D.K Dyson - Rising Sun
D.K. Dyson
Rising Sun
Ocean Records 1997
vocals - DK Dyson
guitars - Gordopn Gaines, Gary Poulson
tablas - Badal Roy
acoustic/electric bass - James Genus
keys - Derek Baynes
plus various other contributors
I was a big fan of early 90s NY band Eye & I, which featured Melvin Gibbs (Decoding Society, Rollins Band, Bill Frisell and many others) and Jason Kibler (aka DJ Logic) and a great vocalist by the name of DK Dyson. At the time they were new and fresh, put out one good album, and dissolved shortly thereafter.
This is to my knowledge her only solo release, and it is really not worth seeking out unless you can take punishingly bad lyrics delivered with irony-free seriousness. Part of Eye & I's charm was the earnestness in the delivery that was tempered by a earthy grounding in the overall band dynamic. Maybe she needs a Gibbs or Kibler to keep from going into pretentious urban new age philosophizing, I don't know, but this album is hard to listen to.
With ace players like Roy, Genus, Poulson (also ex Eye & I), Curtis Fowles and EJ Rodriguez it is hard to go wrong musically, and as a result it often does not go wrong musically. It is a bit staid in parts and certainly not as adventurous as such a line up would suggest, but Dyson herself just bulldozes with a straight face such word boners as "Wind, carry this music in the 4 directions righteously...Earth, support me in this endeavor..." and so on. The whole album is leaden with this, and you get some evidence of this in the song titles: Self-Deception (Ego Wrap), Revolution, B'Klyn Blessings, Anytime Anywhere (Rude-Bwoy) among them.
It is so bloody sad to listen to someone who has done exceptionally good work in other avenues (she's done work with Prince, Ambitious Lovers, the Jazz Passengers and Steve Coleman) but on her own goes flying off into some of the most abysmal verbal meatloaf imaginable.
Rising Sun
Ocean Records 1997
vocals - DK Dyson
guitars - Gordopn Gaines, Gary Poulson
tablas - Badal Roy
acoustic/electric bass - James Genus
keys - Derek Baynes
plus various other contributors
I was a big fan of early 90s NY band Eye & I, which featured Melvin Gibbs (Decoding Society, Rollins Band, Bill Frisell and many others) and Jason Kibler (aka DJ Logic) and a great vocalist by the name of DK Dyson. At the time they were new and fresh, put out one good album, and dissolved shortly thereafter.
This is to my knowledge her only solo release, and it is really not worth seeking out unless you can take punishingly bad lyrics delivered with irony-free seriousness. Part of Eye & I's charm was the earnestness in the delivery that was tempered by a earthy grounding in the overall band dynamic. Maybe she needs a Gibbs or Kibler to keep from going into pretentious urban new age philosophizing, I don't know, but this album is hard to listen to.
With ace players like Roy, Genus, Poulson (also ex Eye & I), Curtis Fowles and EJ Rodriguez it is hard to go wrong musically, and as a result it often does not go wrong musically. It is a bit staid in parts and certainly not as adventurous as such a line up would suggest, but Dyson herself just bulldozes with a straight face such word boners as "Wind, carry this music in the 4 directions righteously...Earth, support me in this endeavor..." and so on. The whole album is leaden with this, and you get some evidence of this in the song titles: Self-Deception (Ego Wrap), Revolution, B'Klyn Blessings, Anytime Anywhere (Rude-Bwoy) among them.
It is so bloody sad to listen to someone who has done exceptionally good work in other avenues (she's done work with Prince, Ambitious Lovers, the Jazz Passengers and Steve Coleman) but on her own goes flying off into some of the most abysmal verbal meatloaf imaginable.
posted by theloniusfunk at 1:36 AM
3 Comments:
It's amazing to read music reviews and realize how different ears and hearts are in how we take in sounds.
I thought that Rising Sun was a incredible work by the amazing DK Dyson who I too saw Co-lead the band Eye & I. I love her lyrical content which tends to clearly arise from the many indigenous spirit filled influenced and colored sounds that influence this album. I highly recommend that anyone into heart, spirit and content delivered by an incredible talent for composing and vocalizing seek out this CD. Those who don't mix spirit and heart along with contemporary issues into their needs when viewing or hearing art should probably stay away because the magic is too strong and forces the cynical to flee. As is the case with the blogger who I am responding to. Job well done by DK Dyson.
-James Detres
It's amazing that someone who was into Eye & I could miss the the point of this album. Clearly Ms. Dyson is coming from areas of spirit dealing with African, American indigenous and Eastern philosophical world based leanings in her lyrics fused with woman's issues and sensibilities.
This reviewer must live in a box that doesn't allow visibility if someone is coming from other places like spirit or even a woman's point of view. It's disturbing that someone would anonymously or otherwise use a blog to put down an artist who is honestly trying to touch people. The album from my vantage point deals with issues of domestic violence,abuse, racism and spiritual issues as well as everyday love.
As an artist myself I understand what it takes to put "one's self on the line" constantly. I wonder if Erroneous Funk understands this. If he or she did maybe the ears would be sharper and the eyes more open.
I too was a big fan of Eye & I and saw many of their shows so I knew many of the musicians as well.
DK Dyson is an incredible artist, vocalist and songwriter who clearly isn't afraid to speak to and from the heart. People who only live in the head or seeking what is the hip thing of the moment won't get it.
Rising Sun is one of my favorite albums, check it out for yourself and if your heart is open you will be rewarded.
James Detres
James, your commentary is just as posturing and full of self-absorbed twaddle as Dyson's lyrics were, so if you are thrilled with it bravo. Don't be surprised that not everyone is as over earnest and pretentious as you.
"Clearly Ms. Dyson is coming from areas of spirit dealing with African, American indigenous and Eastern philosophical world based leanings in her lyrics fused with woman's issues and sensibilities." And? That doesn't mean that the delivery and execution were good. Subject matter alone does not guarantee quality or listenability you self-righteous poltroon.
"This reviewer must live in a box that doesn't allow visibility if someone is coming from other places like spirit or even a woman's point of view." You are a punk jackass, and carrying exactly the kind of wallowing passive-aggressive haughtiness people like me find utterly contemptible. Go head butt a cactus.
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