.php?id=212..body

the article:

Completely unrestrained as if no one was watching, taekwondo students often let fly deeply guttural shouts. Such forthright displays of uninhibited emotion inspired me to learn martial arts in hopes of becoming a better performer. Of course, (a) I still haven't signed up for a karate class, and (b) you don't simply learn to express yourself.
Richard McGraw, right, plays the February 21 Songwriter Showcase

To get up on a stage and fully let it all out either takes true confidence, colossal cockiness, or pure madness. Regardless of his diagnosis, Richard McGraw definitely packs a punch.

For all I know, Richard McGraw could be a meager wallflower, but his music has undeniable vitality, a tangible energy with a life of its own. Even from a quick listen, Richard's outstanding songwriting athleticism is clear. McGraw's authentically emotional songwriting is a blend of Americana that attacks at many angles (listen to "DEATH IS NOT PEACE") but maintains a consistent, coherent underlying atmosphere. As potential influences, John Lennon and Roger Waters, Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen, and Elliott Smith come to mind. Like his songs, McGraw's distinctive vocals reflect various classics (a smoother Tom Waits, a fancier Bruce Springsteen, a fluttery David Byrne, a passionate Billy Joel) but remain genuine and are no doubt unique.

And according to his MySpace page, Richard "hasn't used the words 'California' or 'L.A.' in a song" - make of this what you will.

http://www.hanx.net/recensies.htm..mcgraw

Eros & Thanatos. The Life drive and the Death rift. En heel veel libido. In a more than masterful styling, New Yorker Richard McGraw succeeds in letting the Old Master from Vienna sing. Sigmund Freud descended into the deep of the unconscious. Richard McGraw follows in his footsteps on this his second album. Which is a great step forward in regard to Her Sacred Status, My Militant Needs from 2001. That album sounds somewhat more common than this new Song and Void - Volume One. However, things like this have their own meaning when it comes to a man like McGraw. Hear what he sings in Sympathy For The Pervert of that first album.

There's no love for the man
With the cock in his hand
As he bathes in the light of a girl
Such a simple world

Just like Freud, McGraw will find a lot of incomprehension. God, Death and Sex. It is the most explosive combination that we on earth know of. In McGraw's case, nothing is like it is usual. When you consider this in a psychoanalytic sense, you can say that he just reveals what whirls and writhes inside of us.

Women are infinite
So are my needs

So he sings in Death Is Not Peace. And then there is the irony.

I once prayed to God for you
Oh the things I do in my misery

Our thoughts dwell to Gerard Reve. Quite enigmatic is St. Anthony. Is about a saint or about him from The Johnsons?

Violence roams around in To Keep You Safe.

If I have to kill to keep you safe
point to the man
and I will plan his end

Death has many faces. From the deathbed in The Many to the restless considerations of the afore mentioned Death Is Not Peace. There is enough to think about. Smiling and grimsmiling. But the most beautiful is yet to come. Because McGraw sounds quite unique. Like a mix between Gordon Gano of The Violent Femmes, Nick Cave, Scott Walker, Van Morisson, Leonard Cohen and Lyle Lovett. And though he does not fear the exessive, to my opinion he has managed to keep this within an acceptable range. Maybe because he simple shares his confussion in rather sober songs like The Things That Devils Bring with the listener. Who suddenly doesn't know for himself anymore too what to think of things.

Jesus told me he loved you
He told me last night in a dream
And I said, I love her too
take these degrees away please do
They lead me to sin

Song and Void - Volume One. What else do you want to hear?
(Wim Boluijt)

Link:
http://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/content/content_detail.php?id=522&type=Albums

Richard McGraw..s Song and Void Vol. 1 creaks and meanders with the dark, faceless side of religion intoxicating the mind with false impressions and delusions of grandeur. McGraw..s Leonard Cohen inflected acoustic blues carry strong themes of mortality and morality contorted around fierce Catholicism and all the scary-as-shit images the Deep American South horror movies concoct. But, all of the imagery builds to create an album of touching songs weeping heartbreak and escape.

