MP3 Much More Than Words - ROCK: Classic Rock

Mature beyond his age, 18 year old Spencer Durham latches on to that gritty Allman Brothers spirit whiled adding a slightly contemporary Shawn Mullins's styled edge.

12 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Classic Rock, BLUES: Delta Style



Details:
REVIEW: Hittinâ The Note - #52

Much More Than Words
Spencer Durham
Cavender Castle Entertainment
by John Lynskey

Spencer Durham is the very definition of an âup-and-comingâ artist. This 18-year-old singer/songwriter/guitarist from Atlanta recently released his second CD, Much More Than Words, and its mature, full sound certainly belies Durhamâs tender age. The albumâs 12 tracks allow Spencer to display his songwriting prowess, but it is his strong, earthy vocals that really grab the listener. His voice warrants comparisons to Gregg Allman, Chris Robinson and Van Morrison, which puts Spencer in heady company, but he is clearly establishing his own sound.
One of the strong points of Much More Than Words is the first-rate playing that backs Spencer, courtesy of the Randall Bramblett Band. Randall adds his distinctive keyboard style throughout, while guitarist Davis Causey adds tasteful licks that complement perfectly Spencerâs vocals. Among the many highlights to Much More Than Words are the joyous strum-along of âScared of the Door,â the wicked and nasty âEvil Hearted Woman,â and âThree Oâ Clock In the Morning,â which soars majestically. âSomething Amazingâ and âShe Doesnât Knowâ are two solo acoustic numbers that serve as platforms for Spencerâs singer/songwriter skills, but it is the road-aching lament âThe Travelerâ that stands out as the prime cut on this well-structured album.
Randall Bramblett, a true authority on singer/songwriter talents, had this to say about Spencer Durham: âThereâs an old soul in that young man. Spencerâs got a great future ahead of him.â One listen to Much More Than Words will prove just how correct Randallâs statement is.



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REVIEW BY: Charleston Daily Mail â Charleston, WV â January 18, 2007, Author-Michael Lipton:

Spencer Durham Much More Than Words (Cavender Castle). With the release of his second CD (his first was released when he was 15), 18-year-old Spencer Durham has quickly placed himself among some tall, seasoned cotton. Hailing from the Atlanta area, Durham is near the epicenter of Southern Rock and the collection of songs - all but one penned by Durham - latches on to that gritty spirit while adding a slightly contemporary Shawn Mullins'-styled edge. Certainly much of the credit goes to vet Randall Bramblett and his band who were enlisted for the project. But in the end, it's the songs - and Durham's surprisingly mature voice - that make it all work. There are echoes of the Allman's on "Scared of the Door," thanks to Durham (who is still in high school) and guitarist Davis Causey's in-the-pocket playing. "Evil Hearted Woman," a pared-down acoustic blues, offers a glimpse of Durham's solo shows while "Three O'clock in the Morning" is a gently rocking, Southern soul ballad featuring Bramblett on Hammond organ. He's clearly headed in the right direction and appears positioned for a long career.
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REVIEW BY: MIDWEST RECORD RECAP â CHICAGO, IL â JANUARY 10, 2007

SPENCER DURHAM/Much More than Words: Soulful, rocking Georgia white boy (he's 18 years old) draws national attention with his multi-instrumental capabilities and shows the rest of the world that he has a bright future ahead of him with his second release. Working with Randall Bramblett and his band, Durham delivers a wise performance that you would expect from an older player with more flying time. Don't stick a fork in rock yet when there's up and comers like this coming from places you don't expect.
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PRESS RELEASE: MARK PUCCI MEDIA, Jan 3, 2007
"Much More Than Words", the new CD from 18-year-old singer/songwriter Spencer Durham, produced by Gerry Hansen and featuring special guests Randall Bramblett and the members of his band.

An exciting new talent who is still in high school, Spencer Durham also plays a variety of instruments. His aggressive picking style has been called ârhythm-lead,â which makes one acoustic guitar sound like two or three. He possesses a voice that has been compared to Gregg Allman, Chris Robinson and Ryan Adams, with influences including The Allman Brothers, The Black Crowes, Bob Dylan, John Prine, Van Morrison, The Grateful Dead, Keller Williams, Neil Young, Bob Marley, The Band, and The Beatles.

Much More Than Words was produced by noted session drummer Gerry Hansen, who has toured with several national acts including Shawn Mullins and Randall Bramblett, and also produced Bramblettâs most recent CD, Rich Someday. âGerry played drums on my first album, I Wonder Why, and I always loved watching him play live,â says Spencer Durham about how the two first hooked-up. âWe talked about what I wanted to do on the second album and it was scary how Gerry took off with some of my ideas. Gerry has really helped take my material to the next level. The new album is more raw and edgy than my last, and it gives me a chance to show what I can do with my vocals.â

Hansen brought in the members of Randall Bramblettâs band, including his long-time guitarist, Davis Causey, as well as bassist Michael C. Steele, Mike Hines (guitar, harmony vocals) and Bramblett, himself, to play on the project. Randall plays keyboards and organ on six of the tracks.

âSpencer is a very talented singer/songwriter, âsays producer Hansen. âHe knows what he wants but is still very open to new ideas. I was given a great deal of trust and creative freedom to do what I do. Spencer knows that you get the players that you want and let them be who they are. He would come in with these great songs and, when we started adding all of the colors to them, his eyes would light up and his energy went through the roof. It was quality entertainment. Watch out... he's got it going on.â

Adds Randall Bramblett: âThereâs an old soul inside that young man. Spencerâs got a great future ahead of him!â

âIâm especially proud of my vocals on this album,â adds Durham. Gerry refused to use auto-tune on his pro-tools rig during our sessions. I guess he knew that if he pushed me hard enough we wouldnât need it. Iâm glad we didnât take the easy way out and cover my mistakes with technical voodoo. It feels pretty good to know that the vocals are all me.

â10 of the 12 cuts on the album are full band productions, but I wanted to do a couple of scaled-back songs that were just me and my guitar. Iâve made a lot of fans doing the acoustic singer-songwriter thing, so those two songs are for them.â

Part of Durhamâs maturing process in the last few years has been attributed to opening for acts such as The Zac Brown Band. Brown is also a North Georgia native who has a strong fan base throughout the Southeast and is now being noticed on a national basis. It was touring with Brown that Spencer was introduced to the college circuit, whose audiences really connect with Spencerâs music and style.

Spencerâs promotional efforts for Much More Than Words will target College, Americana and AAA radio. He will also tour college towns throughout the Southeast the spring of 2007. A national tour is being scheduled for the summer of 2007.