David Anthony Zee – Suitcase By The Door
David Anthony Zee – Suitcase By The Door – Album Review
Listen…there’s a time and a place for nostalgia, but it is super tough to make an argument that it’s ever going to be the right ingredient for moving forward. From what I’ve read about Suitcase By The Door, these songs have been kickin’ around for about fifteen years or more – and that’s about seven lifetimes ago in the lifecycle of modern-day music in the present day. I’ve read all kinds of details about David’s record, about his approach to making music, about the differing opinions as to what does/doesn’t work, and from my perspective, the dude’s spinning his wheels a bit trying to sort it all out. Part of it seems to be in thinking that some confusion with other artists going by the name of David Zee out there is holding him back or preventing the music from getting where it’s supposed to go, but I don’t think that’s it. I look at a ‘new’ record filled with material written more than a decade ago and have no real choice but to come to the conclusion that it’s looking backwards that’s really preventing Zee from going forwards & evolving in his craft in the ways that he wants to with his career, and not as simple as needing to add in his middle name. He’s far from done – a creative mind like he’s got is never really gonna run out of steam, but that being said, we can all get a bit stuck sometimes, and I’ve always believed that’s the signal to start shaking things up in a whole different way.
When I was watching the video for the opening track, “Stay With Me (For Crystal),” my first thoughts were that Crystal definitely seems like she’s the right kind of personality to pair with a guy like David, who I’m very much assuming is that guy at the party that always thinks it’s time to pull out the acoustic guitar…or anytime that he’s awake, for any reason really. As far as the song itself goes, which is written for his current girlfriend as far as the notes I’ve got in front of me explain…I mean…I’m not gonna begrudge anyone out there that wants to write about their significant others – there are plenty of things to write about in this world, and that’s always going to be one of the better things to focus on, in my opinion. I think the stone cold reality of songs written like that, is that they’re almost always going to be more meaningful to the people involved in the relationship than the rest of us, but music’s history has also shown us many exceptions to that over its time as well. It IS possible that a track written for one specific person can end up crossing over to mean a lot to other people as well, but it’s rare, and it probably should be – it was never meant for us, it was meant for someone else. In this case, it’s Crystal, and I’m sure she enjoys it! What else could honestly matter beyond that? Certainly nothing I’m gonna say, or anyone else for that matter – it’s Crystal’s opinion of “Stay With Me (For Crystal)” that matters most, and rightly so. Only herself and David know the extent of what the lyrics and imagery within them truly mean and how that reflects upon the relationship they share together. We’re just observing and get a tiny peek into their world through “Stay With Me (For Crystal)” that seems sweet in its intentions.
I think the closest modern-day comparison you’re gonna find to David’s music is likely gonna be an artist like Ben Folds, and you’ll hear the similarities in the songwriting of a tune like “Someday (For Raymond).” This is where you’ll find Zee’s lyrics & details shining brightly, and for those out there that appreciate a good storyline in what they listen to, there’s plenty to admire in the way that “Someday” is written. It’s very much one of those traditional songwritery types of tunes…and we’ll talk a little more about that stuff as we go through the set-list of this record, but whether it’s something like Billy Joel or Ben Folds you find a song like “Someday (For Raymond)” reminds you of, you can’t ignore the classic recipe of what has worked so well for so many throughout the history of music. Where things become problematic, is that there is undoubtedly less space for a sound like this in today’s world, even as, or especially because of the fact that, the floodgates are continually left wide open in the internet era. So while it’s true there are still many folks out there that would enjoy David’s brand of Folk/Pop music, it’s just as true that it’s somewhat harder to reach them easily. It’s hard for even the best written songs to reach the audience they deserve, and when you factor in a very delicate demeanor like “Someday (For Raymond)” has, and that it doesn’t possess that real standout hook in the melody that the average everyday listener is going to remember or identify as a David Anthony Zee tune specifically…I mean…it’s tough out there man. Obviously he’s putting a lot of heart, passion, and effort into his music, I get that. I wish that equated to listening ears out there, but that’s not quite enough in the world that we’re currently living in. David’s writing songs for the liner-notes generation at a time where everybody’s on their phones…it’s a tough sell now, that’s the reality. I like “Someday (For Raymond)” – it’s a well-balanced, well-written, and sincerely heartfelt tune for sure, but I recognize the many challenges that a song like this is still going to face when trying to make its way to the masses.
