Americana Review: PD Adams-This Curious Wonder

Release Date: April 7, 2022

Label: ‎ Independent

Website

PD Adams (AKA Paul Adams) released the album, Curious Wonder. Forty years is a long stretch to put the unknown side of your music out to your admiring public. With many genres explored successfully over the years, PD still needed to prove one thing to himself, that he could release an Americana album with a good response.

From the start, I noticed that his voice reminded me of a combination of Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits. He is very seasoned as a musician and singer, which becomes readily apparent when “Sometimes I Feel” starts.

Besides PD Adams (Paul Adams) on guitar, harmonica, mandolin, dobro, and voice, Elizabeth Geyer provides flugelhorn and vocals that add and echo Paul’s vocals. Andy Hatfield plays some fine mandolin to give the tracks a roots bluegrass element, and Bradley Harper makes more country and blues with his steel guitar. The combination of these instruments and musicians makes for a perfect blend.

If you look at all the pictures provided by the artwork, it tells a story that connects to the tracks and their stories. This is a kind of Americana with truth and soul. You know the words sung mean something, and it relates to a real human being and his experiences. One man’s curiosity and wonderment made this music and lyrics come alive.

“Winter’s Year” is one of the most touching songs. It brings the season of winter and the Holiday some of us celebrate on the 25^th of December back to life. The feeling and the grace with which it is presented will touch you. And, of course, it emphasizes the words effectively, as it does throughout this release.

“Freaks” is a protest to those who need awareness to watch out that they will “become just like them.” Those freaks of heavy burden need to release the chains that hold them down. The rhythm of the track is one of the best on the album. Regardless of the profound lyrics, it is toe-tapping and enjoyable.

I also loved the slide guitar on “Western Wind,” it is a fine country and Americana number that will stay with you long after the last note is played.

Those are a few highlights of a recording that provides great heartfelt lyrics and superb musicianship. An acoustic strumming on nearly every track lays the groundwork for all the other instruments to build upon. That constant rhythm is simplistic, but the most crucial point is how the music takes off from that point.

The other intrinsic element is PD’s vocals. The way he delivers the lyrics is so passionate and authentic. The rough edges of his style are perfect for the music and ensure a listener feels every word. Yes, this all works beautifully. You can relate to this recording if you have ever felt Curious Wonder before. And more importantly, if you enjoy the country, Americana, blues, and sing/talk style of vocals, you will be fully engaged on this album.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-MuzikMan.net Founder

April 18, 2023

Tracks:

01.Sometimes I Feel 04:12 

02.Man At 4th & Vine 04:51 

03.Spark 03:57 

04.You Are Not That 03:59

05.I'm Alone 04:12

06.Winters Year 04:17

07.Freaks 04:17

08.Western Wind 04:26

09.Old Faded Photo 04:26

10.Songbird 04:04

11.Somewhere In Time 04:19

12.The Picnic 02:01

Paul Adams, Noted Award Winning Composer of New Age Eclectic Music Morphs Into PD Adams With the Release of “This Curious Wonder”

A 12 Song Album of Americana/Folks Songs Painted With Lyrics and Poetry Centering on That Age Old Question of “Who Are We and What Am I Doing Here?”

For years Adams was a luthier building stringed instruments (An exotic 10 stringed Swedish Hummel for Daryl Hall is one example). But composing was his passion. In the 90’s inspired by college studies in Ethnomusicology, under his full name (Paul Adams) he released thirteen award winning genre blending instrumental albums with great success (Amassing over 118 million streams on Pandora). However, he held back his songwriter material. “Even though I had been writing poetry and lyric songs, fear of exposure stood in the way.”

The twelve songs within “This Curious Wonder” are stunning observances about this “place of amazing wonder” and were written over the course of the 35 years Adams also worked in mental health as well as lutherie and composing instrumental music who’s albums had a great impact in the new age genre. “I decided to release ‘This Curious Wonder’ under a slightly different name (PD Adams) to keep from confusing fans and those digital algorithms on streaming media platforms. I thought it might be too jarring for someone’s Paul Adams playlist on Spotify or Pandora all of a sudden presenting songwriter oriented tunes with lyrics like ‘monosodium glutamate’, ‘existential wonder’, and ‘lurking in the shadows’.

From an old curious mystic on the corner, the ironic source of a victim’s revenge, a simplistic voice pointing out truth from illusion, over existential analysis and the unconscious need to stumble the dusty cosmic road, “This Curious Wonder” is a vision of Adams curiosity in trying to define and explain this vast wonderment to himself - to find a way for all of this to make sense. “It’s all right here, from the heinous to the sublime. Like a carnival barker, I felt like I was screaming welcome to the great big circus of wonder!”

Playing most of the instruments (Guitar, dobro, harmonica, oud, dulcimer, mandolin, sitar), Adams approached the album - from writing, recording, production and artwork like a painter. “I would blend, tweak, step back and observe. I also had valuable feedback, vocal harmonies, flugelhorn and piano from Australian Elizabeth Geyer. I am in debt to my friend David Hoffman (13 years playing/arranging w/ Ray Charles) who added horn and encouragement. Then came national flatpicking champion Andy Hatfield on mandolin and UK steel guitar wizard Bradley Harper” (who I met on Instagram.). “Nature has a sharp and defining chisel. This album reflects the wonder of being shaped and molded by the unfolding mystery surrounding us.” The CD package includes all lyrics as well as bonus art, poetry and good dogs having an existential nature.

“This Curious Wonder” is to be released worldwide on all platforms 4/7/22

For more information:
PD Adams website: https://www.pauladams.org/pd-adams, www.pauladams.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PDAdamsMusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pd_adams/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PDAdams9

Videos:
“Sometimes I Feel” https://youtu.be/ZkW8zl9OLYw  
“Man On 4th and Vine” https://youtu.be/WqWOVAqmfbQ

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com