Bluer Than It’s Ever Been

Description

Now available in digital format only.

Early contemporary Christian album, piano-based pop style, full of honest feeling and faith. Doug’s first solo album is rough in spots, but also has some great moments. It was produced on a shoestring budget and recorded on an 8-track recorder. Original LP cover opened up, revealing notes on the songs, and included a separate lyric sheet.

Basics

Produced by Michael Glenn [Kuzma]. Music, lyrics, lead vocals, arrangements by Doug Howell. Recorded at Morgan Sound Theater, Ann Arbor MI in 1974. The album TSLP 103 was released in 1975. Publishing later assigned to Creative Measures. Digitized from master tapes in 2005 at Solid Sound, Ann Arbor, MI and released on CD, remastered in Dec 2007. Available now in digital format only.

Playlist

See each song for audio links, lyrics and notes.

• Life Is Like a Melody
• Brother
• It’s a Pity
• I Wanna Spend Time with You
• Bluer Than It’s Ever Been
• Love That Comes Too Late
• With You Beside Me
• Life Is More
• Willie
• Roads
• All I Ever Want

Notes

The Old Albums Revisited (2005)

When I recorded Bluer Than It’s Ever Been, it didn’t really seem possible that I could live past the year 2000. I would be how old? Didn’t seem worth bothering about. Well, here—quite a few years later—we are. I’ve lived long enough to see cassettes of my first recorded album (well, the first one I’ll admit to, anyway) get so old that they no longer play without sticking. In fact, hardly anyone knows what a cassette is anymore. And after many years of talking about it, I was finally able to put my hands on the master tapes of several of my albums, thanks to my former producer and friend, Mike Kuzma. My buddy, Willard Spencer, and the other helpful folks at World Class Tapes, baked the original tapes (no kidding, baked, in an oven) and digitized the thing. Voilá! The results are finally available on this site, and I’m very thankful.

It’s been quite an interesting experience hearing the albums again. On the one hand, they sound better than I’ve heard them in many years—since the recording studio, really. No wow and flutter, no clicks and pops—nothing that wasn’t on the original tape. But on the other hand, they sound old. Dated. I’ve been asking myself things like, Why did I ever think I could play the drums on this myself? (Poverty can drive you to make some pretty foolish decisions sometimes.) And I sound so very, very young. Very inexperienced in life, and faith. The lyrics have just as much meaning as they ever did, but the meaning is, well, different. Deeper. More complex. Different. As Paul Tournier said, it all comes down to the meaning of words.

I thought it might be interesting to revisit my notes on each song as we travel through these albums, so come with me, and I hope we can uncover a truth or two in the process.

First of all, before we begin, I want to thank you for listening all these years. I get a letter, a call, an e-mail every couple of weeks. You say you’ve lost your copy of Bluer, or worn it out. Or you’ve just moved to a new house, and run across your old Freed album and wonder if there are any copies still available. Or you just happened to do a Google search one day and found Creative Measures/Eden Records on the Web—a Web that wasn’t even dreamed of when these particular Eden Records were recorded. Or a friend told you about Hinds’ Feet, and you wonder how much it would cost to send a couple of copies to Australia.

And some of you—just like you used to do so many times so many years ago—ask me what the songs are about. Even now, after all this time. For some reason, the song’s stuck with you, and you still wonder… Well, for all of you, and for myself, too, I’ll try to say a few more things about these songs. I hope that it makes them more real, and more meaningful. I hope it disillusions you just a little and makes you appreciate the ordinariness and wonder of everyday life. I hope it makes them more likely to last along with us another 30 years or so. (By the way, Bluer was released 30 years ago this year!)