Case in-point, it’s just gonna be hard to get a song called “The Old Folkies Home” out there right now – that’s just being objective and brutally honest. I’m not saying impossible, because I never believe anything is impossible and we’ve all seen some incredible odds-defying scenarios in this world…but it’s definitely not gonna be easy, that I can tell ya. I mean, look…David’s won awards with his material in the past – and one of those tunes that brought home the hardware is actually on this very album – so now that things have somewhat shifted away from the sound that’s so gently rockin’ with, it might be time to examine his potential as a songwriter for hire and such. That takes a bit of humbling, and lord knows that artists can be some of the most resistant to that concept as you’ll ever find people to be, but there’s a whole other realm of success potentially waiting for him if he was willing to go that route instead. Like…think of the band Cake for instance…they’re planning a comeback to the scene this year, and a song like “The Old Folkies Home” through their perspective would probably be a big freakin’ deal! Or you could go the route of shopping this to some of the new Alt/Folk/Country crowd like The Most Beautiful Losers or Nate Jacobucci…artists/bands still on their way to making a name for themselves – there’s gold in them thar hills too. I look at titans of the industry like Linda Perry and Kevin Griffin – both artists that fronted wildly successful bands, but understood that they could influence the scene in other arguably more relevant ways as well, by being songwriters for others. That’s not to say I don’t like the sound of what I’m hearing on “The Old Folkies Home” – it’s fine, and I’d probably even argue that it’s one of my favorites on this particular record in terms of being a complete song – but there’s still plenty of opportunity for David’s tunes that could lead him towards the success he’s seeking out currently. I like the main melody at the core of this tune, I like the ideas in the backing vocals, and I like the details in David’s lyricism as well…there are many positives, despite the odds that are stacked up against him.
He’s doing the right things. You’ll listen to a song like “Children Of Conflict,” which has been recognized by his peers and won him awards in the past, and you can hear the guy’s got a tremendous grasp on what has made songwriting a timeless art for as long as it has been. He sings with confidence and the kind of professionalism you wanna hear to get the most out of his voice, music, and message combined – and it makes sense that a meaningful song like “Children Of Conflict” would be as lauded as it has been…back when it was, with the sound that it has. In a great many ways, I think we would all wish that a song like “Children Of Conflict” wasn’t still as relevant as it is now on a lyrical level, but it is, and that’s again, just objective reality. Obviously that sucks, cause this is a song that’s essentially all about kids that have been stuck in war-torn situations, and the world’s constant battles continue to rage on now. “No one expects to see conflict resolved where years of destruction and hate are involved” is one of many insightful lines in “Children Of Conflict” that you’ll find, and again, I kinda wish he wasn’t so right about that, but here we are and that’s the case. To be completely fair to David, even fifteen years ago getting this song out there to the point where it would be recognized and win awards would have still be a righteous challenge, but he beat the odds then and maybe he’ll go on to beat’em again…time will tell.
I like the background percussion elements added into “Johnna Knows” in addition to the backing vocals as well…this is a good quality tune with a bunch of excellent ideas in the melody overall. I still think it’s probably missing that standout element that keeps people coming back to it or the hook that will make it memorable to listeners out there, but it’s another great example of the well-balanced songwriting and execution that David Zee brings to his tunes. If anything, that well-balanced approach might be a part of what’s holding him back a little bit…almost as if his material is a bit too even across the board, rather than having some of the tangible dynamics that makes music move people as much as it can. For what it’s worth, I think the main hook of “Johnna Knows” gets closer to having something like that in the melody of the chorus, but it’s still presented to us very much on the mild side of sound and probably not as pronounced as it would need to be in order to be really heard by those out there listening. That’s not really a knock against David, like I said earlier, he’s essentially doing all the right things that he can within the framework of the style of music he’s playing…my gut just tells me that it’s always going to be met with a nod of ‘good song’ approval, rather than invoking the kind of strong feelings and attachment that songwriters truly crave. The masses need a bit more outta the guy if he’s gonna get their attention from what I can tell…the writing in a song like “Johnna Knows” deserves it, but it’s still likely got an uphill battle ahead to reach the amount of listening ears he’d want it to have. I’m with David though – from what I’ve read, this is one of his favorite cuts on the album & I feel the same way about “Johnna Knows.”
If you’re not too careful, you can tinker with something and send it in the wrong direction. I’ll admit that the current mix on “The Door” suits this particular album better with its more transparent and light sound, but I felt like it dragged this whole song a bit backwards in comparison to the more robust mix that David brought to it in the version we heard last year in Zanilonia’s take on it. It’s still a good tune, don’t get me wrong…I still think this is something that could make its way onto people’s playlists and whatnot…but I did feel like I was missing the purpose in remixing this particular cut from what it was to what it is now. The previous version seemed to be more colorful, bolder, and stronger overall, whereas “The Door” on Suitcase By The Door seems to be a lot paler by comparison, and missing the main aspects in the mix that made the Zanilonia version stand out. Maybe that’s just what I’m hearing…you might feel differently of course – you can check out my previous thoughts on what used to be called “The Door Never Opened Before” (incidentally, that was a better title too) by clicking here. All-in-all, I still feel like this is a well-written tune, but I am a bit perplexed as to why Zee sapped some of the real strength outta this mix in favor of a most timid approach. If anything, that’s kinda what I’ve been making a case against when it comes to this album…we need that livelier version of Zee’s msuic back, rather than this gentler approach he’s taken to this particular record. To me, there’s no comparison to which version of “The Door” I’d prefer to listen to, but perhaps that’s just my own personal opinion.
