Posted on: October 11, 2007 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Brian Dewan isn’t your average cookie cutter musician. This former furniture salesman has been stretching his legs in the art, music and instrumentation fields for years. Having previously released two full length albums, Dewan has now created Volume 1 of The Humanitarium Series—a semi-annual collection of folk compilations, entitled “Words of Wisdom” available November 13th on Eschatone Records.

In addition to his solo records (“Brian Dewan Tells the Story”, “The Operating Theatre”), Dewan is known throughout the entertainment industry as an artist and inventor, as well as a musician.

The artist and inventor side of Dewan has created pieces that go well beyond the realms of the art class walls. Dewan is best known for Dewanatron, numerous analog instruments, created by Dewan and his brother Leon. His artwork can also be seen for other artists, such as the cover of David Byrne’s “Uh-Oh”, They Might Be Giant’s “Lincoln” and the interior artwork of “In The Aeroplane Over The Sea” by Neutral Milk Hotel. In the role as a musician, Brian has had ties with such projects as They Might Be Giants, Blue Man Group, Sesame Street, Flaming Fire, Jed Davis, The Music Tapes, Loser’s Lounge and The Musical Stones of Skiddaw.

“Words of Wisdom” is full of folk compilations featuring songs Dewan has reworked with instruments such as the autoharp, electric zither, organ and the accordion, his tools of the trade. These songs that Dewan choice to recreate were found in old schoolbooks, at garage sales, in attics and basements, adding a modern twist to the originals.

Track List:
1. Words Of Wisdom
2. The Kettle Valley Line
3. The Civil War
4. Horse Named Bill
5. Tobacco’s But An Indian Weed
6. The Devil Made Texas
7. Only A Brakeman
8. There Was An Old Woman
9. The Mirimachi Fire
10. The Big Rock Candy Mountain
11. Girls Of Ohio
12. Blue Haired Boy
13. Carve That Possum
14. The Mountaineer’s Wedding
15. Abalone
16. I Cannot Sing The Old Songs

http://www.eschatone.com/briandewan/
http://www.eschatone.com/albums/ESC009/
http://www.dewanatron.com/

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