WTF!? - ‘REVIEWS’
Though I have yet to do so, I plan to reach out to friends, fans, unknowns to write up their personal reactions to the full record. Print media about art/music etc has been eviscerated so why not ask ‘regular’ folks, right? I’d add that any opinion is just one person’s (famous journalist/reviewer or otherwise). I’ll send out an APB to a LOT of people to weigh in - good, bad or indifferent. This is the result set up here in the order in which they arrived in my email slot.
“This is a master work. Substance, sensibility and humor that are entirely identifiable as Rick Berlin. The songs are poignant and often made me laugh. The musicianship throughout is outstanding. The sound, thank you Brian Charles, is sophisticated and rocks while still showcasing the lyrics, lead vocals and fabulous backup singers.
Listening from beginning to end was a pleasure and whether or not you conceived of this collection of songs as a concept album there is an undeniable thread that flows from song to song. Run Outa Words and Livin' the Dream both resonate with me and Worst Band Evah is a rocked out, smartass closer. In a musical world of singles and lightweight pop this album stands out as a significant work of art and a major accomplishment. Well done my friend.” - ADAM SHERMAN (Private Lightning, The Souls, The Nervous Eaters)
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“I'm finishing listening to the album for the 2nd time n have a bunch of scrawled words i'll try to organize here.
First the obvious - it sounds great, it being the band and the sound of the album. I listened to it on laptop speakers in my basement among the white noise of various house noises and it sounded clear and warm. It was admittedly almost jarring to hear your one of a kind vocals over this level of musicality and production. I had been hearing the band over American Legion and Midway speakers, but that is the sound of the album I think - your unique vocals over this great musicianship and production. Songs 1-4 (Gotta Dance, Don’t Wanna Go To Work, Run Outa words, I Still Want It) and Ricky McLean's song #8 (Walkin‘ My Dgg) make me think of big outdoor festivals. People dancing outside. After hearing it a few times this probably the most out and out fun album I've heard of yours.The backing vocals on 4 (Still Want It) are great. I love how #5 (I’m A Nobody) enters, with kinda swampy bass - not the only time I was reminded of modern Dylan recordings, if he had more fun. I thought that on 'I Don't Wanna Go To Work' too. The sax on the album is great and adds a lot, especially 1 (Gotta Dance and WTF!?). 'I'm a scaredy cat' on You Take Chances - love that delivery. Great lyrics on 9 I’ll Wait Up For You). I love the dreamy production but then the trumpet cuts through that nicely. Wow listening to it again the production and flow of the song is really nice. I don't think this is the same ballad i kept raving about after shows but i'll take this. WTF!? is great - i haven't really absorbed this whole song yet. each section is great. how bout…
Rick Berlin's band consisting of [Ricky McLean, Matt Bailin, Savannah Marshall, David Goodchild] have helped craft a high point in Rick's endless chronicling of grinders and lovers.” - JEFF CHASSE (songwriter)
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“Ok I finally listened to the whole thing in one setting just as you asked. Here is some of my response to it. DRAMATIC Rock Opera...Don't you think? The totality of these songs is some kind of rock opera. A crazy one at that. As I recall other songs you have sent are not done like this but I don't know all your songs and Adam (Sherman) says this is you. There are little parts that remind me of Capt Beefheart, my fave guy. ‘The longer it lasts the shorter the fire’, great line’. I like ‘Living The Dream’...and ‘I'm A Nobody’ and I like it like that...love that...Just drama...everywhere. ‘Living The Dream’ reminds me of you the most but Adam says this is how you are, but I just can't remember...nevertheless...it is a bunch of songs done in a huge way. Kudos. That takes a lot of energy...big songs. Doggie song cool, singing a song walking your doggie. I love ‘I’m Wearing a Tutu’ fab music...Holy Moly Drama. Last song is a perfect ending. How can you stage this as a rock opera...Am I off base?” ROBIN LANE (The Chartbusters)
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“Thanks for sending these fab new tracks. First of all, they SOUND great -- kudos for the production. And the band sounds great. And of course YOU sound great -- if one didn't know, you'd never guess how old you are. You sound loose and relaxed and like you're having a blast. The thing that impresses me the most is that at an age when most artists would be resting on past laurels, or trying to sum up their career in some way, you're just pushing ahead, exploring new things, and deliberately refusing to act your age. Thank gawd!! It's the mark of a true artist, in my view. So congrats, and I hope the records reaches and astonishes a lot of ears and dancing feet.” - DAVID BARRETT (Peter Barrett (Orchestra Luna’s brother) who played sax on my song about Peter: THE BLOOD OF A POET.