Here’s my most major concern. When I was first introduced to Zee’s music through Zanilonia, pass or fail, there was a TON of identity in the ideas that made tracks like “You Disarmed Your Robot Army” and “MacGuffins Of The Mind” memorable – and while the writing of his music still shows consistent stengths as it is now, what gave it identity and personality you could separate from any other out there, is kinda gone altogether now. That’s not to say that something like “Four Walls” isn’t a well-written tune – it is…but it’s a heck of a lot more ‘normal’ and typical than what we’d heard from this dude in the songs we’d been introduced to. The quirkiness of David’s music was a major part of its personality and what made it stand out…and while there are plenty of admirable themes in what he’s chosen to write about here on Suitcase By The Door, it’s hard to argue that we haven’t heard stuff in the music of others that has fully explored so much of what he’s singing about this time around. Like…I’ve never heard a song about “MacGuffins Of The Mind” before I heard his, and I’ve never heard one since – you see the difference that can make? I might honestly like listening to the melody of a song like “Four Walls” more than I enjoyed the MacGuffins tune…but I don’t know that I’m gonna remember “Four Walls” in a couple years down the road, whereas I’ll probably remember “MacGuffins Of The Mind” for a lifetime. You see what I’m saying? So…don’t get me wrong…it’s up to David and David alone as to what he wants to write and the reasons as to why he’d want to write something at all…but there’s a way that stands out and is memorable (uniqueness) and there’s a way not to (stuff we’ve heard before) – simple as that really. Like I said from the start, I’m never gonna hate on someone writing another love song or something sweet like “Four Walls” is, but I have a harder time advocating on behalf of switching things up to what’s less unique than what was, you know what I mean? I can always make a case for listening to something that’s different than the rest of what’s out there, but it’s so much harder to get people to tune into something they feel is already familiar to them, despite the value of comforting similarities. I’m missing the personality and the originality that Zee’s music had in what I’d heard from him initially. Nothing wrong with a well-executed song like “Four Walls” – I’m always willing to listen, but I want to remember ya & what you created for a wide variety of reasons…that stuff is missing from this lineup if you ask me.
“The Funny Little Organ” is even a better example of what is memorable than what you’ll hear on “Four Walls.” Again, to be clear, the ideal mix is somewhere in between realms lol…I mean, I’m definitely going to tell ya I’d still rather listen to “Four Walls” than either “MacGuffins Of The Mind” or “The Funny Little Organ” by a clear country mile…I’m simply challenging David to tap into that space where he’s using the best of what he’s got. We wanna hear that gift for melody and the uniqueness he’s capable of creating as well…if he can somehow merge those two worlds, and ideally not go too far overboard into the obscurity of Folk or too much of its old-timey influence like you’ll hear on “The Funny Little Organ,” I think the better off he’ll be in the long run. Like I was getting at in the start of this review, I feel like Zee’s a bit on the confused side of how to go forward right now, and this smattering of the past seems like the blueprint as to how he got there. In my opinion, he’s gotta ditch the rearview mirror, focus on his strengths, and remember what it is that made him unique to listen to. “The Funny Little Organ” might get close to something you’d find in The Decemberists or in Spirit Of The West…but that’s still rockin’ with fairly niche culturally-inspired vibes that draw on the influence of sound before there was soundboards…and I’m just not all that convinced that’s the right way to go. I guess I just can’t express enough how forward is the only direction we should be encouraging artists to be moving in, and to find that connection between their ideas, material, sound & style that makes them special unto themselves.
