Tortoise and Hair
A Front Row Seat
For married couple, Adrienne and Dustin Cotrell music is key. The two have taken the best of their abilities and churned out a record that is both soothing with tracks like “Confessor” and ones that make audiences tap their feet like “Faultline’09.” The Cotrell’s voices blend so well together that one can sense not only their musical connection but their personal connection to one another. There is an overtone of humbleness that radiates from each track that isn’t seen in a lot of today’s music. Tortoise and Hair are a well received throwback to the folk of the 70s. They put words to music to create sound poetry. Music lovers who appreciate the styles of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen will want to take in Tortoise and Hair’s A Front Row Seat.
Track 1: “Traveling Song” is the perfect tune for, well, traveling. Adrienne’s voice accompanied by Dustin’s playing takes listeners, comforts them and makes weary travelers feel like home is not that far away.
Track 6: “Voices of the Wind” has a harder edge than a lot of the other songs on the album. Dustin takes charge of the vocals on this one and executes nicely. The marching drums drive home the power of the song.
Track 10: “Forever Yours” is one of those songs that touches the heart of hopeless romantics everywhere. Anyone who has ever felt the joys and pains of love will turn this song on and relate to every word from beginning to end.
Reviewed by Kendra Beltran of Bryan Farrish Promotions

Music in Decatur
By
Barbara Donnelly Lane

I’m a writer. I have a friend who’s a musician. Once we had a discussion about which is harder: sitting alone in a room, talking on paper with people who don’t exist, or playing music in front of a room, singing for people who don’t listen. Whenever I’m with her, my mind wanders back to this question.

So one night we go with our husbands to a restaurant in Decatur. This is an artsy section of Atlanta where you can walk barefoot like a flower child on the sidewalk, or you can buy gourmet dog biscuits from a kitschy bakery.

It is early spring, but the air is so thick with humidity, it settles in the skin. They serve sweet tea in the café where we are waiting to hear singer/songwriters perform. Rice Krispy treats are wrapped in cellophane by the cash register. The server has a silver hoop through his lip. A customer who buys a cookie is wearing flip-flops with a mini-skirt and carrying a $500 purse.

Walking to a table with my drink, I notice boldly painted people line an exposed brick wall. They have distorted faces in frames, like the reflections in fun house mirrors. They make a statement about what to expect from the entertainment. Perception defines art, right? Reality is something different.

As we’re getting settled, a boy in dirty jeans takes the microphone set up by the window. He’s got on scuffed, black boots and a white and blue bandanna. He screams his songs, the words hurled up into the ceiling’s acoustic tiles, which are the color of ink, and I think I have found the place where bad poetry settles forever. In those tiles, a wounded wail can go and die.

I lean over to my friend to ask her if the boy is any good as a singer.

She considers for half a second. “Uh… No,” she says, and I don’t argue. After all, I’m tone deaf. What do I know about music?

Next the boy’s girlfriend stands up to sing with him. She’s got butterfly tattoos on her shoulder and calf, long curly hair that flows down her back, and soft curves as full as those in a painting by Ruben. (Chubby women were art back in the glorious day.)

Butterfly girl whispers the harmony into a second microphone and steals glances at the boy who scream-sings with his eyes closed tight. I wonder if they make love with faces like this. I wonder if she is pregnant.

I lean over to my friend to ask her if the girl is any good.

She considers for less than half a second. “Uh… No,” she says, and I don’t argue. Even I already knew the answer to that question. And I know nothing about music.

When the couple is done singing, there is a tip jar for gas money. The boy takes a seat beside it, starts sipping a Pabst Blue Ribbon. He’s already explained he and his girl are on tour: a word my friend puts into disdainful air quotes before explaining that “tour” is code in musician speak for singer/songwriters living in a van down by the river, singing in YMCA showers once a week, driving from town to town until the inspiration (or VISA card limit) runs out.

I watch the boy as he puts away his chocolate-colored guitar, gently caresses it’s neck as he lays it down to sleep in a battered case beneath a table. I can see he loves his music. I wonder if the baby will have a bed in his van, maybe a space to dream in the glove compartment.

I lean over to my friend to ask her if the couple was paid to play tonight.

She doesn’t even consider her answer. She snorts and smiles broadly, pouring me a glass of wine. Apparently, I need something stronger than tea. Shaking her head as if I have said something profoundly funny, she reiterates the obvious, “You know nothing about music.”

