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Dee Calhoun, Rotgut: A Personal Endeavor (Plus Full Album Stream)

Posted in audiObelisk, Reviews on June 1st, 2016 by JJ Koczan

dee-calhoun-rotgut

[Dee Calhoun releases Rotgut on June 6 via Argonauta Records. Click play above to stream the album in full.]

Currently six years deep into his tenure as frontman of Maryland doom stalwarts Iron Man, vocalist Dee Calhoun has a career that goes back more than two decades, having contributed vocals and/or bass to acts like Vision, Phantasm, Bullet Therapy and Land of Doom. That Calhoun would get around as a player shouldn’t be much of a surprise to anyone who’s heard him sing. His voice has a vibrato straight out of classic heavy metal in the Halfordian tradition, and he delivers lines with fist-pump-worthy power and enviable range able to move into a register high enough that his “Screaming Mad Dee” nickname seems duly earned. He’s the kind of vocalist you’d want fronting your band, and as heard on Iron Man‘s 2013 full-length, South of the Earth (review here), he only makes strong material stronger.

Rotgut, which comprises 12 tracks for a still-somewhat-manageable 55 minutes, is his first solo offering. Primarily, it features Calhoun himself, working with an acoustic guitar through songs that split the line between blues and unplugged metal atmospherically and, with cuts like “Babelkowa” and the spacious, folkish “Winter: A Dirge,” find him stretching beyond his comfort zone in one direction or another. At its core, though, Rotgut is a deeply personal affair, as emphasized by “Little ‘Houn Daddy ‘Houn” in the first half, on which Dee duets with his son, Rob Calhoun for what seems like something maybe built out for the record that started as the kind of thing a parent might sing to their child. It’s a genuinely touching moment.

Contrast that with the woman-done-me-wrong blues of “Backstabbed in Backwater” and the thrusting metal of the title-track — I don’t care if it’s distorted or not: it’s metal — and Rotgut offers a sense of breadth despite being stripped nearly to the bone in its arrangements. It does not feel like coincidence that it should open with “Unapologetic” before “Rotgut” itself and the perspective-affirming “Not Everyone Wins a Prize” take hold in succession, and the immediately defiant posture Calhoun takes on the leadoff track, his guitar backed by a shaker where on “Rotgut” it’ll come with harmonica, comes up down the line later on the twanging “Cast out the Crow” as well.

dee calhoun (Photo by roxplosion)

No matter where he takes a given song, however, the material belongs to Calhoun in a way that suits him well, whether that’s the more intentionally atmospheric “Sincerely Yours,” which boasts hand percussion and an electric guitar solo, or the six-minute “The Train back Home,” which seems to draw together a lot of what Rotgut is going for stylistically in its setting the vocals to soar over bluesy acoustic strum. Moments of flourish like Dee and Rob speaking before and after “Little ‘Houn Daddy ‘Houn” and Dee rounding out “Not Everyone Wins a Prize” with the spoken line, “Besides, everyone knows the best prizes come from within,” give sonic texture in addition to painting a fuller portrait of Calhoun as an artist, and the classical balladry of “Babelkowa,” while darker, adds to the context of the album overall while indulging a moment of solo voice and guitar to welcome effect. As much as he’s “Screaming Mad” Dee Calhoun, there’s clearly more underlying that persona as well, and Rotgut brings that forward in a way that would scare off lesser players — or perhaps those more prone to being apologetic in the first place.

As “Backstabbed in Backwater” gives way to “The Train back Home,” the die seems cast for the second half of the record, but Calhoun gives a different look with the trio of songs that begins with “Deifendör” and continues with “Cast out the Crow” and “Winter: A Dirge,” the album suddenly taking on something of a fantasy narrative. Calhoun, also an author, may indeed have been thinking of these together and how they might be read as a single thread, or they might have just fit, I don’t know, but with the crows and the winter and whatnot, it’s almost too easy to read a George R.R. Martin influence at work, which is quite a shift from “Backstabbed at Backwater,” whatever those crows and that winter might actually be metaphors for in reality.

