REVIEWS OF “MY LAST STORM”
REVIEW – Rootstime BE – Freddy Celis – September 29, 2020
Autumn has begun and Douglas Greer delivers on his third album. The music is a bit closer to his earlier work, although we have certainly not forgotten the success of the previous album.
Just as the first autumn storm started, Douglas Greer emerged, almost out of nowhere, with a new album. It is an album that is reminiscent of the country and rock of the seventies, as on the previous album and again sounds a bit more like his debut album, although this record, “Just a Man”, is from 2006 and was at number 1 on the European Americana Chart for two months. But the successor “Baja Louisiana” from 2016 also appeared on this chart for a long time, which is still compiled by connoisseurs and fans of Americana from the European music world. And I can already assure you that next month his latest album “My Last Storm” will certainly be found in the upper regions of this EAC chart. Because Douglas has certainly not forgotten the success of the previous album, and colors the songs on his new album beautifully. They are songs that here and there remind of the roots rock from the past, but he also hides contemporary accents in his music. The instrumentation is beautiful, the vocals are characteristic and the songs are not only pleasant, but also very beautiful. And they only get more beautiful.
His previous albums “Just a Man” and “Baja Louisiana” are, if you ask me, some of the best that American roots music has produced in recent years and his new record, which was recently released, is worth it again. Douglas Greer has now settled in Texas, where his third record “My Last Storm” was also recorded at Mark Hallman’s Congress House Studio in Austin, in a joint production with Andre Moran. In addition to our beloved singer-songwriter, we hear Richard Bowden on the violin, and David Grissom and Bradley Kopp on electric guitars, alongside Mark Hallman (drums, bass, guitar, accordion, piano and keyboards), as on his previous album. The record, like its predecessor, breathes the atmosphere of the South of the United States, but is also a lot more versatile than this acclaimed predecessor. All songs on the record sound fantastic, are beautifully worked out and in many cases provided with surprising excursions. Douglas Greer focused almost exclusively on country and folk a few years ago, but now just as easily incorporates influences from red dirt country, rock and bluegrass. Personal experiences that he gained during his youth and life on the Texas Gulf coast near the border with Louisiana color the lyrics on “My Last Storm” and make this record a very emotional one. For example, in the title track (see video) he tells about the storms that rage over his region with some regularity and in the opening and rocking “My Bible and My Gun” (see video) he immediately manages to address the Biblical glorification of the American gun legislation.
Douglas Greer not only sounds emotional, but also inspired, which produces a series of great songs. They are songs that here and there evoke memories of the early work of Steve Earle, but also Bruce Springsteen, Townes van Zandt, and even Gram Parsons pop up here and there as comparison material. But it is mainly his personal storytelling style that distinguishes him in the genre. He himself says: “When I was a kid, I always kept a diary and liked to write about what was happening to me at the time. As a songwriter, I like to think there’s a part of me and my experiences in everything I write “… all this says a lot about the quality of Douglas Greer’s new record.
“My Last Storm” is not only more versatile than its predecessor, but also sounds a lot more mature musically. Most of the songs are very well put together and almost carelessly process the most diverse influences. Because I think Greer has also started to sing better and moreover knows how to capture his songs in sometimes razor-sharp lyrics, “My Last Storm” grows into the best record Douglas Greer has made so far. Anyone who knows his previous records knows what this means for the level of the new record. Definitely one of the most appealing releases of the moment. It is a shame that we read so little about it so far.
REVIEW – Written in Music NL – Cis van Loy – September 29, 2020
Just listening is enough to realize that we are dealing with a gifted storyteller. His main area of activity remains Texas with Austin as its base. Douglas Greer’s new home is the barrier reef in the Gulf Coast, on Galveston Island he is more aware than ever of the dire impact of climate change.” The devils in the water, the poor man destroyer, he’s over the storm wall he’s having his way, fifty years of living wiped out in an hour, ”those are the ominous opening lines that Greer debits to Richard Bowden’s fiddle tones and accordion tones in the title song.
Not a crazy doomsday fantasy, given the current evolution unfortunately a perhaps inevitable scenario that sounds rather resigned. It is one of the razor-sharp observations of the Texan as can also be found on Baja Louisiana. That was four years ago and Greer returned to Austin, in the Congress House Studio producer and multi-instrumentalist Mark Hallman again gathered a bunch of seasoned musicians such as guitarists Bradley Kopp and David Grissom.