I don’t argue. This is her business. It’s all just noise to me.

Still, I look back at my boy with interest. His chin is cupped in one hand now, his boots crossed at the ankles. Watching a folk band set up their equipment, his expression is a strange mix of boredom and longing.

A bass player has a mountain man beard big enough to house a chipmunk, but the middle-aged woman in the sack dress on keyboards beside him looks like a librarian.

I wonder if this pair has ever made love together. Don’t they say musicians like orgies? Even the hairy ones? I wonder if these two live in a log cabin with a mortgage and drive a Chevy Suburban to work.

Whoever these band members are, whatever they do behind closed doors, now my boy must sit and listen to them play their shinier instruments as part of the regular audience. He must stare at the lead singer who is hawking home studio CDs that have better cover art than his and butterfly girl’s in the cardboard sleeves, when all he really wants to do is keep scream-singing and get famous.

His beer is empty now and no one gets him a new one.

Yet butterfly girl is looking at our boy from across the room with a raw longing. She is so young, I wonder if he took her to prom, or if he convinced her only losers ride in limos, wear sequins. It’s cooler to be starving.

Her eyes are so young and wide–her belly so round and growing–I want to buy her a piece of pie and tell her it’s not too late to go to beauty college.

I lean over to my friend again to ask her which is harder–being a writer or being a musician–but the new band is playing, and now she is really listening.

These people must be really good to capture her attention. (I’ve already learned musicians are the harshest critics.)

I look at the boy, the girl, the ceiling.

I hope their baby is born an accountant, not an ounce of rhyme or rhythm in him.

I think about the boy, the girl, the reality, their perceptions.

Life’s a hard burden for anyone born with a poet’s crazy mind, a musician’s heavy dream.

I get out my wallet and put a dollar in the boy’s half empty tip jar.

He smiles and nods, his tired, brown eyes brightening.

I know nothing about music, but I know I must pay him.

He has entertained me.

I will write about him later.

Adrienne’s (the Hair) song ‘Traveling Song’ is currently a finalist in the 2010 Indiegrrl SongWriting Contest. We’ll know in May how it turns out, but as they say ‘It’s and honor just to be nominated.’

Tortoise and Hair, masquerading under the alias “Dustin and Adrienne”, has been awarded Gigmasters.com’s “Rising Star of 2009” for the category of “Acoustic Duo”. Thanks Gigmaster’s for helping us get there!

Husband and wife duo Adrienne and Dustin Cottrell, also known as Tortoise And Hair, hail from Marietta, Georgia and have been charming audiences in the Southeast United States for a decade now. The Cottrells studied together at Florida State University. Each are classically trained musicians with a shared love of some of the great singer/songwriters of Rock N Roll era (Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Gillian Welch, etc.) Tortoise And Hair uses a distinctive sense of melody, witty and insightful lyrics, and their own special chemistry to open ears, minds and hearts on their self-produced debut album Front Row Seat.

Front Row Seat does display a certain distinct chemistry, but its duplicity is fetching. For all the chemistry on the album, it really is more like listen to two distinct artists’ solo albums on shuffle. Adrienne Cottrell leans more toward a folk or easy listening sound, relying on the deft imagery in the lyrics and her angelic voice to entrance a crowd. Dustin Cottrell is a closet rock n roller. He plays along well on the more folk-oriented material, but you can hear the enthusiasm in his guitar on the more rock and blues sounding songs. When the Cottrells sing together, however, there is no doubt they are together, as their voices intertwine and blend as if caramelized together by the music.

Front Row Seat opens with “Traveling Song”, a paean to finding home in the midst of love no matter where you might be. The arrangement is a sweet maritime Celtic ballad and Adrienne Cottrell pays epic tribute with her voice. Dustin Cottrell takes over on “Faultline ‘09”, an edgy bit of urban folk with a touch of blues. The song is as catchy as anything you might hear. “Watching The World Fall Apart” is a mellow shell for a blend of voyeurism and schadenfreude that may be an indictment of financial collapse of 2008 and those who brought it about. “Watching The World Fall Apart” is sublimely tuneful and holds a wealth of finely meted our bitterness in its grasp.