Particularly the brief instrumental “Deifendör” seems like the beginning point of another movement of Rotgut, and “Winter: A Dirge” shifts into closer “At Long Day’s End” with a semi-continuation of the folkier vibe that also brings back some of the blues/metal of earlier songs like “Unapologetic” and “Not Everyone Wins a Prize,” so even more of the album as a whole is tied together as Calhoun closes out. One does not imagine a first solo outing is a decision lightly made, and I don’t know over how long a period this material was written — if it was years, I wouldn’t be surprised — but though he covers some ground sonically and stylistically from one cut to the next, Calhoun‘s voice remains the uniting element. Rotgut is a direct communication from Calhoun himself and all the more admirable for that, since that seems so clearly to be the intention in the first place.

Dee Calhoun website

Dee Calhoun on Thee Facebooks

Argonauta Records webstore

Argonauta Records on Thee Facebooks

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Dee Calhoun Posts “Rotgut” Video

Posted in Bootleg Theater on April 29th, 2016 by JJ Koczan

dee calhoun rotgut video

There is just no mistaking the metal in Dee Calhoun‘s pipes. Even in the context of the acoustic-twanging Rotgut, his forthcoming solo debut, the rare power in Calhoun‘s voice shines through in the force of his delivery. To wit, his new video for “Rotgut,” the title-track from the album, finds him exploring expression through guitar and percussion as well, but it’s still his singing that makes the song so striking. Moreover, Calhoun‘s ability to conjure a mood around his voice, a sense of struggle even when he’s so tuned to fist-pumping triumph, leaves the track feeling all the more like an accomplishment.

June 6 is the release date for Rotgut via Argonauta Records, and Calhoun also has a book out — Tales of the Screaming and Mad, derived from the nickname “Screaming Mad” Dee — so in addition to serving as the frontman for Maryland doom stalwarts Iron Man, he’s keeping plenty busy. Solo shows have also become more frequent, and if you’re looking for more of a taste of what Rotgut has to offer, there are an increasing amount of live clips available to surf through. Once he starts singing, you basically can’t miss him, even in the middle of the woods as he is here.

Video follows with more info on the clip and song, as found on the internets:

Dee Calhoun, “Rotgut” official video

Beyond stoked to premiere today the first single by Dee Calhoun, singer of Doom legends Iron Man Band, from his solo debut release “Rotgut”.

“Rotgut” is also available now for preorders:

CD Digisleeve: http://bit.ly/1VWewHv (SAVE 20%)
CD + T-Shirt (all sizes): http://bit.ly/26wrmzU (bundle offer only for preorders)

Rotgut, the song:

Produced and engineered by Dee Calhoun. Recorded at The Dustbuster, Frederick MD. Mastered by Doug Benson at Commodore Recording Studio, Thurmont MD. Lyrics and music by Dee Calhoun.

Dee Calhoun – vocals, guitar, percussion
Muddy Jelly – Harmonica

From the album “Rotgut,” on Argonauta Records

Rotgut, the video:
Directed and edited by Dee Calhoun. Cameras by Dee Calhoun and Robert Calhoun. Featuring Mike Orris as “The Junkman.” Special thanks to Dorothy and John Nahwooks. Public domain footage courtesy Internet Archive.

Dee Calhoun website

Argonauta Records

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Dee Calhoun Solo Debut Rotgut Set for June 6 Release

Posted in Whathaveyou on March 31st, 2016 by JJ Koczan

dee calhoun (Photo by Angela Beth Greenberg)

Iron Man frontman Dee Calhoun has a June 6 release date set for his solo debut, Rotgut, via Argonauta Records. A teaser for the album, which also features a guest spot from Dee‘s son, Rob Calhoun, has been posted, and the cover art and tracklisting have been unveiled. The former is crafted by noted Maryland doom supporter and photographer Jaki Cunha, whose black and white style has been a staple of that region’s scene for I don’t even know how many years. You’ve seen her photos. I’m sure you have.