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“Berlin is a Boston treasure. Perhaps only a cheap, fake, diamond tiara found on the floor at Jacques. But a treasure nonetheless! Please wrap him up in bubble wrap to protect him - as his projects are just so wonderful. Loving Gotta Dance, Don''t Wanna Go To Work, Run Outta Words, I Still Want It and I'm Wearing A Tutu right off the bat.” - ADAM LEWIS (The Planetary Group)
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“Listening in the caaar…. Band is killer! Drums and bass are best Evah! Who is playing all the horn parts? sounds like you have a choir? Only on track 7 will listen to the rest on the ride home… like the last album this band sounds much more organic/loose really enjoying it! Mix sounds great! Congrats! Walking my dog is my favorite!! It’s all really fun! Thanks for letting me hear it!!! ” - ROBBY MANOCHIO (our one-of-a-kind guitarist for 11 years!)
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“OMG - fucking BRILLIANT record!!! For the first time in my life, I listened to an entire record and then burst out laughing at its end! Best. Ending. Evah! I was already spellbound by this sumptuous recording, showcasing ace musicians living in that sweet spot of well-rehearsed with breathing room. The Nickel & Dime Band can groove like a mother and then soothe like a nurse. And before you know it, the spell of this record lures you right into the center of Rick Berlin’s world. A place so void of pretense it makes you wonder if you’ve ever had a real friend. Rick Berlin is the feisty grandma who’ll guard the doorway of a neighbor so the sheriff can’t evict but then buy that sheriff a beer at the corner tavern. Rick Berlin is a master at capturing the broken bits of a day and embracing them so they don’t feel like time wasted – but more like justification for getting wasted. WTF!?, the name of this glorious album is soooo Rick Berlin. I love it.” - MARK BAXTER (voice therapist/coach extraordinaire)
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“I’m probably not the best person to provide a review as have you ever done anything that I didn’t like? Really love your stuff from way back to now and you always put on a great show. Whether that’s solo (I miss the Monday nights at Jacques) or with band, it’s always a treat. Favorite track might be Living the Dream, and Worst Band Evah is a great way to end the album.” - RUSS KORBAS (longtime fan and friend with his wife Marie)
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“Rick Berlin is one (of many) truly great artist's coming out of Boston Massachusetts that continue to put out great records. At the young age of 80, Rick Berlin and The Nickel & Dime Band are about to release a new record , appropriately named WTF! WTF! could just be Rick Berlin w/ The Nickel & Dime Band's finest record to date . WTF! NEEDS to be listened to from start to finish, like me you'll be blown away....” - COLIN FIELDING (Though Colin lives down under - Melbourne, he loves and plays a LOT of local Boston music on his station. We’re lucky to have him hi-5 so many bands from so far away.)
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“Gave the album a good listen - it's fantastic. The mix of styles on this album keeps things fresh and interesting, you want to keep listening to see what’s next. The song "WTF" is one of my favorites; I can literally picture Rick jotting down the idea on a dirty napkin, and the concept is totally relatable but rarely sung about (why?!). The album features rich harmonies (love the backing vocals) and super catchy licks, especially in "Walkin' my Dog." It’s an energetic burst of feelings and moments, mostly sunny day vibes, with a variety of styles and time periods modernized for today's listeners. As usual, Rick and his band have created an album you’ll want to put on at your next outdoor BBQ, with your coolest shades and a hot dog in hand.” - MEREDITH COOPER MASCOLO (ace violinist with The Shelley Winters Project and elsewhere)
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“Hard to put into words how much fun and how deep and wide this album is. Bravo. About WTF. I wanted to listen real hard to it, sit there and turn it up and listen. But try to stay still during the funky first notes of “Gotta Dance.” I couldn’t. Each track is a new invention, but the album’s glued together with clarion musicianship and the spirit of Berlin. Lyrics and delivery can be laugh-out-loud funny (“I don’t want to go to work,” “I’m wearing a tutu,” “Worst Band Evah”) or plain gorgeous. Full of heart, like all Rick’s albums, and always that irony, but wildly surprising too, with the inspired addition of the Four Quarters. This album is nothing but theater-in-your-ears fun. Makes you wish you could have been there in the studio, and makes you really want to see it performed live.” - LESLEY BANNATYNE (Published author, member of the ‘post-menopausal SHEEBOOM who are opening the night on 4/19)
