By David Malachowski
Reviewer

ARTIST: Dean Batstone

ALBUM: “No Angel” (no label listed)

Though he’s a Canadian, singer-songwriter Dean Batstone has many ties to the Hudson Valley. He recorded this CD at the famed Clubhouse Studios in Rhinebeck, and enlisted the cream of the Hudson Valley crop to play — Jim Weider, Gary Burke and Josh Colow. He even got Robbie Dupree to sang harmony.

This collection kicks off with every spurned lover’s anthem, “Can’t Break Me,” with its literate lyrics and cinematic stance that hits hard, as does “Supposed,” one of this record’s many haunting highlights. In “Goodnight Radio,” he cleverly captures phases from a few dozen classic songs, which triggers a knee-jerk reaction of latent memories and places.

A driving “Heavy As a Heartache” is followed by “Princess” where he sings “I can’t tell you anything,” even though he has. And in the rough and tumble “No Angels,” he asks, “judge me not,” even though we have.

And we like him. Batstone is a world-class songwriter who just keeps getting better.

Visit www.deanbatstone.com.

David Malachowski is a guitarist, producer and freelance journalist living in Woodstock. The Freeman seeks CDs by local artists or artists appearing locally for review. Please send all CDs (please no CD-Rs or demo CDs) to Daily Freeman c/o Preview, 79 Hurley Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401.

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