Grissom’s splitting string playing colors My Bible and My Gun, an epic starring two unshakable foundations of American society that more than ever cast a divisive fungus in the already divided society of the US and are denounced by Greer in wildly rocking country as we remember from Steve Earle. Ride That Dragon taps from the same rebellious tune with the supple muscular guitar work of Kopp who switches to dashing twang in the sarcastic Million Beers. After the more subdued Like A Glove and the bluegrass-based As Real As Me, an extremely suitable stomper for the rustic plank floor of the saloon, Grissom leads the dance again in Grown Man.
In addition to personal subjects from his diary and immediate surroundings, Greer also addresses the universal themes and does not shy away from current controversial points. If those stories are then surrounded with admittedly traditional but inspired rock-solid instrumentation, in the case of Douglas Greer you come close to the better, rocking Texan troubadour’s work.
Douglas Greer’s album My Last Storm was released by Continental Song City on September 18, 2020.
REVIEW – Lucky Dice Music NL – October 2, 2020
Climate change on the Gulf coast of Texas sung with love and concern by Greer.
In addition to Covid, it is currently a much discussed problem, especially in America where in California and environs your home is not safe due to all the forest fires due to climate change. The center where tornados regularly hit and places for the people on the southern and eastern coast, there is often the danger of the ever-worsening super storms where the water reaches far above the lips. Greer mainly has experience with the latter as he lives on the Texas Gulf Coast. That’s what this album is partly about, but also about the people who just keep denying climate change when it doesn’t affect them. The dilemma of should you leave the area that you consider home because losing everything one more time is no longer an issue? Or should you try to make something out of it again and again? Greer makes good music and has a nice voice.
REVIEW – Barn Owl Blues NL – Eric Campfens – October 2, 2020
Although Douglas Greer lives in Galveston, Texas, you might think he considers the Netherlands his second home, so often he can be found here. This is partly because his record company Continental Records Services is based here, and also because he has gathered a considerable fan and friends base in our country. Greer is one of those singer-songwriters who know the trade of putting small stories in a musical setting. In 2006 his debut album “Just A Man” was released, which was followed only ten years later by the widely acclaimed “Baja Louisiana”.
Fortunately we didn’t have to wait that long for his third album and Greer’s third album, “My Last Storm” was recently released. The album was recorded in Austin, Texas under the inspiring direction of Andre Moran with the support of David Grissom and Bradley Kopp on guitar, Richard Bowden on violin and Mark Hallman on drums, bass, guitar, accordion, piano and keyboards. During eleven songs we take a musical journey with Greer, which varies from americana to rock, and country to Irish folk. The album immediately kicks off with “My Bible And My Gun,” a vicious indictment of the American double standards of the Bible on the one hand and gun laws on the other. Besides social themes, he also tells about personal events, such as in “Grown Man” and “Happy You’re Gone, Girl”. Songs that are worthy of mention are the heavy “Ride That Dragon” and the ballad “At The Mercy Of The Criminal”. Excellent album.
REVIEW – Bluestown NL – Gerrit Schinkel – October 3, 2020
American singer-songwriter Douglas Greer was born in Port Acres, Texas and currently lives in Galveston, Texas. His style has been compared to that of musicians such as Ryan Adams, Joe Ely, Waylon Jennings and Steve Earle.
In 2006 his debut album ‘Just a Man’ was released. This critically-acclaimed album reached the number one spot on the Euro Americana Chart. His second album ‘Baja Louisiana’ from 2016 also received favorable reviews. Greer’s music is released in the Netherlands on Continental Record Services, the label that also has other international roots artists such as Chip Taylor, Israel Nash, Carter Sampson and Levi Parham under contract.
Douglas Greer is a welcome guest in the Netherlands and has performed regularly in clubs and in radio shows, often together with singer-songwriter Dick LeMasters, also from Texas.
Fortunately, the fans did not have to wait ten years for a new Douglas Greer album. ‘My Last Storm’ was released on 18 September. Greer’s third album was recorded at Mark Hallman Congress House Studio in Austin, Texas. All eleven songs were written by Greer, two he wrote together with others. The line-up on ‘My Last Storm’ is pretty much the same as on his previous album.
My Bible and My Gun is the Steve Earle-esque rocking opener. Greer lives in the middle of the Bible Belt and Gun Country region. Religion and weapons often go hand in hand and this was the reason to write a song about this.
