These 11 tales of heartbreak and working-class fury, led by Dorian Wood's soulful wails and battle cries, possess an epic, almost orchestral quality, with help from a jazz ensemble, as well as a Bulgarian women's choir.

11 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Alternative Folk, BLUES: Folk-Blues

Show all album songs: BOLKA Songs


Details:
Dorian Wood's rich, haunting melodies and deeply personal tales of heartbreak and working-class fury are elevated by his spiralling warble/wail/battle cry, echoing the raw, early days of Odetta, Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Bryan Ferry.

Born in Echo Park, California, Dorian learned to play the piano at an early age, under the tutelage of his grandfather, the pianist/composer Calasanz Alvarez. Dorian performed his first piano recital at age 5. In his teens, he attended the Conservatorio de Castella, a high school of the arts in Costa Rica. Upon returning to the States, Dorian attended film school at Los Angeles City College for 4 semesters, before dropping out and focusing solely on his musical abilities. Through the creation of hours of lo-fi experimental folk ditties, both on tape and CD-R, Dorian developed a unique style that would lead to the formation of two critically-praised bands: the art-rock quartet/quintet The Dorian Wood Guilt Trip, and the semi-improvisational gospel choir The Northern Embers.

In January 2006, Dorian began work on his debut album, BOLKA. Recorded in Nashville and Los Angeles, this aural voyage into the tremulous core of love lost is produced by Rebecca Stout (of Hendersonville Song Company), and boasts a lush, epic mountain of sound thanks to contributions from the Bulgarian women's choir Nevenka, bassist June Kato, harpist Elizabeth de Neeve, percussionist Derek Greene and members of the jazz/tango group Cat Hair Ensemble.