Songwriter Marc Berger’s new album, Ride, has been slotted into the Starbucks’ in-store playlist; airplay will start in November. Music from the album, which explores the timeless allure of the American West, will be played in Starbucks stores worldwide. Says Berger of the in-store play: “I noticed that I usually enjoy the music playing in Starbucks’ stores and thought it’d be cool to have Ride in the mix, so I mentioned it in passing to our publicist. Fast forward a few months, and it’s actually happening! Really looking forward to giving customers some American West with their daily dose of caffeine.”
In support of the album, Berger has played a number of shows across the Northeast, and additional dates are planned (see tour schedule below). Berger released Ride on July 17, 2012, via his label Real Records. Inspired by his lifelong love affair with the American West, and co-produced with drummer Mike Ricciardi, Ride presents ten cinematic recordings capturing the vastness and romance of the West while exploring its deep roots in the American psyche. From the haunting message and beat of “Twister,” through the soul shaking experience of taming a wild horse in “Take It On The Chin,” to the sexy, mind blowing, middle-of-nowhere encounter of “Time Waits For No Man,” Ride takes listeners on a dusty tour of the Great American Frontier while introducing them to some of its more intriguing characters.
Besides his band (composed of Berger on vocals, acoustic guitar, and harmonica; Ricciardi on drums and percussion; Jack O’Hara on bass, electric and slide guitars; D’Raz on accordion; and Rob Meador on mandolin), Berger was joined in the studio by a number of special guests, including Eric “Roscoe” Ambel (Steve Earle, The Del-Lords, Joan Jett) on electric and acoustic guitars, Tony Garnier (Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Paul Simon) on upright bass, and Joe Flood (Levon Helm) on mandolin and fiddle. The album, which was recorded by Jules Bailis and mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, hit #9 on The Alternate Root’s Roots 66 International Airplay chart. Ride is out now at Triple A radio format and public radio stations nationwide. An Americana radio campaign kicks off in mid-September.
Album reviews have been extremely positive:
- Maverick: “Not the glossy ‘singing cowboy’ style western music of the romanticised past, but gritty, cinematic tales of the real west… …at times stripped bare, at other times dramatic and haunting… …Ride is a musical journey that will bring you endless listening enjoyment and experience like no other album I’ve heard this year.”
- Nanobotrock.com: “A new classic… [Berger’s] ability to harness the style and craft, mirroring the talents of Dylan and Cash, transcends modern acoustic folk… [Ride] should be held in regard with the writing of Harvest Moon… easily one of the best albums I’ve heard in 2012.”
- DirectCurrentMusic.com: “[Ride] echoes the stark, evocative songs of Springsteen’s Nebraska, the cinematic tone of Mark Knopfler and the Lone Star alt-country charms of Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt.”
- Rambles.net: “Guy Clark with more consistently memorable tunes. …This is the good stuff, roots music infused with intelligence and wisdom.”
- FAME (Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange): “It’s the breathtaking grandeur of the high desert and plateaus suspended between the pioneer days and ten minutes ago. …this is country folk music wrought by a working philosopher who’s missed nothing, kept a lot inside for a time, and captured the land.”
- Jersey Beat: “Berger’s stark and straightforward musical evocation of the American West eschews cliché and sentiment in favor of an admirably clear-eyed honesty and reflectivity. One can almost taste the dust and feel the desolation of the wide open prairies…”
- TheRoundTableOnline: “…reads like a love letter to the American West. …brims with pure plucky-folk that the likes of The Civil Wars, The Lumineers, and even Norah Jones are bringing to the forefront of popular music. …a sad reminder of simpler times that most modern Americans will never experience nor appreciate. …one part Springsteen and one part Dylan, but with pure charisma that is all Berger.”
- Roughstock.com: “Turns the ordinary into the iconic… a haunting insight into the heart of a nation. “Ride is the album of the Modern American West.”
- Exclusive Magazine: “Strives from the very first chord struck to capture the spirit the American West – and succeeds on every level… …aside from his depth of vocals, Berger takes up his acoustic guitar and joyous harmonica to bring us the incredible Ride.”
Music was always a passion and after graduating law school, Berger put his diploma on the shelf and fronted bands that played locally in New York City in venues such as CBGB, Wetlands, and The Knitting Factory. At the same time, Berger also explored the American West, venturing into remote regions of its deserts and mountains. On one such excursion, he discovered “The Big It” by A.B. Guthrie on a revolving rack in a Navajo reservation trading post, and the collection of short stories ignited the idea of using his own travels to create a set of songs in the same cultural tradition. Now, utilizing the medium of music, Berger joins American artists such as John Ford, Frederick Remington, and Guthrie in celebrating the unique romance and mythology of the West.
Berger has performed at Austin’s SXSW Music Festival, The Kerrville Folk Festival and has opened shows for Bob Dylan among other national acts. His song, “The Last One,” has been performed by Richie Havens at antinuclear rallies in the United States and Europe, and he’s been quoted in the New York Times and featured on the CBS Evening News.
MARC BERGER TOUR SCHEDULE:
9/7/12 Waverly, NY The Rail House
9/15/12 Geneva, NY Stonecutters – Belhurst Castle
9/19/12 Newport, RI Norey’s
9/22/12 Waterloo, NY The Upper Deck
9/26/12 New York, NY Living Room
9/28/12 Buffalo, NY Sportsmens Tavern
9/29/12 Wellsville, NY Wellsville Creative Arts Center
9/30/12 Ithaca, NY Maxie’s Supper Club
10/12/12 Ithaca, NY Scalehouse
10/13/12 Binghamton, NY CyberCafe West
10/21/12 Brooklyn, NY UnPlugged in Red Hook
11/12/12 Scranton, PA WVIA Radio Show
