The Orchid Lounge
Bill Geezy and the Promise Breakers
2003
PURCHASE
CD and Tracks: CD Baby
Tracks: iTunes
REVIEW QUOTES
“The harmonica blowing on this album and the rest of the band are just outstanding and the songs Bill wrote are as interesting as storytelling can get. A fascinating mixture of songs on this release will not disappoint any type of music fan. Bill has done it with this new album.”
(***** Rating) Roots Music Report
“Geezy recalls the wit and gritty soul of John Hiatt…Musically, his MVP collaborator is harmonica stalwart Clint Hoover, who complements him as Mickey Raphael does Willie Nelson.”
Chris Riemenschneider, Music Critic, Minneapolis StarTribune
“This is a great Americana/Country album.”
Greg Jackson, Acoustic Rainbow/Poetman Records
“St. Paul’s Bill Geezy is the kind of poetic, storytelling songwriter you’d expect to find flourishing in hip Austin, Texas. He’s a witty wordsmith, an easygoing melodist anchored in the folk tradition and an octave challenged yet charming singer who makes every lyric sound fly-on-the-wall natural. Think Butch Hancock, John Prine, Guy Clark—his best songs have that kind of depth, immediacy and clarity. Bill Geezy’s album is loaded with great roots-rock!”
Tom Surowicz, Music Critic, Minneapolis StarTribune
REVIEW
Bill Geezy and the Promise Breakers, “The Orchid Lounge”
Peter Krampert, Author, The Encyclopedia of the Harmonica
Bill Geezy and the Promise Breakers “The Orchid Lounge” is definitely a departure again for Clint, playing country music, but he definitely nails it again. He plays with sophistication while remaining true to the Country style. This album shows a lot more complexity than the previous album and is a pleasure to listen to. Bill Giese seems to have matured as a songwriter, tackling his subject matter with care. Each song is well written, arranged and recorded. Clint’s harmonica playing is textbook Country while showing that he can apply his Jazz influence with panache.
I definitely recommend that you give this one a listen.
OVERVIEW
Bill Geezy and the Promise Breaker’s debut release was rated one of the top ten albums of 2003 by music critic Tom Surowicz of the Minneapolis StarTribune. The CD features a dozen songs written by Bill and performed by a stellar cast of virtuoso musicians. Geezy’s style of songwriting is fashioned around the age-old premise that moving stories and great melodies touch your heart and stay on your mind.
Such outstanding vocalists as Kate MaKenzie and Emmylou Harris have sung Bill’s songs. He co-wrote The Age of Innocence with Kate, the title track to her Grammy nominated CD. The Orchid Lounge showcases Geezy’s roots approach to richly rewarding songwriting – tunes that might make you laugh, might make you cry and often make you wonder “Did he really say that?” Trust yourself, he did.
Clint Hoover not only played diatonic and chromatic harp on this record, he sang harmony, played percussion and debuted his theremin(!) playing. Having a major hand in producing the CD, he utilizes the harp in an wide range of roles. No longer relegated just to the job of playing riffs or solos, Clint incorporates the harp in nuanced, compelling ways that become an essential part of the ensemble arrangement, enhancing Bill’s outstanding songwriting.
Clint Hoover 