Reviews
A selection of reviews about The Mr Ballad Trilogy
With the record industry in a state of flux, independent musicians have to find new ways to widen their audience.For his second release, singer-songwriter Dom Chapman has come up with a shrewd way of doing just that.
Released simultaneously, The Bare Bones Of Mr Ballad, The Amplification Of Mr Ballad and The Remix Of Mr Ballad approach the same 11 songs in dramatically different ways, and the results are richly rewarding.
"The idea is to be all things to all people," Dom explains. "Monestising music is very hard. You have to innovate, so I was looking for alternative ways of marketing myself and my songs."
Apart from featuring alongside Dame Judi Dench in the TV play Last Of The Blonde Bombshells, Chapman has made his living in music for more than a decade and recently moved to St Leonards near Hastings in East Sussex.
"My wife was pregnant with our daughter and it offered clean air obviously, but I've found it very creative. In London I got stale and needed a change."
● The Mr Ballad trilogy is out now.
Gavin Martin - The Daily Mirror
MR. BALLAD: A HAT TRICK OF PERFECTION
Virtually unknown here in the United States, UK singer/songwriter Chapman
has been called “Amazing” by BBC radio and the Hastings Observer exclaims
that his voice is “evocative and intense” while his lyrical prowess is
“intelligent and thought provoking”. FATEA Records magazine calls Chapman
one “to keep an eye on.”
To say that Chapman will make a splash stateside is an understatement. It
is only a matter of time before our airwaves are flooded with the smooth
and sexy sound of Chapman’s haunting vocals and lyrical brilliance.
Chapman’s second album could technically be considered his second, third
and fourth. Not satisfied with one style, Chapman did the unthinkable and
mixed three different versions of eleven songs, infusing each with a
different style, one as remarkably unique as the other.
This strategic move to cater to different audiences simultaneously could
have easily come across as a gimmick in the hands of a lesser competent
musician and songwriter, but it works surprisingly well here.
“The Amplification of Mr. Ballad” is the more traditional pop-infused
album. Don’t let the word POP scare you off, the songs are wonderfully
written and performed from the heart with a voice that cracks at every
right moment, making you feel the angst, love, triumph and every motion in
between.
“The Bare Bones of Mr. Ballad” features the same songs in a minimalist
fashion. Often a sole guitar or piano accompanies Chapman’s beautiful
singing.
“The Remix of Mr. Ballad” goes in the complete opposite direction of
“Bare” and laces the lyrics with pulsating beats, hooks, synth and
electronica!
Hum Along: the track most likely to be a hit single, is the standout on
all three versions of the album and on Amplification comes across as a toe
tapper with a catchy hook, fantastic and richly layered arrangement of
supporting instrumentation and finely crafted lyrics that help move the
song well past standard pop fare.
On “The Bare Bones of Mr. Ballad” the song takes on a more intimate tone.
It has been stripped to a singular acoustic guitar accompaniment and
Chapman comes across more vulnerable and makes the theme of a man facing
his own mortality all the more evident. The result is a sad and powerful
piece that wrenches the heart with its simplistic beauty.
Unfortunately, this song does not work as a dance-hall anthem on “The
Remix of Mr. Ballad “because of the nature of the lyrics. The emotions
evoked on the other two albums is lost here under heavy drum machines,
shrill electronic brass and excessive bass lines.
I am going to defend the dance mix though by adding that I have never been
a club-kid so the club mix styling is completely lost on me.
Things Are Changing: on the “Amplification” album starts off as a
whimsical sailing metaphor for facing the changes that life happens to
throw your way. You can either fear the change or set your sails against
the wind and turn with the tide. The chorus is a vibrant swell of piano,
electric guitar and thundering drum beats layered over a powerful vocal
track that makes you pump your fist triumphantly in the air.
The “Bare Bones” mix is soft and subtle and allows you to focus on the
deeper meaning of the lyrics as Chapman’s sultry vocals take the forefront
with a timbre and tone reminiscent of Cat Stevens. You can feel the
emotional punch in the chorus as he sings:
“I’m more than a passenger on something unsure. Feel I’m the captain of
something more certain. The wind is rising and the tide is turning, oh,
things are changing.”