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“Hey Rick-- I love this! And I totally love the fact that you're celebrating the birthday milestone with an album so upbeat, life affirming and FUN! Not that there isn't any depth here, there always is in your stuff, but these songs are instantly grabbing and you want to hear them again right away. Some of it reminds me of the stuff that drew me to Boston in the first place, like the Cars and uh, Luna. And you know me, I love to hear rocking stuff when it's got some real thought and heart behind it. This is probably gonna be one of my favorite records of yours.” - BRETT MILANO (music critic, journalist, author)
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"A half a century into his iconoclastic career, Rick Berlin continues to surprise, to endear and to endure. On his latest record, he is as absurdist, as funny, as thoughtful and as bitter sweet as ever, mixing his unique brand of street poetry and burlesque rock to charming, bizarre perfection. What always amazes me about Rick is how someone whose songwriting is so absolutely Boston can also seem so completely universal. It makes me immensely glad some force created Rick Berlin, because the best minds in the most complex lab could not have invented him." - PHIL WILCOX (runs the great LP/book store at Tres Gatos, and is also one powerful singer)
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“I don't even know where to start praising "WTF?!" I listened to it twice with headphones while working on a new painting, and I wore the dumbest grin on my face for the better part of two hours. It's such an exuberant, joyous, funny album, with a bouncy feel and great hooks. As always, your lyrics are wry and revealing, naked without being embarrassing, both deeply personal and highly relatable. The mixes were perfectly clear and sounded HUGE. Honestly, I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite track ... though I especially loved "I'm A Nobody", "Walking My Dog", "I'm Wearing a Tutu", and "I Still Want It". What a fine rock n' roll album you've made, man. You know that I've loved your music since the very first time I heard it. I even made three insanely labor-intensive music videos for you as a token of my esteem. And you've wowed me once again ... though this should really come as no surprise by now. You've still got it, Rick. You really know how to craft a bitchin' bunch of tunes. Congratulations on yet another sterling achievement.” - COREY MICHAEL SMITHSON (painter, video artist, author)
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“It’s very you, vocally, passionately and intimately. You render your life so authentically, you are honest. I listened for special arrangements, moods beyond the formulaic. These are the songs that stood out for me. ‘Run Outta Words’…great arrangement, and the La La La’s are great for audience participation and funny with the subject. ‘I’m A Nobody’…such self-deprecating rage! ‘Livin’ the Dream’…very punk in its irony! ‘Walkin’ My Dog’…so neighborhood and bawdy! ‘I’ll Wait Up For You’…such tender longing. ‘Wearing A Tutu’…silly and so brazen. Wonderful energy. Proud of you for all this work, and for being a fellow geezer artist still pumping it out!” - JANE HUDSON (artist, musician)
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“It’s a great record - congrats and kudos! The record is dripping with fun! The band sounds really tight - like it’s having a party. WTF! is an ode to living, friends, hanging out, talking, singing, dancing, partying, and walks with dogs while partying. It combines a love for life with the understanding that things are completely messed up - that in order to keep it going in the face of madness Berlin and Co. need their community. The record’s sound is cut from a whole cloth and everything feels incredibly comfortable with everything else. Also, I’m Wearing a Tutu and Worst Band Evah are both hilarious! I hear the N&D band loud and clear - and their many influences are woven in and out - there’s a sound that’s unique to JP, with nods to the Talking Heads, New Orleans second line, and so much more. The album is sequenced very thoughtfully and there’s a fantastic and emotional arc. All in all the album holds together really well - providing euphoric highs, darkness, and comic relief in just the right doses.” - RAFI SOFER (Rafi is also the guy who shot so many incredible photos of the band)
