Dabble

I'm always a bit surprised when people dismiss Dabble for not being very finished or for sounding as if it was done on a whim. Well DUH! That's what dabble means! From what I understand from reading interviews etc about the making of the album it was a very quick and casually made album.

If it purported to be a major effort -- even by SK's standards; all his solo albums seem to be kind of casually made -- I could see the criticism more. But I don't remember it ever really being pushed as much more than something SK did on a whim. And as that it's fantastic. It's true a few of the songs on it don't really go anywhere, but some of them are excellect, no matter if they were made on a whim or carefully crafted over months. I do think that given it had been several years since the last proper SK solo album a lot of fans expected it to be more "proper" than it is.

From what I understand SK had gotten together in Delaware with another musician his wife knew and they kind of hit it off musically. SK suggested they get some studio time and record. The other guy supposedly said "but I don't have any songs to record." SK said "Neither do I. We'll just make 'em up as we go." (or something along those lines). So it is what it is, but being what it is, I find it amazingly remarkable. Sure some of the songs are just ok (I'm not sure "Aloha Biggles & Star" is even that), but I love "Blessed One", "Keeper", "Temptation of St. Anthony", "Time To Say Goodbye" (very probably because of what when I played it) and a couple of others.

Well worth him making and well worth me buying.