biographical info
"Stephen Trothen's debut 12 track CD "...Learns to Knit" is a birthday goodie bag of tasty tunes sewn together seamlessly by hands and voice. From the waltzing piano opener "Shoe Song" - which features an accordian section and a quick solo by Stephen's right heel - to the banjo love song "Hat and Mitts" to the skillfully finger picked "Leaves" and "Dandelion Souls" and finishing with the epic "Age Old Recipe," each track features sparse arrangements, that strip each song down to its essential elements and homey instrumentation. The result is a CD that buzzes, hums, swoons, dances, tickles your fancy, and breaks your heart a few times throughout its length and leaves you better for the ware.
The disc, which saw the 23-year-old Waterloo, Ontario native handling all performing and recording duties, boasts a musicial sense oddly varied and refined for a debut album. The breadth of skill, witticism, and charm found here are easily relatible and welcoming. So unlike say, a sweater from grandma at christmas, "...Learns to Knit" will leave a genuine smile on your face, and you'll be sure to wear it even when Stephen isn't coming over to visit."
- Treephone Records website
"...like looking at a series of stop motion photographs or a poster depicting anthropological evolution; "...Learns To Knit" gets better, fuller, more self-assured and more refined as it goes and by the time "Dandelion Souls" and "Age Old Recipe" roll around to close out the album, the singer has finished his diagram of a stitch in time beautifully."
- Bill Adams, Echo Weekly