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“Your band is damn good. They can play. “Gotta Dance” is my fave. Amazed that musicians still make albums these days. It’s all about the song. Who has the time or the inclination to listen to an entire album. Better to release individual songs over time and then perhaps put them all into an album. Who buys albums these days??? Perhaps at a gig for fans only. Nobody gets excited about an album unless there is a great song on it. I have worn my tattoo proudly on my shoulder since the late seventies. The hit single. Three minutes of truth. Same as it always been.” - OEDIPUS
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“I listened end to end. I love the R&B feel to some of the tracks and the way the record celebrates the unconventional indie sensibilities that I’ve always associated with your art across the years. And as always, your vocal performances elevate every song in a psycho uninhibited way that is at the root of what has always mesmerized me about Berlin. I appreciate that the overall production is purposely unremarkable seemingly in an effort to emphasize the art form. The sax sounds like a sax, Berlin sounds like Berlin, etc. I don’t love the overdriven guitar sounds and overall I find these compositions to be less musically adventurous than some other Berlin song craft. ‘Still Want It’ and ‘Livin’ The Dream’ are my faves and if I had to pick a single, it would be ‘Still Want It’. I did make some notes about each song, but these are my general takeaways. For me, what always stands front and center about Berlin is the fearlessness that pushes the true songwriter down the listener’s throat. And it’s been that way for what is it now …five-plus decades ?!?! Thanks for tuning me in….” - MICAH SHEVELOFF
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“I had a chance to listen to it in its entirety. I agree, it doesn't come across as a concept album. there are songs that are, to me, an update on the classic Berlin sound (e.g. I'm Wearing a TuTu and WTF). Gotta Dance is a great opening tune...very David Byrne/Talking Heads. Four songs are standouts both on this record and I would say are some of the best work I've heard you done (amongst the many). Run Outa Words is brilliant. I'm a Nobody combines fantastic guitar work with the classic Berlin sound. Really love that song - Livin the Dream. I'll Wait Up for You is such a hauntingly brilliant song. It evoked so many different emotional responses. I couldn't determine if it was about a relationship in a period of duress or about lamenting the passing of a significant other. Either way, it's amongst the best work I've heard. I played it for Amy multiple times and her responses ran a similar gambit...from dancing to really engaging with the song and the meaning(s) behind it. Worst Band Evah...such a great closer. Sounds like peak era Misfits...very anthemic. You Take Chances...such a great "intermission song. Somewhat signifies a change in tone on the record given that the second half really sounds like a take on the classic Berlin sound.” - MICHAEL MULCAHY (radio DJ in Texas, former line cook at Doyles)
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“I just listened to WTF! Before I add my two cents, I gotta give Rick and the Nickel & Dimers a big high five, and not at all for the reason the closing song suggests. There is something in this record for everyone, and everyone is in this record. From the unison refrain in I Don't Wanna Go To Work to the beautiful harmonies in I Still Want It, the arrangements in all of the songs really stand out. And it's sonically impeccable, with every instrument clearly heard and spatially oriented. Great recording and great mixes, kudos to Brian. Rick's songwriting is, of course, front and center throughout the album, every song hitting the mark, that being our own lived experiences or Berlin's unabashed imagination. And his vocal performances were some of the best he's given in his long and prolific career. I heard influences of some of my favorite artists embedded throughout. There are shades of early-seventies Zappa, replete with wah-wah guitar solo in I'm A Nobody; Rick's phrasing in Run Outa Words is ironically Dylanesque; and there are some chances taken with instrumentation (You Take Chances) that reminded me of a Sparks ditty. Overall, WTF! is an incredible album, and one that will have you dancing your ass off and maybe even taking to the streets wearing a tutu!” - GENE AMOROSO (Among his many talents, Gene was an early roadie for the first Orchestra Luna, and performed with us some of Barry Keating’s wild choreography whenever we played. He is also an accomplished and often asked character actor - Spotlight, Mystic Pizza, Bleed For This and others.)
