"Motorhead-meets-Merle Haggard Rocks like some Crackling 70s Outlaw Classic and would be top forty in a saner universe."
- Richard Thornley (Penguin Eggs) Edmonton, Alberta
"A Canadian who delivers honest hillbilly music that's more country than much of the pasturized schlock coming out of major-label Music Row these days."
- Clay Steakley (Performing Songwriter) Nashville, Tennesee
"One of the best roots country discs to come along since Corb Lund's Five Dollar Bill."
- Heath McCoy (Calgary Herald), Calgary, Alberta
"Crazy Horse in better days."
- (Rootstime) The Netherlands
"Canadian country-folk for a sound that harkens back to The Band. Contemporary enough for mainstream radio yet folky enough for the purists, Dave McCann seems a natural for the festival circuit and a likely candidate for major stardom."
- Lynn McLachlan (Rambles) PA USA
"The perfect antidote to the plastic world in which most of us live."
- Michael Mee (NetRhythms) UK
Road ghosts, fallen shows and the blur
of years built by song, sweat and stage noise. Americana-edged rock and
roll tangled with the continuous trail of broken strings, headlights
and a hell of a lot of laughter. You’re looking at the guiding force
behind Dave McCann and his fourth release “Dixiebluebird.”
Produced
by guitarist, producer and Nashville alt-icon Will Kimbrough (Todd
Snider, Mavis Staples, Rodney Crowell), “Dixiebluebird” is Dave’s
strongest work to date. A wealth of road and heart worn original
material that lays a torch to the influence of Bruised Country Soul,
Classic Southern Rock and Heartfelt Americana. “Dixiebluebird” also
brings transition, with an introduction to Dave McCann and the
Firehearts. It’s a new name, but the same superlative line up: long
time guitarist Dave Bauer, multi-instrumentalist Pete Loughlin on Bass,
Tim Williams on Drums and all the sagacious force of Charlie Hase on
the Pedal Steel Guitar.
“Dixiebluebird”
was recorded at the Toybox Studio-a backyard studio hidden out in the
old neighborhoods of East Nashville. Owned and operated by Eli “Lij”
Shaw and aptly named after it’s incredible collection of historic and
vintage gear. Beautiful compressors, incredible mics, and the analog
MCI console that was rescued out of Florida’s Criteria Studios after
the Seventies. It’s recorded the luminaries, Neil Young, Steven Stills,
Elvin Bishop, Eric Clapton, Joe Walsh, the Marshall Tucker Band, the
Eagles, the list goes on and you can sense that historic heartfelt rock
influence.
From the title
track “Dixiebluebird” to the high-caliber rockers like “Bloodpines” and
“Fireheart” or following through to the pendulant swerve of “Tuscaloosa
Blues” and “Unfamiliar Ground” you can hear right off what this band is
all about...Heart. From the spine chilling and crunch-tangled crackle
of the guitars to the uncommonly high standards of song craft,
“Dixiebluebird” is full speed. With it’s consistent and matchless
musicianship this recording finds itself the benchmark.
Previous
releases “Shoot The Horse” (2008), “Country Medicine” (2004) and
“Woodland Tea” (2000) garnered Dave international acclaim, brought him
great shows across Canada and into the States, and won him the hearts
of critics and fans. Songs from “Country Medicine” and “Woodland Tea”
were also included in the award-winning sound track to the film “Hank
Williams First Nation”, as well as the TV series. The film sound track
included songs from Joe Ely, Billy Joe Shaver, Hank Williams and
others. It ended up taking home “Best music in a motion picture” at the
Nashville Film Festival in 2005.
In
a self-congratulated world marred with clones and contestants it’s
refreshing to hear a band so true to their love for the music, building
something larger and more satisfying than that influence.