A Tribute for Troy
By Sarah Laubacher - 5/17/2005
Athens was upset when one of its finer fixtures, Troy Gregorino, decided to ramble onward last year. I don't think his departure was meant as an insult; Troy is the type to travel rolling hills, look for musicians to jam with and social injustices to fight, stopping at rickety diners along the way. When he ditched us for the other Athens, (Georgia) we had to say goodbye to an arts writer, singer/songwriter and spoken word ring leader.
His Athens Insider articles contributed a lot to the music community, because his criticism was well-supported by a penchant for blues and folk. I also liked how he reviewed the sort of CDs that usually gather dust in entertainment bureaus' inboxes. He could be spotted at any type of music event, regardless of venue, because he was in it for the music and not the smoky social scene, which is one reason I was shocked to hear the bad news - over winter he was diagnosed with lung cancer. His youth also makes the situation shocking, but maybe his youth is partially to thank for his current (promising) stage of recovery.
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Girl With No Name - a tribute album for Troy Gregorino |
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When Jim Harris found out about Troy's condition, it didn't take him long to start coordinating a tribute album. The result is "Girl With No Name," an impressive compilation of Athens music that covers almost every base it could - acoustic folk, lo-fi rock, quirky pop, piano instrumental and live a cappella. Some of the featured artists are from Jim's label, Manasseh Records, and at www.mannasehrecords.com you can get sound clips and detailed info for each track.
Jim has always supported a mixed-bag of bands, on his label or not, and he's good at predicting which bands could easily swap fans. As producer/coordinator of "Girl With No Name," Jim got a kick out of how contrastive some of the tracks are, and got to see some interesting covers come together. The compilation opens with Bruce Dalzell covering one of Troy's songs, "One in the Sun," and Meghan Watkins covers J.D. Hutchison's "Ready on the Firing Line." Recorded live at Dalzell's open stage, Watkins has enough vocal prowess to pull off an a cappella version. Between these two songs, you can find a toned-down tune from The Story Of, solo samplers from Tris Kinsley and Harlan Dalzell (Princes of Hollywood), and a couple from our more seasoned singer/songwriters, Chris Biester and J.D. Hutchison.
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Trit Gregorino performing at the Blue Gator (upstairs) |
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The first half of the CD is a little more mellow than the second, which picks up with the Cactus Pears' "Colliding with Supergirl." Penned by Tony Xenos, this crafty pop song finds its foil six tracks later with "Frustrated," a faster-paced CP song fronted by Dan Dreifort. Tied for most creative on the compilation are Hazy Jane's techno-to-acoustic "Box Elder Opera" and Indelible Beancurd's "I Left My Blargh in San Francisco" - a layered, mock-lounge litany by Dreifort and NYC cohort, Ethan Rand.
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Dan Dreifort recording at 3 Elliot Studios for the compilation. |
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Other standouts are "Follow Your Leader," a fractured fairytale from Cosigner (the California version) and "In Case of Emergency," Southeast Engine's country murder ballad, which Troy happened to cover at a Blue Gator show. An anticlimactic cut of the song was included on their last album, and while that was eerie and interesting, it just wasn't the same as the live rendition. Fans will be happy to hear this comp's live-in-the-studio "In Case of Emergency," which is more like the fervent, Friday-night version.
In Athens Insider articles, Troy called Southeast Engine songs, "unforced" and "artistic," Hutchison's "precise" and "riff-ladden," and Xenos' "the antithesis of crappy pop." So it seems like he'll like his own tribute CD. Considering the guy has good taste, you probably will too. Grab it at www.manassehrecords.com, Donkey Coffee, Haffa's, and Blue Eagle Music for $12, starting Monday, May 16th.