McGraw..s work seems intensely personal, as an artist playing out his deepest fears and insecurities. The album opens with, of all things so incredibly offbeat and remote, the line ..Glory to God, and all of his children.. with a droning double bass, slow drums and McGraw..s dry pastor groan. It goes on to blend wickedly dark, slow-moving death throes with other rather more up-beat indulgences in Satan..s creations .. women, rock and roll, alcohol.

As a piece of music, the funding and effort required to even make the album happen shows Song and Void to be the mission of hardship and endeavour it truly is. Most people would be overblown by McGraw..s black imagery of death and loneliness (..This is how I..m going to die/ In a bedroom all alone..) and his spooky sojourns into preacher-esque lessons (..So you want to be a rock star/ Well you..re just not that clever..). Richard McGraw..s quiet, understated acceptance of mortality makes Song and Void a hidden gem far too many people won..t see shine.

Song and Void Vol. 1 is one of those brilliantly intimate and blindingly powerful albums that will always remain ignored by the majority and adored with a passion by an enlightened few. -David Segurola

link: http://adequacy.net/review.php?reviewID=7242

Richard McGraw..s debut album, Song and Void Volume 1, is an interesting, nostalgic affair with precise and deliberate lyrics strengthened by rich musical textures. The beautifully packaged album, released in an embossed paper case, finds McGraw dishing out emotional anecdotes and lessons like a wise old man, though he recorded the album in his late 20s. McGraw..s voice and themes conjure up Bryan Ferry..s quieter solo performances and Leonard Cohen..s dark passion.
Song and Void Volume 1 opens slowly with the country nuance of ..Butter Hill,.. Bob Leive..s trumpet adding a hazy, lush element to McGraw..s appealing lyrics and delivery. McGraw continues to convince listeners of his pain and fatigue as he tackles more emotional crusades in similar tales like ..Find Me Then.. and ..To Keep You Safe... Religion and relationships with women, healthy or not, are dominant themes in McGraw..s songs. Whether mostly autobiographical references or the life experiences of brilliantly depicted characters that were conceived specifically for his first record, McGraw..s lyrics spur curiosity.

On the slower tracks, like the sensitive ..Are You Still.. and the crushing, piano-driven ..Hopefully,.. McGraw sings with passion, if not the most dynamic range. This is when he most recalls Cohen and his poet-turned-singer vocal delivery. Yet, other selections on Song and Void Volume 1 offer the romance and sensuality Ferry has exuded for so many years. ..The Masses and the Craftsmen.. fuses McGraw..s rolling guitar and uplifting sighs with his bittersweet lyrics: ..So you want to be a rock star / But you..re at home with all your needs / In the basement of your mother / Keeping quiet so she can sleep / Of all of the dreams one could choose / There..s one that will place you on display if you lose / Find yourself there long-haired, 45 / Rocking out the county fair...

McGraw bares his emotions in such a raw manner on ..Navy Blue,.. surrounded by guitar, tuba, bass, trumpet, and violin that the listener can..t help but sympathize with him. Many who hear the song will be touched more deeply and feel like some of their own social and intimate experiences are being discussed. The two most up-tempo tracks on Song and Void Volume 1 are ..St. Anthony.. and ..Natasha in High School... While ..St. Anthony.. benefits from the sweet backing vocals of the Sisters of Mercy quartet, the only voice accompanying McGraw on ..Natasha in High School.. is that of multi-instrumentalist Zoe B. Zak. ..Natasha in High School.. is a classic piano bar sing-along tune with witty rhyming lyrics and dominant Wurlitzer and accordion by McGraw and Zak, respectively.

The last stanza of this buoyant tale of memories and regrets demonstrates McGraw..s compositional brilliance: ..So when I lose the wife / And all the kids are cool / I dream of Natasha in high school / And all of the egos and the ids / Laugh at all the stupid things I did / I wish she could be mine / Just one more time... McGraw is much more than the average singer-songwriter. On Song and Void Volume 1, he plays acoustic and electric guitars and piano and demonstrates how important it is to select a group of instrumental collaborators who flawlessly co-create the messages and vibes the singer wants to convey. Song and Void Volume 1 is a rich and impassioned record that builds new musical memories as it explores the unforgettable connections of past years.

