Here and Gone by Pete McDonald

The songs on Here and Gone sound like a folk-rock fusion between Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young spiced up with elements of Dylan and more contemporary singer-songwriters like Ryan Adams and Josh Ritter. Pete’s songwriting reflects a deep understanding of the great songwriters of our times and a background of Appalachian music, family, farming, work, relationships, and travel. In the up-tempo rocker "On the Radio," Pete packs in lyrics like early Springsteen, painting a picture of the Utah landscape in the first verse and then moving on to cover themes ranging from environmentalism to coming to terms with the pains and confusion of childhood. In Evangeline, a haunting tale about an unusual death, Pete transports the listener to the central plains of America, simultaneously capturing the landscape, farming, family life, depression, love, and loss with vivid imagery and a bare bones instrumental arrangement.

In addition to his own material, Pete teamed up with friend and novelist Elise Huneke Stone (who also wrote for Pete’s first album) to co-write six of the fourteen songs for the new release Here and Gone. Elise brings an edgy poetic hand to songs like "Can’t Be True" and "American Dream," a tale evoking the Great Depression, but modern at the same time. As a novelist, Elise applies her understanding of character and voice to help create songs that are a blend of her life experiences and Pete’s life experiences, but rendered in such a way that the emotional truths resonate with Pete as the singer. In “Wearing the Blues,” Elise writes gutsy lyrics that cut right to the core of pain and confusion, and Pete’s arrangement and lead vocals take us on that intense emotional ride.

The production of Here and Gone varies from simple acoustic performances to full band rockers that include bass, drums, acoustic and electric guitars, organ, harmonica, fiddle, mandolin, and piano. The music is simple, but it’s simple in the best kind of way. In an ocean of folk-fluff and songwriters trying to fit too many chords and meandering melodies into their songs, Pete’s songwriting returns to simple chord progressions and memorable melodies with raw lyrical images that cover a wide variety of themes. Some songs are slow, quiet, and dramatic and other songs simply rock. It is clear that Pete is part of the new generation of intelligent and roots-oriented songwriters who borrow elements from the great songwriters of the 20th century and the vast array of music produced over the last 25 years in order to produce an original sound that they can call their own. Here and Gone was recorded in various northeast Ohio studios, but the bulk of the recording and mixing was done at Harvest Studio in Streetsboro, OH, a beautiful rustic studio built in an old barn.

Pete McDonald is currently promoting the new album Here and Gone with solo and full band performances in and around the Cleveland area, and he plans to expand his touring in 2006. During full band performances, Pete and the band move nimbly from spare and haunting ballads to straightforward rock n’ roll. Full instrumentation includes drums, bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, harmonica, keyboards, and vocals. When Pete performs solo, he accompanies himself with a harmonica and an acoustic guitar. Fans often leave humming his catchy tunes or singing some of the lyrics they picked up during the performance.

As for some history, Pete grew up on a farm in Chardon, OH, a small town east of Cleveland, and he’s been writing songs since he first picked up the guitar at age 16. He comes from a family of musicians and a life of music. He started out playing at open mics and participating in family old-time jams. He was the lead singer and rhythm guitar player for a rock band while he attended The College of Wooster, graduating magna cum laude with an honors degree in biology in 2001. He played at pub sessions in Aberdeen, Scotland during a semester abroad, and he’s tried his hand at busking on the streets of Ireland. After graduating from college, he took a job as a teacher at a progressive Montessori adolescent boarding school program where he played a part in shaping the music program. While teaching, Pete continued to write songs, and he started learning about home recording, producing a CD of the students’ music each year.

In January 2002 Pete’s songwriting took on new energy when he teamed up with his co-worker Elise Huneke Stone to write the half of the songs that would appear on his first self-released album, After the Rockies (released Summer 2003). Many of the songs on After the Rockies tell the stories of pivotal moments in people’s lives, and their aftermath. Like Here and Gone, the production of After the Rockies is simple and raw ranging from solo acoustic studio performances to bare bones folk-rock songs with drums, bass, some fiddle or mandolin, and the occasional lead electric guitar. Pete recorded and produced the album himself, and he played most of the instruments, but had some help from family members and friends. Although After the Rockies is a solid first album, it is clear that Pete has obviously matured as a songwriter, producer, and performer in the two and a half years since it’s release.

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