“In A Dark Room” is about the first track on this record that has a little bit of life in its veins and some low-end in its sound – and LISTEN to the difference that it makes, will ya? We’re on track nine at this point, but make no mistake, better late than never is a phrase that exists for a reason, because it’s true. I was happy to hear the music come alive on “In A Dark Room” and felt like this was easily one of the better tracks to be found on Suitcase By The Door. David sounds awesome in singing the chorus of this song as well…I feel like the main hook could definitely qualify as memorable as well…I mean…all-in-all, “In A Dark Room” sounds more audibly lively than the rest of this set-list by comparison, objectively speaking. I’m not necessarily saying that makes it a BETTER song – although in my personal opinion, it probably does – but if you like what you like, and that’s the more delicate stuff we’ve heard along the way, I’m cool with – you do you. I’m simply explaining that what I hear on “In A Dark Room” is the kind of vibrant mix of soul, style, and confidence that would definitely get me coming back to listen again. There is something about this track that is wildly universal, and it goes so much further than the ideas at the core of…as in, the songwriting is great, yes, but it’s the inspired spark that this song has that makes it extremely enticing to listen to and well worth turning UP. So there you have it…MacGuffins be damned, I wanna hear Zee’s music more like THIS…because THIS is genuinely fantastic to listen to…and if he can somehow infuse this kind of liveliness in his music with the uniqueness of his lyrical style, that’d be the combination we’re all looking for outta him I’d reckon. A track like “In A Dark Room” completely confirms he’s fully capable of creating music that’ll draw anyone in to listen, and we already know he’s more than capable of creating ideas & lyrics that are brilliantly interesting. Now do both those things at the same time, and I think we’ve found the recipe for your success & moving FORWARD my good man.
“Classified” is…what…”Hard To Handle” by the Black Crowes slowed-down essentially? I mean, it’s about a million and one Blues/Country tunes…and that’s always gonna be the genre I have the toughest time with, because it really is the hardest style of music to do anything NEW within. Would I understand it if someone out there thought “Classified” was among the better tracks on this particular album? Sure. Again, I appreciate the fact that there’s a bit of juice in this tune and that it’s got a bit of a livelier sound to it…but yeah…tough one to argue is doing something we haven’t heard before. No one, including me, is saying that you HAVE to do something unique in each and every tune you create – but it does go a long, long way in separating what you create from the rest of what’s out there and prevents you from being swallowed by the sea of sameness. “Classified” is a prime example of a song I’d really only need to hear once in a lifetime, because there are a hundred others out there ready to be released tomorrow that are gonna fit within the same basic framework and use the same kinda instrumentation & whatnot. It IS what you call tried, tested, and true when it comes to how it sounds…and there’s a reason people keep using it, which is simply because it WORKS. Listeners undeniably still love this kind of vibe, and I get that. I’m not arguing against that. Lyrically, the innovative way that Zee approaches “Classified” is almost enough to make the difference and set a song like this apart…but I’d be concerned with the vocal pattern and music being too close to other stuff that’s out there for his words to get the credit that they should. In that regard, it’s similar to Rap in the sense that, it practically drives me nuts when people put so much extraordinary effort into creating amazing lyrics, yet don’t give them the right opportunities to be heard. “Classified” is very solid on a lyrical level, but that’ll likely be completely overshadowed by the fact that David’s reverted back to a simple groove that people can dance to & ignore its better qualities.
Y’all know I don’t do surface-level critiques…that’s not what I’m here for, and it’s never a method I feel would serve the artists and bands I work with best. I’m here to listen, and I’m here to challenge things when they need to be…but I don’t rubber stamp a damn thing, and never have. So if it seems like I’m being hard on someone, make no mistake, it comes from a place of love and knowing they’ve got more to give. I’ve always liked David, and I respect the guy’s songwriting when it comes right down to it. I want the best of what he’s got to give us, that’s all – and I don’t think we’ve gotten that from him yet. If that makes me the bad guy, then so be it…I’m a critic…I have to be comfortable with the fact that a lot of the things I say aren’t always going to be what people want to hear. But I’m real, I’m genuine, and I’m ultimately on the side of the entire creative community – I want you to be at your best, and David is no exception to that intention. I know for a FACT this dude has still got a groundbreaking album in him – heck, maybe even two…but I feel like he’s lost the plot a little in looking backwards instead of forwards. “The Tap Root Tree” felt like symbolic in that sense, largely because this track is very much another cut that’s been done in some way, shape, or form by others long before David ever got here, and didn’t push this record any further forward than the rest of what we’ve heard along the way before we got to it. As well done as the rest with respect to the quality of performance and production…he’s still a professional at the end of the day…but yeah…”The Tap Room Tree” was a quaint folk tune that was pleasant to listen to for the moment, and somewhat in danger of being forgotten by the time it’s over. I gotta push back on Suitcase By The Door, because I have to hold the artists/bands accountable to the standards they’ve previously shown me…and I know that David has got more in the tank than rehashing the past to polish it up for today. It’s a record filled with Folk-based tunes that’ll earn him a passing grade with most listeners I’m sure, but as to whether he’s given us a reason to return, is another story.
Find out more about David Anthony Zee at his official website at: https://www.daz-music.com
Fun fact – did you know some of the most capable minds and amazing musicians you’ve ever known STILL can’t find the best way to submit their music to us? You’d think it’d be easy, given that it’s right there on the main page of our site, yet the battle still continues! Click here to be the next up on our pages – it’s really that simple!
