Entertainment : Music

Princes of Hollywood reign supreme with new album

By Kelly Vormelker, Staff Writer
   
April 29, 2007 | 11:13 a.m.

The Princes of Hollywood have compiled a new record, rich with musical variation and harmony. This record, A Change of Venue, is best described as “sensitive drunken music for the whole family.”

The Princes of Hollywood members, Tris Kinsley (vocals, guitars, dobro), Harlan Dalzell (vocals, guitars, mandolin) and Scotty Houchens (vocals, piano, wurly, accordian) lend themselves to a sound deeply rooted in a plethora of musical traditions.

The Princes’ sound does not fit into one genre. They pull on influences from folk, jazz, rock and everything in-between. They perfectly balance a three-piece harmony with polished instrumentation.

Each track on A Change of Venue demonstrates this eclectic blend. The band explains that the album contains “corners” that are more heavily influenced by one genre, but, for the most part, the album is a mix of widespread influences.

A Change of Venue opens easily with the melodic hit “The Highest Good.” The Princes’ smooth harmony is especially showcased here. The message in this song encourages appreciation of details and everyday life. The band is often cited for being philosophical in its lyricism, and this introspection emerges in “The Highest Good.” The fast-paced rate of this track adds an addicting nature to the hit.

The band’s sense of humor emerges with the preceding track, “The Walk of Shame.” They somehow make a humiliating and shameful act seem endearing with their lyrical ease. This track is decidedly a bit more pop than other tracks on the album. Students will find the song running through their heads as they walk across campus at any hour of the morning or night.

“Anna Lee” sings with sweet lyrics and quiet contemplation of longing and love lost. The mellow track slips the listener away from reality as he or she becomes lost in the soft melodies and styling of the track.

“Pretty Out” touches a corner of the album as the most jazz-driven track. “Pretty Out” is reminiscent of the doo-wop days. It gives listeners the urge to shimmy and shake right along with the smooth sax and poignant piano featured in the track.

“One More Reason” induces toe-tapping with the pulsing energy of the song. This energy carries an underlying message to “the one” who waits at home anticipating his or her partner’s return, “the one” that gives that “one more reason” for the return home. Anyone who has ever endured separation from a loved one will connect with this track.

The album closes with a hit that starts out slow and gains energy. “Angeline” is quietly addicting. The track completes the cycle of various musical perspectives that The Princes enlist, and listeners finish off the album satisfied with the journey.

All of A Change of Venue is a showcase of Kinsley's and Dalzell’s unmatched compositional efforts. The two co-wrote the album, and each brought different perspectives to the mix.

“I, in particular, spent a lot of time exploring the ironies of interpersonal/human relationships and the fixes that our expectations get us into,” Dalzell said of his writing inspirations.

“My writing was a lot about change and movement," Kinsley said. "Change as a result of my interactions and observations in the last two years. Also, songs about moving, growing up and recognizing mortality."

For this record, The Princes of Hollywood worked with producer Eddie Ashworth, who has worked with such heavyweights as Sublime, Izzy Stradlin and John Stewart. They also had help from co-producer Chris Trapper, singer/songwriter of The Push Stars. This leadership comes as a much-appreciated change after Dalzell and Kinsley self-produced the band’s first two albums.

“This is our first crack at making a real record, giving it the amount of time and focus we thought the songs deserved,” Kinsley said. “There is still a lot of musical variation and a lot of full-flung influences. Hopefully it is a little more coherent than some of our previous work."

A Change of Venue also benefited from a few temporary members. On several tracks, the three-piece band expanded to as much as a “six-piece folk/rock orchestra.” The additional instruments added depth to the tracks in which they were featured.

As a whole, A Change of Venue spans several musical genres. With the band’s precise, smooth melodies and perfected instrumentation, it achieves a well-blended sound that flows throughout the entire album.

The Princes of Hollywood will grace Donkey Coffee on April 27 at 9 p.m. Catch the three-piece, harmonizing set as they bring hits from A Change of Venue to life with just the right balance of seriousness and abandon.

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For more information on The Princes of Hollywood and for future tour dates, visit their Web site and MySpace page at ThePrincesofHollywood.com and MySpace.com/ThePrincesofHollywood.
Fans can also purchase A Change of Venue at each site.

"Nickel Creek, eat your heart out. The Princes of Hollywood are Ohio's answer to the Dixie Chicks." -Ron Goad, Baltimore Songwriters Association

    Track List
  1. The Highest Good
  2. The Walk of Shame
  3. Late September
  4. Anna Lee
  5. Pretty Out
  6. Grateful and Gracefully
  7. Hard Times Songs
  8. Zombies
  9. One More Reason
  10. Me, The Monster
  11. Angeline