“Confessor” explores misplaced faith and the inherent need of even those who claim no faith to be absolved of their guilt. The song is a passive-yet-powerful story about one lost soul who keeps running to another in times of doubt, only to return when his well of certainty runs out. Adrienne Cottrell is out front on this one, a convincing and vaguely chilling story song that will stick with you. “Big Picture” is self-explanatory, a song that attempts to put life’s little problems into perspective. Dustin Cottrell takes the lead with extensive harmonies from Adrienne. “Voice Of The Wind” is perhaps the most unusual track on the disc, built from a martial beat, an ethereal arrangement and a whirling collection of guitar riffs. “No One Else In The World” recalls a simpler time and focuses on self-fulfillment. It’s not a flashy tune but flat-out great songwriting.

“Forever Yours” is a powerful love song with perspective. Adrienne Cottrell ruminates on the changes that life brings yet returns to the one constant in her life: love. “Forever Yours” is likely to wind up on mix-tapes, dedication lines and any other method people can use to dedicate songs to one another. “Lady Midnight” is far and away the best songwriting on the disc; a wonderfully poetic representation of the doubts that strike us all in the hours between dusk and dawn. Adrienne Cottrell uses powerful imagery, vulnerability and an amazing voice to paint a picture that is many times greater than the sum of its parts. The song and performance are utterly brilliant. On “Limbo”, Tortoise And Hair explore the existential angst and self-doubt that accompany one of the many transitions from youth to adulthood. Dustin Cottrell is out front this time in a tune that sounds a bit like mid-1970’s Billy Joel. “For Once In My Life” has an easy piano/jazz feel. It’s a song about escaping all of your bonds for a little while; just being able to be, and is probably a daydream most concoct from time to time. Tortoise And Hair close with “Just Another Road”, a plain and plaintive closer that hides s quiet sense of hope that will grab you.

As a listener I was quickly drawn into the inner life of Tortoise And Hair. Like many of the troubadours before them, this duo breaks down barriers with honesty, intelligence and wit, all wrapped in tremendous melodies and supple arrangements. Front Row Seat does feel like two distinct artists at times, but even where this dichotomy exists, the sense of chemistry between the two never fades. Adrienne Cottrell writes and interprets brilliantly, and Dustin Cottrell brings an edgy sense to the duo that seems initially out of place but quickly melds itself seamlessly into the sound. Tortoise And Hair are a duo not to be missed.

Review by Wildy Haskell

From the new Album!

From the new Album!

Look for it at CDbaby, dig station, itunes, and amazon.

There are 14 tracks on the album. Here are some brief notes about the songs:
For the opening track, Traveling Song, Adrienne (the Hair) dug deep into her Celtic roots and produced a lyric about our travels from Florida to California to Georgia looking for a place to settle and call ‘home.’ Ultimately, though, it’s not where you are, but who you’re with that makes the difference. This song is laced through with a finger-style guitar part echoing the vocal theme. The beautiful accordion playing of Simo Tesla emerges to the lead for an interlude. Marlon Patton does great work on the drums, bringing out the ethnic feel of the piece.
“Fault Line ‘09” is the heir of a previous ‘Fault line’ released on our first album. Many of the lyrics are the same, but it’s set to a different tune and different changes. The southern rock-ish guitar riff against a big two-beat feel on the drums creates a powerfully austere atmosphere, allowing the listener to be properly disturbed by the lyric. Between haunting verses and choruses, Steve Cunningham delivers a devilish slide solo. The song makes its way home with a total breakdown, exposing a finger-style guitar solo, with other instruments gradually creeping back in, building into total pandemonium before the final hits.

“Watching the World Fall Apart” conjures 30’s era rural blues, with its earthy opening guitar theme and deliciously relaxed groove. The lyrics are therapy for anyone staying up at night worrying about the stock market. The listener is invited to be revived and inspired by the events of today’s world, particularly the financial disasters we hear so much about; the point being that the future is still up for grabs. Anything can happen. Some poignant jazz piano adds a twist to the second half of the tune.

The fourth track, ‘Confessor’ tells the story of a relationship, in which a man pursues a woman first in a condescending way in regards to her faith, but over time comes to need her and seek her help. All along he seeks to dump the burdens of his conscience and escape himself; he looks for a confessor. The melody glides on a driving ¾ pulse, the texture building and relaxing throughout. Carol Statella sings on the viola, duet-ing with the accordion for an instrumental interlude.