-Sahar Oz
09/18/06

review in greek:
http://www.mic.gr/cds.asp?id=29444

Id be the last one to recommend you a country / gospel album, but ..Song And
Void.. is well worth an exception. To begin with, it..s not exactly country, and
it..s not really gospel. Let..s say that it..s as country as Bob Dylan without the
politics, and as gospel as post-..Boatman..s Call.. Nick Cave .. that is, obsessive
with religion, but under a philosophical mood. The main theme here is death,
not in a depressive sense, but viewed from a wistful spectrum, reminiscent of,
again, Nick Cave. Of course this is no ..Murder Ballads.. (a comical splatter
which was pure fun, as opposed to being food for thought), but rather,
something like ..No More Shall We Part.., an introvert work of art that demanded
several listens before revealing its essence.

But let..s start from the beginning: Richard McGraw is the ideal incarnation of
the typical singer / songwriter: he pays the rent by doing other jobs -
unrelated to music, he follows the do-it-yourself rules, he is conscious of the
fact that the probability of massive recognition is not very big, but also
stubborn and ambitious enough to believe that his voice is worth hearing, even
by a chosen few. In these regards, the good intentions are obvious: if someone
spends 8 hours a day doing boring stuff that pays 6 or 7 bucks an hour, then
why spend the rest of the day with 4-tracks, and invest the money in recordings
and studios if one doesn..t think this is the big it? Surely not for the hope of
becoming the new Connor Oberst, since the odds would be better if one invested
somewhere else (say, the lottery).

So, here is ..Song And Void.., and what is apparent from the very beginning is
that this is a sincere album, made by genuine need of artistic expression. Even
if this was all we had, McGraw would have won half the battle already, but his
achievement is a lot greater than just making a record worth our respect. ..Song
And Void.. is not just honest, but also deep and inspired, an album that
reflects splendid songwriting ability. Perhaps it is of little use to compare
it to McGraw..s debut ..Her Sacred Statues, My Militant Needs.. (which failed to
attract the attention, despite the meticulous efforts of, er, some old
fanzine), let however just say that McGraw..s semi-acoustic songs sound more
stark, more folk, more personal, less appealing for the casual listener and
much richer in emotion and depth for anyone who..ll really listen. It all sounds
like a concept record, the concept in question being a dark and pessimistic
view on this life..s vanity, with several doses of sarcasm and sensitivity. In
short: it..s not a record for spring time, but rather, an anti-Sunday-morning
album which will be enjoyed more not only if just considered as a piece of
music but as an anthology of bitter and slow-burning elegies that opt for the
listener..s mind as well as soul.

Thus, in a sense, here are the doomed gospels of a man who, instead of
forgiving Jesus in glamorous Morrissey fashion, prefers to sound more down-to-
earth, penetrating and descriptive, not however without some sense of humor
being absent from the whole picture: on the cover, there..s a sketch of McGraw
himself, featuring his year of birth on the left and a place for his year of
death on the right, and this can..t help but bring a faint smile on the
listener..s face, a bit like when you..re told a secret that you already knew but
you were not sure if it had become common knowledge.

-Tassos Patokos

The mournful Butter Hill kicks off the latest release from Richard McGraw. With a voice thats part Lyle Lovett, part Tom Waits, McGraw tells us how Truth is a light that I could not handle / With my can of Hamms I started that ritual. Hammond organ and a slow, backbeat-heavy snare keep the time.

The record is a true masterpiece, and each song sheds light on a different aspect of the human element. McGraw boldly romps through the piano-laden, teenage angst of Natasha in High School (I dream of Natasha in high school, and all the blood flows to my head / Filled with all the stupid things I said). He folds his hands over the whispered prayer of Find Me Then (What life is left for me / In the love of my country and the hate of its men?). He cries above the apocolyptic electric guitars in Death Is Not Peace. Theres a sense of tortured darkness on Song and Void, but McGraw expertly navigates the waters of our communal subconscious, showing us the beauty in even our bleakest moments.

THE LINK:
http://www.performingsongwriter.com/pages/music/index.cfm