Great Comeback mr. O'Keefe
D'Alesio Sergio | Roma, Italy/RM/Lazio Italy | 08/01/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I am rock journalist in Italy from 30 years so i love Danny O'Keefe's music from the early days of Calliope's Band. In the seventies i have really dreamed with masterpieces like "Breezy Stories", "So Long Harry Truman" now avaible on japanese cd version, "American Roulette" and "The Global Blues". It's very excitement hear news songs of Danny O'Keefe with his old partner Bill Braun. Each of eleven songs of "Don't Ask" give a special atmosphere. "Rock Goodbye Baby" is a great rock-ballad, "Kings Of The Blue Glow" and "Tantra" travel inside eletronic music, japanese roots and philosophical dreams, but for my taste the best melodies are "Suddendly The Celestials" and "Steel Dream" and the pretty "Jody". The music is a great crossover of blues, pop, electronic and folk-rock with very nice lyrics of Danny O'Keefe: so this project it's a really nice gift for his fans all around the world. I hope one day we have the possibility to hear the digital versions of "The Global Blues" and "American Roulette" again inissued. So great comeback mr. O'Keefe!"
Ask for "Don't Ask."
Mitchell Lopate | Silverdale, WA | 10/04/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Let's say there's a special party you want to give for an elite gathering of young sophisticated friends. All the arrangements are made for the best atmosphere, and you want to impress a special someone with the time to dance, romance, and be witty. What you need, my friend, is songmeister Danny O'Keefe's terrific new collaboration with Bill Braun, Don't Ask. O'Keefe has always had the versatility to handle other styles (boogie-woogie, ballads, blues, and crooning like nightclub performer), and it's all available here. Assure yourself that this is the right choice: Danny's voice is as smooth-and better-than any pop tunes Boz Scaggs ever did. This compilation actually runs on the same circuit as Don Henley's solo work, but Danny sands away all the rough edges that crept into Don's griping. In fact, the versatile O'Keefe can maneuver like an ice skater anytime he chooses on the jazz rinks occupied by Al Jarreau, Steely Dan's Donald Fagen, or Ricky Lee Jones. But the gold medal here goes to the terrific A-Z catalogue of killer hooks that Braun has unveiled on a panorama of instruments. Snarling guitars, rippling drums, whizzing keyboards, and a scampering bass make these 11 tunes go round and round in a never-ending spiral of slinky (sometimes teasingly sarcastic), poetic rhythms. Go instantly to "Speaking of Destiny," and watch yourself shudder as though Braun's opening riff causes a change in temperature behind Danny's apocalyptic view of life. There's hope for Earth: "Suddenly the Celestials" shines a funky spotlight from above on the rat race of the morning commute and road rage. Imbedded in this song are the simple-but true jagged twists of Wall Street's 2003 mood swings: "Shuck the suckers
'Til you think you're tough
In this town, baby
That ain't enough
Money cripples people here
It's a very expensive source of fear
In this town it ain't funny
I mean people get mean
When they're losin' money
You ask them who they pray to thank
They'll say, "The Big Guy
The one who runs the bank"
Be warned, Humans. O'Keefe has your number. And the rest of the galaxy is watching you groove. That also goes for the boppin' and hoppin' "Turn That Damn Thing Down!" as Braun tattooes the `boards and electronic drums with a finger-snapping beat behind Danny's chanting. No, the ice isn't going to melt in your drink-it's too cool in your hands. Just be sure your threads are tight, because "Jody" comes out as a cross-dresser, and O'Keefe raises eyebrows when he asks, "Why do you wear your sister's clothes?""
Another fine addition to the library
Mark Gatzke | Plant City, FL USA | 06/21/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"It's very tempting to compare this to the gorgeous "Breezy Stories" as O'Keefe's 21st century equivalent(and I will), but that doesn't really tell the story nor is it a fair examination of "Don't Ask" based on its own merits. For starters, it's a collaboration, evident not only by the shared authorship with Bill Braun, but in the music. The wry observations are there, of course, potent as can be expected, and Danny sings them with passion. This above all else makes it worth owning.
The music is imaginative and well produced... and pretty much electronically created which is where it suffers a bit. That isn't to say that it's overwhelming or crass. It's tastefully done and supports the integrity of the songs as best it can. Having said that, the strength of "Breezy Stories" owes its supporting cast to a significant degree, a diverse and captivating listening experience if you can appreciate what each player contributes to the whole. I believe the same heights could have been reached on "Don't Ask" if it had the same constituent approach and feel. Where it truly succeeds on its own, though, is its originality. You won't find anything else quite like this. It defines eclectic in the grandest sense of the word."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1