The album now takes a turn inward with the intimate ‘Big Picture,’ a portrait of one’s feelings of futility and vanity when all cosmic forces seem to work against his efforts for personal progress. The band lays out on this tune, leaving only guitars, percussion, and, of course, sweetly harmonized voices telling you that you will, in fact, be fine when all is said and done.

Having put you at peace, the mood turns again with ‘Voice of the Wind’ prophesying evils of the future and the past. The lyric alludes to race in this country offering the perception that tension and mutual distrust, far from becoming healed, might actually be getting worse. The dark acoustic guitar and the military snare paint a picture of foreboding and unease. The electric screams high above with twisted thoughts and feelings. In the end, the song calls us all to our knees in repentance.

‘No One Else in the World’ lightens the mood again with a view of love blossoming not about of brokenness and neediness but as an overflow of completeness. The opening verses describe self-fulfillment in having written one’s one song and painted one’s own scene. The following verses express the desire to share those expressions. Finger picking guitar and lush viola neatly dress this simple happy tune.

‘Superhero’ is a song about someone who has become an inspiration to us. This person pays close attention to detail and is quite particular about things others might ignore. We’ve come to interpret these traits as expressions of profound optimism. It is only the cynic who deems certain choices or tasks to minute or mundane to merit attention. Like many of these tunes the song originates from a guitar riff, this one played in a Leonard Cohen triplet style. Several percussion voices create a loose groove, which Marlon at one point likened to ‘an earthy cash register.’

‘All I Could Do’ brings the full band back eliciting a jazzy 5/4 groove. The lyric tells of the trial of knowing someone who can’t or won’t know you back. Voices trade verses and choruses, creating the sense of an inner and an outer persona. Piano takes the lead, as the piece modulates up a whole step.

‘Forever Yours’ starts with a look at the innocent beginnings of young love and goes on to show how two deeply committed individuals will not let time and the trials of life break them. Though they each grow and change over time, they evolve together, making the bond stronger with every passing year. The light and airy feel created by the rhythm section supports subtle and unique melodic phrasing in the verse, giving way to a fuller and more intense chorus. The piece concludes with a polyrhythmic vamp, suggesting the complexities of life combined with the passage of time.

‘Lady Midnight’ is a foe posing as a friend, staying over late into the night and keeping you awake, filling your head with gossip, worries, and fears that you’d be better off without having heard. This song tells the story of fighting off the demon of doubt, as the hours of the night slip away. The rhythmic meter varies every few measures, cradling the lyrics and propelling you forward. Piano, guitar, and accordion textures ebb and flow throughout.

The theme remains centered on fear and doubt with the latin-esque pulse of ‘Limbo’. The song describes the condition of being far removed in time from one’s defining moments and from one’s spiritual landmarks. Wandering in the dark without the encouragements and reinforcements so heavily heaped on in youthful days, tenuously held faith is all one has as a guide. Though withered and worn the voice of the song refuses to give in and vows to persevere through spiritual limbo. Baritone guitar, B3 organ, an assortment of percussion, and even a few vocal lines in Hebrew all make contributions.

Anyone who has ever wanted life just to slow down will indentify with the second to last track, ‘For Once in my Life’. This light swing number expresses the yearning to just escape, with a loved one of course, from the incessant deadlines and commitments of life. Guitar lays the foundation for this tune, steadily chomping out the quarter note pulse, while the piano playfully bounces in and out.

‘Just Another Road’ quietly closes the album in a simple, solo voice and guitar format. On the surface, this song appears as a break-up story. The secret behind it though, is that it was inspired by a career change, rather than a romantic ending, but the experience carried intense emotional torrents nonetheless. The guitar again employs a Leonard Cohen style triplet feel, supporting the relaxed paced vocal phrasing.

Contributors to this album include:

Dustin Cottrell (Tortoise): Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Keyboards
Adrienne Cottrell (Hair): Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Joe Reda: Bass Guitar
Steve Cunningham: Electric Guitar, Baritone Guitar, Lap Steel
Marlon Patton: Drums, Percussion
Simo Tesla: Accordion
Carol Statella: Viola
Bert Elliott: Sound Engineering
Ben Hofer: Graphic Design