Denison Witmer

Item: Philadelphia Songs
Author: Tom Bastian

Philadelphia Songs

(2002)

Reviewed by Tom Bastian

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Label Burnt Toast VinylDecapolisOctober 2002

folk singer-songwriter

Singer/Songwriter Denison Witmer releases his 2nd full-length album on Burnt Toast Vinyl Records. The album titled "Philadelphia Songs" is a collection of songs that were inspired by the beautiful city of "brotherly love" Philadelphia.

I'm going to get the negatives out of the way up front. Denison...you need to put out longer CD's. I know you have the songs. If you're going to put out a full-length make sure it's at least 40 minutes long. "Philadelphia Songs" only clocks in at just over 30 minutes and only consists of 9 songs. One of which "Stations" appears on your last full-length release "Of Joy and Sorrow". I mean sure it has the "Philadelphia" theme, but the same song on back to back releases? Not a good move. People will begin to think you're ripping them off.

But anyway...not that Denison Witmer really cares what I have to say. Let's move onto the highlights of the album. The first being the layout. Beautifully packaged in a digi-pack with a super high glossy picture book you can tell Burnt Toast Vinyl is giving Witmer the love he deserves. Featuring wonderful pictures from the city of my birth and thematic home for the lyrical content of the release, Philadelphia. Philadelphia Songs features the most mature sounding songs Denison has put to tape. With the help of various friends Denison brings the listener for a tour of Philadelphia and the various thoughts and experiences the city has provided him with.

The opening track "Sets of Keys" presents the listener with Denison's first experiences with the city. Growing up in Lancaster PA Denison was close enough to the city to experience it and began dreaming of moving there. "Won't Let You Down" moves onto a more relationship based song but still brings in the Philadelphia theme through lines like "You and I are like fallen leaves, Let go by the streets name after trees" and "We stand behind the window in the hall. The site of the Drake Tower in the fall." The next track "24 Turned 25" has more of a darker theme yet gives props to the "hipster" section of two "Should we go down to 2nd street or just stay here because that scene is beat". "Leaving Philadelphia (Arriving in Seattle)" opens up with lyrical imagery to what is probably one of the biggest noticeable city landmarks while in center city, "The yellow city clock separates all the block, north and south, east and west, I watch it glow." On "Chestnut Hill" Denison gives props to one of the nicest sections of the city, Chestnut Hill via a love song that also features what I believe is a first for Denison...a drum machine loop, which complements the music nicely.

The album then moves onto "Stations" the repeat track from Denison's last full-length, re-recorded. A song that most likely deals with a relationship experience Denison had, which brings in the Philadelphia theme via 30th street station. The remaining tracks don't seem to have as much Philadelphia based themes but are most likely written about various experiences Witmer had while living in Philadelphia.

With so many singer/songwriters getting a fair amount of attention these days, "Philadelphia Songs" just may be the release to get Denison the attention that his music deserves. In past reviews I have always mentioned Denison's charm. It's still present on this release and definitely still present in his live set. He's currently on tour and his album was just sent out to college radio stations across the US. So if you don't have the money to buy the album try to catch him if he comes to a town near you, or request his songs on your local college radio station.

B+