The title track My Last Storm is a beautiful ballad and the accordion and beautiful violin solos make you feel like you’re in an Irish atmosphere. Greer lives on the Gulf of Texas and took inspiration for this song from the many floods that have ravaged this area over the years. Ride That Dragon is solid roots rock and Million Beers , written with his brother Joe, is uptempo country rock with a twangy guitar solo.
Greer wrote Like a Glove together with Texan singer-songwriter Robert Frith . It is a beautiful ballad with beautiful piano sounds. The great violin solos bring a Cajun-like atmosphere to the uptempo country rocker As Real As Me. A wonderful song that could be in the repertoire of Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys.
Fierce guitar licks and wavy organ tones characterize the strongly rocking Grown Man and Superpower is also very heavy. But At the Mercy of the Criminal is another beautiful ballad, with a plucking banjo and modest, slightly gritty vocals by Greer in a bath of organ tones. Douglas Greer was once in the band Amos Moses. That band also played his song Happy You’re Gone, Girl , a song about a girl who left him but you didn’t regret after all. It is pure power pop here and is an ode to the British band Squeeze, of which Greer is still a fan.
The closing song Canada Won’t Let Me In is a country ballad with a delightful accordion. The reason for writing this ballad was the fact that Greer was once banned from entering Canada for five years. I don’t know if you can enter Canada now, but anyway, as far as I am concerned you are very welcome in the Netherlands, Douglas.
Conclusion:
‘My Last Storm’ is an album on which Douglas Greer expresses his personal stories, together with his fellow musicians, musically in a grand way. In short, an excellent roots album.
REVIEW – Real Roots Cafe NL – Fred Schmale – October 4, 2020
From Austin, Texas comes the new CD of roots rock, country rock, Americana hero Douglas Greer (born in Port Arthur, Texas). He currently lives on the Galveston peninsula, a special location. As a reminder, his 2006 debut, “Just a man”, was number 1 on the EAC (European Americana Chart). The successor, ‘Baja Louisiana’, only came in 2016 and was very appealing to me at the time. I wrote in our cafe, ‘A CD for my annual list, this cool Americana CD from Austin, Texas. Let’s hope it won’t be another ten years before there is a successor. Greer’s pure class should be listened to more often. ‘
And luckily it only lasted four years, quite a long time. Douglas has a slightly gritty voice, writes the most beautiful and poignant lyrics and knows himself surrounded by various greats from Austin, such as Bradley Kopp (guitar), David Grissom (guitar), Mark Hallman (keyboards, piano, guitar, bass, drums, accordion ) and Richard Bowden on violin. His lyrics deal with everyday life, such as the storms that regularly ravage Texas (‘My Last Storm’), the ridiculous glorification of weapons by many fellow countrymen, including the many very religious people (‘My Bible And My Gun’). A lovely nonsense song is ‘Million Beers’, in which Douglas declares that he has a new mission, he wants to drink a million beers. How long will that take? Douglas is not calculating well, but a friend explains that it takes over 200 years if you get rid of two six-packs a day. A number of songs have been baptized in country or folk, such as the smooth ‘As Real As Me’ with a leading role for fiddler Richard Bowden.
Great writer, this little-known singer-songwriter. A wonderful example of Texan roots rock with country and folk influences. A real winner, believe me! (Continental song City).
REVIEW – Stew Time NL – Marten van der Laan – October 5, 2020
Over the last fourteen years Douglas Greer released three albums. It all started in 2006 with ‘Just a man’. For the follow up his fans had to wait for ten years. 2016 brought Greers second album entitled ‘Baja Louisiana’. Luckily the fans didn’t have to wait another ten years for his third album. On the 18th of September 2020 fans celebrated the release of ‘My Last Storm’ on Continental Record Services. His first two albums made it to the top of the Euro Americana Chart. You don’t need a crystal ball to foretell what his third album will do. The album debuted at fourth place in the October edition of the chart.
Labeling Texas based singer/songwriter Douglas Greer means you have to be fan of roots/rock/americana with drum, electric guitars, keyboard, some violin and accordion. Would love to hear more of these last two instruments on his next album.
Greer often chooses to write about personal experiences he had growing up, some of them go back to his diary days and his living on the Texas Gulf Coast Area. In Greers words: ‘There’s a part of me and my experiences in everything I write’.
‘My Last Storm’ was produced by Mark Hallman and Andre Moran and the recording was done at Mark Hallman’s Congress House Studio in Austin, Texas. The band is almost family to Greer. They played along on his first two albums. So it felt like coming home for Bradley Kopp and David Grissom on guitar, Richard Bowden on violin, Mark Hallman on drums, bass, guitar, accordion and keys.
