Mountain View, CA (Top40 Charts/ Great Scott Productions) On Broke Down Beautiful, the second album from Steve Krause that was released yesterday (March 15), the San Francisco Bay Area singer-songwriter bares his heart and soul after learning "hard-learned lessons" in the aftermath of a romantic relationship. The story-telling troubadour with a warm, expressive tenor voice is candid and honest, and his lyrics paint vivid pictures of life's dualities, complexities and nuances. Throughout the intimate collection produced by Grammy winner Ben Wisch (Marc Cohn,
David Wilcox, Patty Larkin), hope and optimism split the somber dark clouds like rays of glorious sunshine bursting through the storm.
Already a dozen radio stations are playing a variety of the acoustic adult rock tracks from Broke Down Beautiful, a title that came to Krause because he finds beauty in the broken, hope within the loss, wisdom in the struggle, and solace in uncertainty. He penned ten original compositions and breathed new life into a pair of interesting covers: Cohn's "Walking In Memphis" and Dramarama's "Anything, Anything."
"We Both Know" opens Broke Down Beautiful with a song of inevitable parting even though both partners wish otherwise. Finding the author compared to a mystery novel, "If I Were A Book" poetically ponders the end of a relationship over a gentle pitter-patter groove. Based on a true story, "Only Always" recalls the first meeting between lovers moments before they stroll down the aisle. A unique and refreshing exploration of the true purpose of loneliness and the lessons it holds, "Halls Of Your Heart" calls for introspection and self-examination. Written for a friend's infant daughter, "Lullabye For Zoe" offers a reassuring caress from a young father who died at age 33. "Gone On You" is a heartfelt acknowledgment of a love that was lost, and how by doing the difficult inner work, it might be regained. An anthem-like hook finds love and home to be "Wherever You Are." Told from the perspective of her husband, "Sleep of the Dead" is a haunting retelling of the controversial Terri Schiavo case, but with a twist. Graceful and hopeful despite the pain of a futile romance, "You're Gonna Find Someone" strives to comfort while subtly weaving hints of doubt and regret. The album concludes with "Hearts In The Graveyard," an unforgettable tale of marital abuse and its inevitable casualties.
A meticulous wordsmith, Krause worked on the material for Broke Down Beautiful for a few years. Two songs from the disc - "If I Were A Book" and "Halls Of Your Heart" - garnered notice at the esteemed international We Are Listening's Lyric Writer Awards competition, taking home first and second places respectively in 2007 and 2008. Krause recently performed a couple of Bay Area shows to help launch the album release, including a date in front of a packed house that was broadcast live online. Additional local shows are being booked for spring and summer, which Krause hopes will turn into a national tour. Further information is available at www.stevekrausemusic.com.