Credits

Compositions, arrangements, lead vocals, keyboard, drums & percussion, synthesizer/Doug Howell • Background vocals/Bobbi Page & Doug (except Love That Comes Too Late/Barbara Young & Doug) • Bass guitar/Hoppy Colvin • Flute, alto flute/Kathleen Janka McClatchey Whiteman • Acoustic 6-string, electric guitar/Dan Leonhardt • Acoustic 12-string guitar/Dennis Kisko • French horn/Steve Pike • Cornet/Randy Merritt, John Larkin • Trombone/Larry Daugherty, David Luurtzema • Singalongers & cheerleaders on Life Is Like a Melody/some very precious Ann Arbor brothers & sisters

Production & general inspiration/Michael Glenn • Engineering/Michael Glenn, Doug Howell, Kim Flanery & Hoppy Colvin at Morgan Sound Theatre, Ann Arbor • Mastering/Bob Dennis, HDH Studios, Detroit • Pressing/North American Music, Scranton • Album jacket design/Michael Glenn & Doug • Photography/Michael Glenn & Barbara Young • Photographic composition/Jack Wolak • Typesetting/Glenda Harmon • Jacket Fabrication/New Directions, Dearborn

All selections copyrighted & published/Trinity Sound [later assigned to Creative Measures]

Special thanks to all the friends who contributed joyfully a wealth of both talent and spiritual encouragement. • This album is dedicated with love to my precious brother, Bob Laurent. • All glory to God. It is He Who is our life and song. He produced this album and somehow brought it to you. Maybe He wants to tell you something. Digitized from the original master tapes July, 2005, by World Class Tapes • Compact disc mastered by Doug Howell

Creative Measures (ASCAP) (originally Trinity Sound Corporation, 1975). All songs ℗ © Creative Measures (ASCAP) (originally Trinity Sound Corporation, 1973, 1974, 1975)

Inside the fold-out cover:

I’m standing here knocking at the door. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door I will come into him, and then we’ll both be home. “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” —Colossians 1:13

Reviews

[Bluer Than It’s Ever Been album review] Keyboardist Doug Howell is one of the few Christian pop/MOR guys to really connect with me. He has his smarmy moments, but at his edgiest his catchy tunes and rich moving ballads have the melodic quality of artists like Todd Rundgren. He’’s that rare example of a Christian songwriter that can also write a really good hook, and Bluer Than It’s Ever Been just so happens to contain his most powerful songs. Couple that with the sincerity of his lyrics and you’’ve got one great record. Piano is Howell’’s preferred instrument, although on several of these songs he’’s also playing synthesizer. He also handles the drums and percussion, while others fill in on guitars, flute, brass and backing vocals. The rich dynamics and swelling crescendos help bring his songs to life. I rarely get too excited about piano ballads, but here I find myself incredibly moved by titles like ‘“Brother’,” “‘It’’s a Pity’,” “‘Life Is More”’ and ‘“With You Beside Me’.” Also some fine upbeat pop/light-rock songs like ‘“Life Is Like A Melody”’ and ‘“Love That Comes Too Late’.” And before you rockers write this guy off, note that there’’s some tantalizing fuzz guitar building up ‘“Roads”’ and the title ballad. An independent release from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Gatefold cover. —Ken Scott, the Archivist

Doug is a keyboard whiz from Detroit. Besides his playing, his songwriting is known for its honesty. His Bluer Than It’s Ever Been album established Doug as someone to really look out for. —Foreversong Journal

Today I realized how badly you must ahve been hurting to share those messages. You are very real in your messages and you say how you feel by what you share. I know that for sure@ Today I was listening to Bluer… and when I heard again “Love That Comes Too Late” I was convicted once more. May you always know the warmth of Jesus’ love as you so clearly show it to others. —L. K., Valparaiso IN

I received your album, Bluer…, yesterday, and since then, I’ve been playing it a lot. God has given you the gift of being able to really communicate to others thru your music. I read your thoughts for each song as it played and looked up the verse references. The Lord really blessed my life yesterday as I was getting to know you and what Christ has done for you… —J. J., Fresno CA

[I’m writing] to tell you how much your albums have meant to me and many of my friends. Bluer… is practically worn out and everyone that has heard it has been touched by it. I seem to find something new in it each time I listen. The Lord is really working through you and your music. I can see it here and I can feel it deep inside. —D. S., Normal IL