‘My Last Storm’, Douglas Greer’s third album, contains eleven songs. They were written by Douglas himself except for ‘Million Beers’. It was written with his brother Joe Greer and ‘Like a glove’ was penned by Douglas Greer & Robert Frith. At times his songs are rocky and raw, but they’re also stylish and empathetic. All of them are well arranged, composed and produced. Great frame work for the songs. There’s not a dull moment on the album.
Greer is engaged and personal on ‘My last storm. The first engaging and personal moment is found in the opening song: a ‘celebrating Jesus and celebrating tactical life’ song entitled ‘My bible and my gun’. Greer: ‘At first I wrote the song from the point of view of a preacher man telling his congregation guns are welcome in church. I dropped the idea, it sounded too contriving. Finally it became my personal lament about the merging of bibles and guns in America’s current society. A political statement in a historic story’.
The second engaging moment is in the title song ‘My Last Storm’. Greer is concerned about the environment. What are people doing to it? My heart goes out to the people who have to deal with the consequences, e.g. the warming up of our globe: ‘I’m praying and sending positive thoughts to the people in the area who have to deal with hurricanes like Harvey and Sally’. Whether this storm will truly be his last is questionable for Greer states: ‘We do think about moving to the Hill Country with each storm that comes these days. But fortunately, we live on a ridge that is pretty high and we don’t have as many flooding problems as others. I love my Cajun culture out here, so we’ll probably stay’.
Some other fave tracks on the album are ‘At The Mercy Of A Criminal’ (another personal lament), ‘Happy You’re Gone Girl’(an homage to his former band Amos Moses), ‘Like A Glove’ ( a song on his Cajun culture where most people are mated for life) and ‘As Real As Me’ (some fathers don’t allow their daughters to date boys from Port Acres because they were thought of as too trashy. I know this to be true from first-hand experience).
On Saturday, October 10th Greers album ‘My Last Storm’ will be Spotlight Album/Stew Schijf on STEW TIME – RTV GO! The show is live every Saturday morning 9-10 am. Tune in via www.rtvgo.nl
I know there will be another album. Greer has still got a lot of good stories to tell. What I don’t know, is when the fourth album will be out. Time will tell. Hope it won’t take him too long.
REVIEW – Rocktimes Magazine DE – Joachim “Joe” Brookes – October 5, 2020
Douglas Greer, who is based in Galveston, Texas, writes the Americana genre on his musical flag. It may be that the Prophet counts for nothing at home, if one reads in Douglas Greer’s biography that about “ninety percent of Greer’s music sales have been in overseas markets…”
In 2006 his album “Just A Man” reached “the Number One spot on the Euro Americana Chart, the Americana music chart in Europe, as well as the Number Two spot on the same chart the following month…”
In a hit list, the record was at times even in front of Bob Dylan’s “Modern Times.” In 2016, “Baja Louisiana” was similarly successful. All laurels back and forth. That’s history, but you can’t necessarily rest on it.
Big names are mentioned when it comes to comparisons, Douglas Greer is “a Steve Earle playing songs of a Townes Van Zandt…”
There is no doubt that Mark Hallman, who also produced the album recorded at The Congress House Studio, can be described as the multi-instrumentalist of this record.
In addition to him, two songs (“My Bible And My Gun” and “Grown Man”) are played by US Rails-man David Grissom.
The rocking “My Bible And My Gun” colorizes David Grissom with his electric guitar excellently.
The track advertises the disc and already after the first title one can assume that nothing will change in the competent singing of the protagonist. Class Opening!
“Grown Man” is also firmly anchored in the Americana/Roots area. Douglas Greer sings here with another timbre and shows how versatile his voice can be. Once again, a great electric guitar solo pulls over the finely designed song background, which stands out especially through the Mark Hallman organ runs.
“Ride That Dragon” isn’t so fast-paced, but it has an appeal that fills its nutritional value with a great text and a fine country-e guitar.
Speaking of country: When Richard Bowden swings his fiddle bow – as in “As Real As Me” – then the country feeling is teasing a little further. Class thing!
If you want to relax a bit, then “Like A Glove” is a good place to be. It’s wonderful how the acoustic guitar and the piano give themselves the jack of the meek. Here, the artificially generated string sounds also promote listening pleasure. Mark Hallman then switches to the keyboards for the beautifully floating keyboard solo. Very successful this number. Highlight!
More discreetly orchestrated, “At The Mercy Of The Criminal” is another ballad listener.
