Dunce Witch Snowman is Eamon Ra's second album. Eamon Ra is the current project of Eamon Nordquist who used to be in Sterling Loons and Truly. Mainly recorded at Avast Studios in Emerald City with Jeff Brown, Michael Collins, Timothy Meinig and Evan Schiller
The album opens with Butterflies And Bees that has a loose folk rock feel that's almost in Mike Heron territory, as the questions about how they have chased all their enemies away gets going, we find out what she does for fun, what she does for free while trying to save all the butterflies And Bees, thus saving humanity as we rely on what those insects do with the plants, giving this a good eco-folk feel.
Dunce Witch Snowman the title song is a heavier sound, as the allegorical lyrics about who the Dunce Witch Snowman is and how many people, he has gulled into believing him, sadly no mention of the legendary all-night cycle race this album title riffs off of. Although I'm sure Essex Boy Racers would appreciate the guitar solo, beware of men in red baseball caps hiding in the shadows.
Happiest Day Gone Astray is a short interlude instrumental to inhale the clear air too. Have you Seen Emma? Is a song about being on the hunt for the Dunce Witch Snowman as Emma has his number and knows how to stop this terrible scourge, sung like an old school folk fable with several levels of meaning in every line. Have you seen Emma? If not, we'll have to put her picture on a milk carton.
On Holiday is a slow heartfelt plea for you to come and stay for his Holiday, without making clear where he wants to go, as he daydreams away another day as the music becomes more relaxing.
On The Periphery is a folk ballad for all the wall flowers out there to stay in the shadows. Quarantine Blues almost shares the same tune as On The Periphery as we find out how Eamon dealt with being locked in like everyone else, the paranoia of the covid panic, almost gives a shout out to all the lonely people, but chooses some crisp guitar instead.
See You Later has a bit of a Kevin Ayers feel, as Eamon makes clear he's out the door he's picked one of the 100 ways, has taken the key and is gone, the breakdown musically seems to hint that he's going to a psychedelic party to find his new horizons.
Shelter Skelter seems to take a sideways glance at all those tax shelters robbing the nation while trying to prevent real progress to help build both a better America and a better world, while bringing down and changing who the establishment are.
Up And At 'Em is a deceptive bucolic folk song to persuade you to get up and go fight the good fight, after a good breakfast of course, it would also help as a wake-up song for the kids to get them ready for school if it was played on a Bontempi organ.
Up And At 'Em (Part 2) is a more psyche rock reveille to get him up for work, put on that suit, go beat the world again, when you're working more hours than you should just to make ends meet.
Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/EamonRaMusic https://eamonra.bandcamp.com/album/dunce-witch-snowman-preorder-releases-nov-3rd