“The Remix” once again strips the song of the beauty of the more
traditional releases featured on “Bones” and “Amplification” but damn if I
didn’t find my pulse quickening and my foot stomping to the heavy beats,
handclaps, synth and slide whistles lacing this funky up tempo mix from
OneFourtyFour.
Writing a review for one artist who sang eleven songs three different ways
and placed them onto three distinct albums is no easy task.
Of the three, “The Amplification of Mr. Ballad” stands out while the
acoustic “The Bare Bones of Mr. Ballad” trailing a close second. Fans of
dance hall anthems and club music will undeniably fall in love with “The
Remix of Mr. Ballad”; this reviewer, however, just doesn’t get it. (It’s
because I don’t dance I suppose.)
No matter your taste, great music is great music and the collection of
three albums is sure to have something even the most discerning consumer
will favor. Chapman is bound to hit the shores running when he lands in the
states so be one of the first to experience him before he is a household
name.
genrefinity.net
RELEASING an album is a daunting enough prospect for most musicians – releasing three at the same time sounds like madness.
But that’s exactly what St Leonards based singer-songwriter Chapman has done, bringing out three CDs which feature the same 11 tracks explored in different ways.
It sounds like a PR stunt, and in lesser hands that’s exactly what The Bare Bones of Mr Ballad, The Amplification of Mr Ballad and The Remix of Mr Ballad would be.
But the sheer talent of the man wins the day and what could have been a cheap gimmick ends up as a rich and rewarding musical experience.
First and foremost Chapman has a stunning voice – intense and evocative, and lyrically his songs are intelligent and thought-provoking.
Dom Chapman (to give him his full name) wrote his first song on the inside lid of a shoebox aged only five, and was playing folk clubs before he was old enough to shave.
Oddly for a man whose influences include Cat Stevens, The Beatles, the Jam and Scott Walker, his early career was in dance music, teaming up with Scope for the smash hit Busted EP which led to a European tour.
After a stint on the catwalk, he formed Macarthur before striking out on his own when his stripped down acoustic album, which blended folk, soul and rock, won him an army of adoring fans and a place on the Radio 2 playlist.
With themes such as love. loss and fatherhood, there is always a danger of tipping into James Blunt territory, but Chapman’s songs strike exactly the right balance – being emotional but never mawkish.
Hum Along is the standout track for me, but the whole album is excellent, and there is a nod to life living by the sea on Edge of the Island, and it is fascinating to listen to his three re-imaginings of the different songs.
All in all an ambitious undertaking, but well worth checking out.
Hastings and St Leonards Observer
I checked out Chapman and his album “The … of Mr. Ballad” from Hastings, United Kingdom. These 11 song full length albums, are pretty amazing, and no it’s not a typo, I’ll get to that in a minute. Right from the first song “Hum Along”, it’s clear that this artist has got a talent and passion for music. I admit it is my favourite song on the album, and he kind of reminds me of a Tom Petty, Neil Young mix, great lyrics, tempos, catchy vibes, and a likeness that is addictive.
Releasing these albums, Chapman used his 11 songs, and released 3 different versions of his songs, on 3 completely different albums, which is not only an awesome stylistic idea for anyone, but shows his drive for musicianship and talent. The album names; the Amplification, The Bare Bones, and the Remixes of Mr. Ballad, are like listening to 3 different albums, yet each one has its own feel and atmosphere.
My personal favourite is the Amplification album, although I’m a big fan of the Bare Bones mixes as well, which is more of a stripped down version. The Remixes album has some excellent surprises, seriously, you should check out one of these 3…you will not be disappointed.
- CRMB
Featuring his trademark megaphone on the front cover, "The Amplification Of Mr Ballad" builds on the groundwork laid down by "Unexploded Bombshell". There is a rawness in Chapman's writing, a sense of not quite belonging, a need to find occasional solace on ones own as well as in the heart of a relationship and occasional rifts between the two. It's reflected in the music, leads instrumentation, guitar, piano simple and direct laid over a more complex orchestrated backing. The result is an album that really moves you and identifies Chapman as a writer to keep an eye on.
FATEA Records Magazine