“Happy You’re Gone, Girl” is something for the friends of the groove and ambitious electric guitar fantasies. “Canada Won’t Let Me In” thrives on the fine interplay of acoustic and electric guitar. The icing on the cake here are the accordion sounds.
If Canada doesn’t want to let Douglas Greer in, then the American is welcome with his album “My Last Storm”.
Stay healthy and take time for good music as a distraction.
REVIEW – Mpodia NL – October 16, 2020
My Last Storm is the third album by singer / songwriter and musician Douglas Greer, from Galveston, Texas near Houston. In America he is now a more than respected artist and in Europe the sympathetic Texan has built up a nice fan base.
“Five-Hundred-Year” Storm: The native Texan is known as a true storyteller and on his latest album My Last Storm he of course meets those expectations. On the eve of the US elections, the opening track ‘My Bible And My Gun’ immediately touches one of the most controversial topics in the US; gun laws, a fundamental part of American society and still closely intertwined with religion. Together with guitarist Grissom we hear vicious riffs that give this heavy song the necessary power. Then there is the beautiful title song where we hear him sing about the climate problem when Greer takes us with him what the consequences of those so-called “five-hundred-year” storms are for his beloved Galveston.
Not welcome in Canada: For this third album Greer has again collected a number of classy people from the region such as Bradley Kopp (guitar), David Grissom (guitar), Mark Hallman (including keyboards, piano, drums, accordion) and Richard Bowden on violin. With ‘Ride That Dragon’ we get a nice piece of Country Rock and with ‘As Real As Me’ there is that extremely danceable stomper and ideal to open a live show to get the audience on board. Greer has a pleasant, warm, but also somewhat gritty voice that is perfectly expressed on the rocking ‘Grown Man’. The guitar and organ are prominent here as well as on ‘Superpower’ and ‘Million Beers’, with a pleasant “twang”, is the ideal sing-along On My Last Storm there is also room for some modest songs such as the ballad ‘Like A Glove’ that he wrote together with the Texan singer / songwriter Robert Frith and that evokes a beautiful feeling through the piano and the acoustic setting. ‘At The Mercy Of The Criminal’ is also beautifully subdued by Greer. The fact that Greer was refused entry to Canada for five years, for reasons that are unclear to us, results in a tasteful country ballad ‘Canada Won’t Let’, this time playing the accordion as a trump card.
Final verdict: Douglas Greer delivers with My Last Storm again a great record that is somewhere on the cutting edge of Americana, Country and Roots. Greer takes us along in his musical way in those personal stories that sometimes turn out to be widely supported social issues, such as climate issues. A top album, both musically and lyrically and varying from rocking to beautifully personal. Have fun listening.
REVIEW – Keys and Chords BE – October 16, 2020
(5 out of 5 stars)
The versatile singer-songwriter Douglas Greer is from Port Arthur, but he has found a home in Galveston, Texas. As a songwriter, Greer also often chooses to pen songs about his personal experiences. He grew up living on the Gulf Coast of Texas near the Louisiana border. All this ultimately influenced him musically. In 2006 there was his debut album ‘Just A Man’. An album that generated a lot of positive reviews worldwide and won the first spot in the EAC, Euro Americana Chart. His second album ‘Baja Louisiana’ took ten years. Fortunately, Douglas now had some time to pen a lot of songs for ‘My Last Storm’, an album that appears on the Dutch record label Continental Record Services. After a first listen, his musical diversity and storytelling songs stand out. Greer went to the Congress House Studio in Austin, Texas and found a collaboration with multi-instrumentalist/producer Mark Hallman and with his musical soulmates Bradley Kopp (guitar) and violinist Richard Bowen. The pop-tinted rocker ‘My Bible And My Gun’ is immediately approved with David Grissom’s guitar riffs. The rebellious and acoustic title track has that cajun undertone and diverges with the country rocker ‘Ride That Dragon’. And we’re also getting wild with that twang guitar sound in songs like ‘Million Beers’, just like the acoustic ballad ‘Like A Glove’ and the folky and bluegrass-inspired ‘As Real As Me’. Guest guitarist David Grissom is back in the exciting ‘Grown Man’. The track ‘Superpower’ is coloured in with sexy guitar solos and that hypnotic organ tune. From the emotional ballad ‘At The Mercy Of The Criminal’ it goes to the intransigent ‘Happy You’re Gone Girl’, to end the dance with the acoustic and cajun caput ‘Canada Won’t Let Me In’. As an acoustic artist, Douglas Greer uses a unique style that includes country, rock, Americana and bluegrass. Douglas Greer gives a lot of wisdom on his latest release ‘My Last Storm’.