I haven’t heard the full record yet, but I’m willing to believe the teaser below tells it like it is when it starts out with Calhoun ripping into some of his trademark powerful vocals over touch-o’-twang guitars, finding a space between classic metal, singer-songwriterism and country. Interested to hear how that balance plays out across the album, but June’s a ways off, so here’s some info from the PR wire in the interim:

dee calhoun rotgut

IRON MAN SINGER COMPLETES SOLO DEBUT; ALBUM TEASER, TRACK LISTING AND COVER ART REVEALED

“Screaming Mad” Dee Calhoun, the voice of doom legends Iron Man, has completed production of his debut solo released, entitled Rotgut. The album is scheduled for June 6th via Argonauta Records on CD/DD.

Rotgut was recorded at Dee’s home studio, The Dustbuster, in Frederick Maryland. Mastering was done in nearby Thurmont Maryland, by Doug Benson at Commodore Recording Studio.

The track listing for Rotgut is as follows:

Unapologetic
Rotgut
Not Everyone Wins a Prize
Little ‘Houn, Daddy ‘Houn (featuring Rob Calhoun)
Babelkowa
Backstabbed in Backwater
The Train Back Home
Sincerely Yours
Deifendör
Cast Out the Crow
Winter: A Dirge
At Long Day’s End

The album’s cover is based upon a concept by Dee Calhoun, and photographed by Jaki Cunha.

[picture by Angela Beth Greenberg / Polyester Bride Photography]

www.argonautarecords.com
www.screamingmaddee.com

Dee Calhoun, Rotgut album teaser

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Dee Calhoun Signs to Argonauta Records; Rotgut Due in Spring

Posted in Whathaveyou on January 25th, 2016 by JJ Koczan

Known for the last five years (wow time flies) as the vocalist for Maryland doom mainstays Iron Man, “Screaming Mad” Dee Calhoun has signed to Italian imprint Argonauta Records and will release his debut solo album, Rotgut, through the label this Spring. Calhoun has posted sporadic live acoustic pieces and unplugged cover tunes — the below version of “Ain’t No Grave,” for example — but Rotgut will be his first outing of original solo material in a career that goes back nearly three decades.

The singer also recently released his first book, a collection of short fiction titled Tales of the Screaming and Mad available through Amazon.

Here’s word from Argonauta:

dee calhoun (Photo by Angela Beth Greenberg)

ARGONAUTA Records new signing: DEE CALHOUN!

ARGONAUTA Records is beyond proud to announce a new great name is now part of the family: DEE CALHOUN – known to the masses as Screaming Mad Dee, the voice of doom metal legends IRON MAN – will release his debut solo album ROTGUT by late Spring 2016, available in CD/DD formats.

Rotgut bears its moniker not only as a title, but as a frame of mind.

“When I think of ‘rotgut,'” Dee explains, “I think of something inexpensively produced, very unrefined, and that knocks you on your ass when you indulge in it. And the next day, you’re still feeling it. This very much sums up my approach to this record. The songs on the album are very personal, and the acoustic approach suits them perfectly.”

As with most of Dee’s material – which spans nearly 30 years – the songs on Rotgut are (pardon the pun) from the gut, with no pretentiousness, and draw inspiration from the ongoing triumphs and struggles of everyday life. Mistakes, redemption, strength, and the knowledge that there are no promises, but only the eternal attempt to find happiness are just a few of the themes that the singer/songwriter from Frederick MD present here.

Dee Calhoun began his musical journey as a small boy, and first appeared on record in the late 1980s. He has been the singer/lyricist for Iron Man since 2010, appearing on two EPs and the critically acclaimed 2013 LP South of the Earth.

Regarding the signing with Argonauta, Dee is all smiles. “It’s important to me to work with entities who favor artists as opposed to product. Argonauta has an amazing roster of bands, and Gero is wonderful to work with. Our partnership is only in its infancy, but the first impressions have been top-notch. I look forward to this partnership moving onward and upward.”

[picture by Angela Beth Greenberg / Polyester Bride Photography]

For more info:
www.argonautarecords.com
www.screamingmaddee.com

Dee Calhoun, “Ain’t No Grave”

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