Dean Batstone "No Angel"

It was reading Neil Youngs biography “Shakey” that inspired Dean Batstone’s approach to recording his latest CD No Angel. In an attempt to capture the fragile magic of the musical moment, Dean and co-producer Paul Antonell decided to record every song “off the floor with live vocals and limiting ourselves to only 3 takes. In every case on this new album (and incidentally, Neil, true to your belief that the first take is always the best...) the tracks that made the record were the first takes - without exception.” The result is a truly honest and engaging record that features some great songwriting. Every song is a wonderfully collaborative performance by some very gifted musicians with moments of brilliance but no over-the-top flash.

The album is a confident, mature offering from a performer who has been working on his craft for over 2 decades.

It is really no surprise that Dean has produced such a strong recording; what is surprising is that he is not better known locally. As a professional musician with over 6 CD’s to his credit (and 2 out-of-print LPs), he has an impressive collection of material out there, but local recognition is still elusive. He lives in Almonte but only plays in this area occasionally. His career is largely south of the border where several independent radio stations have picked up the first single from the new disc, Lay Me Down. His recent stint opening for singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin has helped bring his music to a receptive new audience.
There are plans afoot for a local CD release in the near future, possibly in January, but the details were not firmed up in time for this issue of theHumm.

We will post information about the event on our web calendar as soon as they are available.
If  you would to check out no Angel, copies are available at The Groundz in downtown Almonte or from Dean’s website. On the site you can find out more about Dean, hear some selected tracks from each of his many releases and order a CD or six. You can find it at: www.deanbatstone.com.
– Rob Riendeau  The Humm

Dean Batstone’s ‘No Angel’ a world-class album

By David Malachowski

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,NY and enlisted the cream of the Hudson Valley crop to play — Jim Weider, Gary Burke and Josh Colow. He even got Robbie Dupree to sing 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 “Lay Me Down” 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.

Canadian singer returns to valley for Rhinebeck show

By John W. Barry
Poughkeepsie Journal

His guitar players have performed with The Band and Van Morrison.    
His drummer played with Joe Jackson.    
Rounding out and firing the furnace for the CD "Love That Shine" is singer, songwriter, Canadian native and Hudson Valley admirer Dean Batstone.    
"Love That Shine" is Batstone's new CD. You can hear him perform songs from his new collection Saturday during a free concert at Oblong Books & Music in Rhinebeck.    

Guitarist Jim Weider, who played for years with The Band, and John Platania, Van Morrison's guitar player, both appear on "Love That Shine."    
This performance represents a sort of homecoming for Batstone, who recorded "Love That Shine" at Clubhouse recording studio in Rhinebeck. Batstone first discovered the Hudson Valley after meeting drummer Gary Burke backstage at a 1991 Joe Jackson concert in Canada.    

Area reminds him of home

Batstone's drummer at the time was a fan of Burke's playing, the two got talking and Batstone ended up traveling to Burke's home in the Hudson Valley to work with him on music.

Batstone has grown to love the Hudson Valley, and not just because it reminds him of the Ottawa Valley near his home that surrounds the Ottawa River.  

"The thing I love about the Hudson Valley is the wealth of artistic people there," he said. "It's a great environment to work in."

Batstone plans on working in the Hudson Valley through the coming months, performing shows at regional venues. As he will do Saturday in Rhinebeck, Batstone in upcoming shows is likely to showcase his yearning voice, conversational lyrics and rhythms that fall on the ears like a soft rain.

"I was a fan when I first heard his songs," said Paul Antonell, who owns Clubhouse and mixed, recorded and co-produced "Love That Shine," and has in the past worked with Natalie Merchant and Rusted Root. "He had really great songs and he really impressed me as an artist."

Batstone's musical career began at age 6, when he started playing the piano. Then he took up the violin and clarinet before picking up a guitar for the first time in his last year of high school.

"I started writing songs when I was 17," he said. "And I just never stopped."

Reach John W. Barry at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 845-437-4822.

Roll's Quick Pick:
Dean Batstone | Love That Shine
(no label listed) by Crispin Kott

Dean Batstone’s music, at least here on his new album Love That Shine, is familiar enough to be worn like a favorite pair of jeans, but it shimmers and shakes to a rhythm all its own.

“Don’t Run Away” is the standout here, a song of love covering the details we so often take for granted—memories of diners, broken sidewalks and candles on tables—with a yearning combination of pedal steel and acoustic guitar carrying the theme to its natural rhythm.
The musicians have a gentle touch with Batstone’s songs, brushed drums and guitars like ripples on a pond. Even on songs like “Burnin’ For Your Sins,” where Batstone’s voice takes on a bit of angst, the band behind him is thoughtful in their approach. In theory, there’s no reason the light touch should work with some of the music, but it’s a testament to Batstone’s connection with the band around him that it actually does.