As a singer songwriter, Greer often chooses to write songs about his personal experiences growing up and living on the Gulf Coast of Texas, near the Louisiana border. All this will ultimately also strongly influence him musically. After a first listen, his musical diversity and storytelling song lyrics are particularly striking. Greer went to Congress House Studio in Austin, Texas to collaborate with multi-instrumentalist/producer Mark Hallman and musical soulmates like Bradley Kopp (guitar) and violinist Richard Bowden. As an acoustic artist, he has a unique style that includes country, rock, Americana and bluegrass. Douglas Greer shares a lot of wisdom on his latest release “My Last Storm”… And for now, replay please!
REVIEW – Gaesteliste DE – Ullrich Maurer – October 16, 2020
Although Douglas Greer does not come from the Texas roots-rock metropolis of Austin, but from the rather unassuming coastal town of Galveston south of Houston – musically he is completely dedicated to the inland variant of his guild and makes his way into the classic Americana setting. The general goal is already the already mentioned Roots-Rock, but it also incorporates country and bluegrass elements and otherwise does not burn much else in terms of classic Americana clichés. In terms of content, he describes the world from his point of view as a middle-aged, grown-up man who is mainly concerned about his emotional soul life, but also criticizes him in songs like “My Bible And My Gun” or “Canada Won’t Let Me In”.
Genre lovers can therefore access calmly, because Greer actually does everything right from his point of view. What is remarkable, however, is the fact that the one piece that really stops and stands out excitingly from the sure one thing – “Happy You’re Gone Girl” – with its organ leitmotif, the brisk shuffle rhythm and the mantra-like text slogans, does NOT correspond to the genre clichés.
REVIEW – Lust for Life NL – Harry de Jong – November 2020 Issue No. 105
(4 out of 5 stars) Douglas Greer is originally from Austin, Texas, but now lives on the windy island of Galveston. A place where storm depressions come and go with the regularity of a clock. When the residents have just repaired the damage of one storm to their homes, the next one is lurking like a devastating dull. Reason for Greer to write a song about it for this new album. That turned out to be a beautiful country ballad, which is the showpiece of this record. The fact that the Texas was frequently exposed to Cajun music in his youth can be heard in “As Real As Me,” a song in which Richard Bowden almost lets the sparks fly off his violin to make this extremely danceable country variant sound as authentic as possible. Not all songs are equally strong, but this album has very few week spots. “My Last Storm” makes it clear that Greer is a gifted songwriter who deserves a wide audience.
Texas-based singer-songwriter Douglas Greer has enjoyed favorable press coverage across the United States and Western Europe.
Quotes on
Baja Louisiana:
“Douglas Greer is incredible. He disappears ten years, and when he decides to come back, he naturally records another musical treasure, another musical gem, in ‘Baja Louisiana.’ Artists like Greer are beyond my understanding. He is so talented that he can allow himself the luxury to do what he wants, when he wants, when he can. Each song on ‘Baja Louisiana is a potential hit.’ Greer has a unique way to tell stories, and his voice carries an emotional intensity on all these incredible, infectious melodies, on music that easily flows. I am really impressed with his stunning ability to release albums we can’t forget. ‘Baja Louisiana’ didn’t only make my day, it will be regarded as one of the Best of 2016.” -Mike Penard, ISA Radio, France, October 24, 2016
“Douglas Greer kept us in suspense for ten years, but now it’s finally released: ‘BAJA LOUISIANA’! Douglas has a way with words and stories, a nice, warm voice, and he surrounded himself with great players on this record. No crystal ball is needed to predict that ‘Baja Louisiana’ will grace several 2016 Year-End Best-Of lists in the European Americana community.” – Johanna Bodde, RadioGirl’s Mixtapes and Insurgent Country, the Netherlands
“Douglas Greer’s new record is a one of a kind treasure…” – Mark Hallman, Owner of Congress House Studio, Austin, Texas
“Douglas Greer is an extraordinary storytelling red dirt roots-rocker… ‘Baja Louisiana’ contains very beautiful handcrafted Americana songs that needed to come out…” – Jan Janssen, Founder of Real Roots Café, the Netherlands
“Douglas Greer’s ‘Baja Louisiana’ is a must have album… [W]ith the grandiose opener ‘Back In My Skin Again’, which immediately reminds one of Ray Wylie Hubbard, the great Waylon Jennings-esque tune ‘Take My Name Off Your Facebook Page’, which has a good dose of country hit potential, and ‘Out of My Mind‘, the mesmerizing ‘Witches’, the accordion gem ‘Port Acres’ and ‘Miss Right Now’, ‘Baja Louisiana’ certainly deserves a top rating in the Euro Americana Chart.” – Francois Braeken, BealeStreet.be, Belgium