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“Only you could enunciate the word “tutu” with such… panache. There’s a ridiculous amount of joy in these tracks, especially given the — you know, all *this* — you’re about to release this record into. Serious question: Did you rip “You Take Chances” right off an old 78? “Worst Band Evah”? Don’t be ridiculous. High fives all around.” - JAMES SULLIVAN (James, among his many talents, edited my 2nd book ‘The Big Balloon (A Love Story)
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“Never one to follow convention, Rick Berlin’s eighth studio album with the Nickel & Dime Band, WTF, is a testament to his enduring creative force. With polished arrangements and the expert touch of Boston producer Brian Charles, Berlin and his Nickel & Dime Band deliver a collection that is as cohesive as it is eclectic. It’s an album that reflects both his storied 50-year career and the modern chaos that surrounds us—a raw and theatrical self-portrait of a unique artist against the backdrop of a fucked-up world. The band’s sound on WTF feels deeply integrated. This is no mere frontman-and-backing-musicians dynamic; rather, Berlin’s ensemble is a tight, vibrant unit that grooves, rocks, and most of all, has fun. The album seamlessly moves between styles, from funky disco to driving rock tunes, all while retaining Berlin’s signature theatrical flair. There’s plenty of Berlin’s classic character-driven storytelling here, as seen in “Gotta Dance,” a funky, tongue-in-cheek disco track about a self-deprecating loser who simply can’t dance. On the other end of the spectrum, darker tracks like “I’m a Nobody” and “I’ll Wait Up for You” showcase Berlin’s ability to marry poignant introspection with masterful songwriting. Maybe this Nobody is a songwriter, or rather a puppet master who, despite his invisibility and the passage of time, remains in control of the show. For music is what it’s all about; as on “Run Outa Words,” a lighthearted ‘70s-style tune that embraces the simplicity of music, proving that sometimes a “na na naaa” is all you really need. “I Still Want It” isn’t a conventional love song, it’s an ode to music itself, and to the audience that keeps Berlin going. Meanwhile, “Livin’ the Dream” takes a satirical look at dwindling expectations, reminding us that sometimes, just being alive and making music is enough. Berlin’s versatility shines through in “You Take Chances,” a bouncy ‘20s-style Charleston led by the Nickel & Dime brass section, offering a knowing nod to Berlin’s past as a Whiffenpoof. It’s a theatrical, playful number, but at its heart, it’s a philosophy on life: “It’s all your mistakes that keep you alive.” The album also delivers some unexpected sonic treats. “Walkin’ My Dog” rides on a tropical groove reminiscent of a carefree ‘70s party song, underscoring how solitude can sometimes be a refuge from division. “I’m Wearing a Tutu” playfully subverts rock machismo, inviting us to embrace our uniqueness, while “I Don’t Wanna Go to Work” delivers a wry, country-tinged anthem for the working class. And then there’s “WTF!,” the album’s title track and emotional anchor. A desperate, frustrated cry in response to the state of the world, it encapsulates the feeling of bewilderment that so many of us share. “I wonder, is it just me?” Berlin asks. Of course not. WTF is an album for anyone who has looked around at the world lately and felt the same urge to scream. Rick Berlin’s WTF is a vibrant, honest, and deeply personal work from an artist who has spent half a century refusing to conform. At times raucous, at times deeply introspective, it is a testament to the power of music and the resilience of the creative spirit. And above all, it’s a reminder that even in the most chaotic times, there’s always room to dance—even if you can’t.” - EDOUARD DESYON (I’ve been lucky to have long time friends sustain over the years, and not vanish into the ether of nostalgia or regret. Edouard Desyon is one of ‘em. It was in his apartment as I babysat his tarantula while he went home to France. On that piano, a spinnet, I re-learned how to remember, how to write songs. Eddy introduced me to Joan Wasser (Joanaspolicewoman) as they were studying music at BU. While he was away, I wrote ‘Don’t Talk About Joan’. It was in his studio apt (Kenmore Square) above India Quality Restaurant when he called to say that a ‘man in flames’ was climbing the stairs outside his room. A homeless man who burned himself alive - the alcohol on his clothes caught fire. I wrote ‘Man In Flames’ (Randy Roos on guitar for that one in Chet Cahill’s home studio.) When I played the song - a woman whispered to me afterwards begging me to ‘never play that song again. Ever.’ He also set up my roommate Charlie Isenberg and me to visit him in Europe and travel to Paris, Prague, Milan and Geneva - on his dime. Effusive generosity. The anecdotes with him are as endless as they are hysterical and moving. And this: Eddy inspired me to produce an Orchestra Luna reunion (1993). He programed all the orchestration. This was what? 30 years ago? At #Ryles. It was packed. The Lunettes made it, as did Randy and Don Mulvaney. Isenberg read the Faye Wray letter and did the spoken word for Boy Scout Camp (which he mis-timed) in Peter Barrett’s stead. Chet Cahill played bass. Besides Faye Wray, we also did Little Sam, But One, Boy Scout Camp and DORIS DREAMS! I can hardly believe we/Eddy were that ambitious. That is, until a few weeks ago, April 6th, when, though without Boy Scout Camp or Doris, we went for it again. Eddy was unable to make it, but he and I had such blast reviewing life, art, music, boyfriends, the whole shebang. Dinner at #VeeVee’s was, as always, phenomenal! Eddy is one rare, beautiful soul and forever friend.)
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