Ed Alstrom – Flee Though None Pursue
Haywire Productions
18 tracks – 78 minutes
Ed started playing organ at age 5. He has performed with a wide range of artists including Chuck Berry, Leonard Bernstein, Herbie Hancock, Steely Dan, Bette Midler and is currently the weekend organist for the New York Yankees. But none of that information will prepare you for the talent unfolding on this eighteen-song album on which Ed plays the Hammond, Farifsa and pipe organ, piano and Fender Rhodes, clavinet, synthesizers, guitars, bass, mandolin, melodica, alto sax, harmonica, accordion, theremin and all vocals. He also demonstrates strong songwriting and wit in his songs.
He is joined by some additional guest performers including Ula Hedwig who provides backing vocals and aided arrangements on seven songs. Instrumentalists include Robert Hill on guitar, Rob Paparozzi on harmonica, Jerry Vivino on tenor and baritone sax, Dan Guinta, Frank Pagano, and Dennis Diken on drums, and Maxine Alstom on acoustic piano on the final track.
Ed opens with a soulful blues as he says the world would be a better place if we would all just “Be Nice” and notes “it’s a mean world we living in / so much drama and disagreement / some folks trying to get us all together, others trying to get even”. An organ fueled “The Blues Is Not Alright” identifies “Nobody’s blues are unimportant” and is perhaps antithetic to Little Milton’s classic “The Blues Is Alright”. Slide guitar leads “Slow Blues” as Ed advises to go hear the slow blues – the only thing that wash your troubles away”.
The title song addresses inner conflict as he is off to “to my crossroads to face that awful day” with vocals that reminds of Dr. John. With a bit of funk “The Truth”, Ed declares,” my mission without fail is helpin’ truth to prevail, got to give truth a fightin’ chance”. Next, he declares he is “Sick” of all this traveling and I’m sick of all these Holiday Inns… livin’ and dyin’ at the same time”, a song following the rhythm of Ray Charles’ “Lonely Avenue”.
He tells her “I’m Always Near” in a slow love song where he tells her to “Hold my memory, make some new ones, take me on where you go”. He says, “The Record People” “are coming, I’m nervous as can be that all these heavy people will be watching little me” and concludes that “the record people came tonight, they came to dig my grave”, a honky-tonk piano driven look at the music business. “Sometimes” features Rob’s harmonica with Ed noting the highs and lows of life citing “Sometimes I’m playing the blues and working the crowd, and the sounds are magic, and the vibe is fast and loud, then some sucker spoils all the fun”.
The humorous “Screwed” gets funky with backing vocals answering his declaration “No more Mr. Nice Guy – Right now I’m outright rude. One way or another – I’m Gonna stop gettin’ screwed.”. That is followed by “H-O-P-E-L-E-S-S” as he explains the acronym followed by an acronym for Trouble and finally for an acronym for Hope as he concludes “It’s the new me – hopeful as can be. “Great Notch” describes a favorite bar “with a friendly bartender and a waitress that’s fine”. He notes that “I heard a band made up of lawyers and brokers. They weren’t too bad, but they were sure mediocre. They tried to play the blues but they were lacking in feel.” That is certainly not a problem with Ed as Rob again adds some dynamic harmonica.
“I call my baby “Fruitcake” coz of the crazy way she do…but I love her like crazy – guess that makes me crazy too”. The song features New Orleans styled piano and Jerry’s sax. He moves back to a smooth love song on “Yours Is a Place” a lovely port I love to call home base”. A rollicking piano backs his determination that “Success (Was Not to Be Had)” as he notes that “Maybe we were never meant for each other” and “Success just can’t be achieved” and again sounds like something Dr. John might have recorded.
The “Crossfire of Love” is about a failed relationship which he expresses in terms of war, “The Armageddon’s near, is this a battle no one wins? or no one loses?”. His message “I Drunk, You Drive” is evident as he determines “I tried to be cool and stay out of trouble but now the room’s spinnin’ and I’m seein’ double”. He concludes with “Don’t Cry at My Funeral” and says, “Instead of your sadness, I’d rather you party all night” as “I’m happy, I’m free”.
As noted, many of the songs have intricate lyrics, with humor frequently inherent, and demanding your attention to the messages in the songs. The songs display a variety of style, which displays Ed’s wide range and opportunities for success, which seems well deserved.