Excerpts of some reviews of
Just a Man:
“[Just a Man] is a classic example of how, in our opinion, Americana is supposed to sound. Greer is a master of telling stories and drawing character sketches.” – Benny Metten, Ctrl Alt Country Magazine
“[Just a Man] is a real beauty; alternative Southeast Texas country rock molded into ten great songs that create the same atmosphere for which musicians such as Ryan Adams, Steve Earle, James McMurtry and Joe Ely are famous.” – Francois Braeken, Rootstime Magazine
“[Just a Man] is a brilliant debut album; texts with ingenious character sketches that could have come straight out of a bestseller. One of the best Alternative Country Rock CDs of the year.” – Jan Janssen, Real Roots Café
Some full reviews of Just a Man:
Roots Music Report
Douglas Greer’s debut CD, Just A Man, is what roots country music is all about. Each track contains great rhythmic lyrics that weave tales of pure Americana. Greer’s moving vocals complete the rootsy music that reflects a bit of Cajun influence.
Throughout the CD, you find yourself nodding approvingly of the essential theme of the tune and recognizing that it came from the heart of one who seems to have been there. This authenticity that Greer gives to his music and thus to his listener is normally difficult to achieve, but he makes this link with apparently skillful ease.
Greer’s delivery of this fine music is his own. Listen closely to the musical accomplishment and you will hear accordion (in line with the Cajun influence) and excellent layering of guitar and keyboards. Not only is Greer a singing talent but he is also a great songwriter. All and all, it is a great CD for the roots fan and you will truly enjoy this CD.
Ctrl Alt Country
For a number of obvious reasons, we regularly find attempts of young artists in our mailbox enticing us to take a closer look at their music. However, for lack of time and other reasons, we can do this only on rare occasions. But if what they have to offer is as good as what newcomer Douglas Greer from Austin, Texas presents on his debut album, “Just A Man,” we try to make time for it.
The recording produced by Michael Ramos is, after all, a classic example of how, in our opinion, Americana is supposed to sound. Greer, who gave up a career in law to pursue his music, is not only a master of telling stories and drawing character sketches, he was also sensible enough to let his roots strongly sound through in his music.
Greer grew up in Port Arthur, a refinery town in the heart of the Cajun part of Texas. And this life is what he describes in his music, leaving out the expected traditional instruments such as fiddle and pedal steel and making more extensive use of the accordion, piano and keyboards. This is what makes his efforts on “Just A Man” interesting for a reasonably wide audience.
Songs such as the one called “People Person” about a dancer supporting her unemployed husband in a night club or the contemplative road song “Road To New Orleans” will appeal particularly to the fans of pure root music, and not only because of Michael Ramos’ accordion playing. The song “Damn Sure Gone,” from which the album derives its title (“I’m just a man – I can damn sure bring a good woman down…” Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?), “Black Train,” philosophizing on blues and a life formed by it, “Heaven Into Hell,” in which the protagonist slaughters a number of holy cows, and “Capitol Hall,” marking the beginning of a break with the past, on the other hand seem to be predestined to go down well with the fans of alternative country rock. And then there are a whole bunch of thoughtful treats such as “Nineteen Ninety-Nine,” reminiscent of the work of Ryan Adams, the heartbreakingly beautiful attempt to come to terms with a past love in “Kill Me Again,” and the moving glance backwards at the high days of the “Dry Creek Cafe,” where “innocence never got lost in the crowd.”
Overall, there is only little to criticize. If every newcomer would present us with such incredibly strong material, our life as reviewer would definitely not be easy. Therefore, our warmest recommendation for this CD!!!
Rootstime
Port Arthur, Texas… this name should ring a bell with all music lovers. It’s the birthplace of – among others – Janis Joplin, the recently deceased Clifford Antone and indeed… Douglas Greer was also welcomed into the world there. The singer/songwriter newcomer can count with his album “Just a Man” on an enormous response in his home port and it would surprise me if his talent should go unnoticed in Europe.
