David Lawrence Atkins

Spitting On A Fish

Self-Released, 2022

8/10

Listen to Spitting On A Fish

Back in the ‘70s, David Lawrence Atkins was recording under the moniker Dave Curtiss, where a lone album as Curtiss-Maldoon made quite an impression. In 1997, Madonna would rerecord a Dave Curtiss tune and name her album after a lyric of his, and this comeback record has Atkins drawing from his vast talent for a very diverse body of work.

The gritty title track opens the listen with Atkins’ rugged yet tuneful pipes alongside firm ukulele and playful folk-rock ideas, and “Sepheryn” follows with much beauty entering the brass friendly, smooth landscape.

Elsewhere, “And She Danced” certainly will get your body moving to the cultured melodies, while “Blue Like You” burns slow amid soft drumming, Atkins’ expressive singing and a darker spirit of jazz friendly sounds.

Moving towards the end, the romantic “Goodnight” offers a bare but impactful album highlight, and “Shine On Me” exits the listen upbeat, glorious and full of group vocals that you can’t help but sing along to.

You might be reminded of Tom Waits or Joe Henry across these 12 tracks, and the storytelling is as wise as it is absorbing as Atkins will occasionally find a groove amid his blues, folk, jazz, and pop crooning that’s quite timeless.

Travels well with: Scott Kinsey- Mer Sal; Wayne Alpern- Secular Rituals