Very familiar with the ins and outs of the world of musicians – he ran his own booking agency in the 90’s and was a member of the roots rock band Amos Moses – Greer looks for his inspiration for his songs mostly in the decline of his Texas hometown of Port Arthur: A prosperous environment that is changed into a neighborhood of neglect, prostitution, drugs, alcoholism and vast numbers of unemployed. Depressing experiences, which Douglas could digest in his own ways by keeping a diary: “Writing about it was the best therapy.”
When he, after his move to Austin some years ago, ran across Michael Ramos (John Mellencamp) and Michael took a look at the collection of songs Greer had written over the years, the collaboration between the two quickly became reality. The first result of Ramos’ Latin and Greer’s Cajun musical roots is now available in the stores and… turned out to be a real beauty. It was a conscious decision to put aside the fiddle and the pedal steel guitar and focus more on accordion, keyboards and piano.
Alternative Southeast Texas country rock molded into ten great songs that create the same atmosphere for which musicians such as Ryan Adams, Steve Earle, James McMurty and Joe Ely are famous. Douglas has a pretty nice storytelling voice. For the recording sessions at Congress House studio, he could on top of that count on the support of Mark Hallman, piano (Carole King), David Grissom, electric guitar (The Dixie Chicks), Tommy Shannon, bass (Stevie Ray Vaughan) and Michael Langoria, drums (Patty Griffin). Of course, it was Michael Ramos who, in addition to his work on piano, accordion and keyboards, kept an eye on everything as producer, and even Lisa Richards (‘thanks for teaching me how to sing’) dropped in for a bit to do the backing vocals on “Black Train.”
A particularly pleasurable first encounter with this newcomer to the world of singers and songwriters, who with his song “People Person” comes pretty close to my/our Greg Trooper. Now, if that isn’t a recommendation, I don’t know what would be!
Real Roots Cafe
In order to grasp the music of singer/songwriter Douglas Greer from Austin, Texas, you have to go down to his Texas birth town, Port Arthur. This is at least what his biography recommends. By the way, Janis Joplin was also born in this town in Cajun country.
Much more significant, though, in my opinion, is Greer’s comment: “To me, the most important thing is, ‘what’s the song about and what’s it say’”. The latter is exactly what makes his debut album Just A Man so special: Texts with ingenious character sketches that could have come straight out of a bestseller.
Accordion, keyboards and piano provide a very atmospheric setting for it all. This is not surprising since this brilliant debut album was produced by nobody less than Michael Ramos, ex BoDeans, whose work we have not too long ago encountered in albums by Patricia Vonne, Eliza Gilkyson and Black Water Gospel. The line-up of musicians on this CD is quite impressive. What about David Grissom (The Dixie Chicks) on lead guitar, Mark Hallman (Carole King) on piano and backing vocals, Tommy Shannon (Stevie Ray Vaughan) on bass, and Michael Longoria (Patty Griffin) on drums?
In addition, Greer has a unique warm and honest voice that never gets into overkill. Very nice, melodic songs with meaning and something to tell. Add to that that Just A Man doesn’t have a single weak moment and we have in my opinion one of the best Alternative Country Rock CDs of the year. It’s too bad that Pa Greer didn’t live to see this.
Alt Country NL
To say that Douglas Greer, who was born in Port Arthur, Texas, and now operates out of Austin, is a reviver is not true. But with his debut album Just A Man, he presents himself nevertheless directly as a talent with perspective; someone who will rise above the average and from whom we certainly can expect more good things.
Greer has a pleasant voice with a nicely relaxed, sexy note to it. Apart from that, he has a quick pen. Ten songs are included on Just A Man, and among them you really won’t find a single weak one. The variety of this debut album is also a plus.
Greer put nobody less in charge of the production than Michael Ramos (also keyboards, piano, accordion), and didn’t miss out on the opportunity to have Mark Hallman and Dave Grissom (electric guitar) guest-star. If I’d put together the following podcast, track seven, the great Dry Creek Cafe, should almost certainly be included, but also the opening track Damn Sure Gone und Black Train compete for special attention. Greer’s texts show him to be a young man with acute observation skills, and in his music, he and his entourage almost always succeed in expressing just the right nuances.
In short, this former singer from the roots rock band Amos Moses knows how to surprise with Just A Man without actually being an innovator – the proof of great quality. And whether this is important or not, but because this CD had to wait a bit longer for a review, the final verdict itself has improved by a lot. That is to say, the surplus of playing time has turned a good CD into an excellent CD in no time at all. This CD is simply a “Must buy.”