Album Reviews:

Boone's not quite your average singer-songwriter. Yes, he's got the wonderful, sweet voice typical of all those oh-so-trendy bigger names like Jack Johnson and Ben Harper. But he doesn't always use his "instrument" the way they do. He does sing lovely, melting melodies. But he also howls and moans in terse angry bursts then brings it down to a riff or a gentle melody for a roller coaster ride. Even "Tuesday Night" — the best tune off his release Ignore The Orange Hand — starts out soft and sultry with a catchy little melody, then explodes out with a stricken, emotion-laden chorus at the end. An added bonus is that Boone doesn't stick to one sound either, incorporating rollicking country beats and occasionally, hard rock distortion and punk-influenced angst.
- (Melissa Bearns – Eugene Weekly)

At 24 years of age, singer/songwriter David Boone is fast becoming one of Missoula’s most prodigious musical talents. Not to mention prolific: Ignore The Orange Hand is his third album in less than two years, and that’s not counting the other three records he recorded with his band, Open To Closure. Boone’s lyrics are poetic and his melodies are simple and infectious.
- (Yogesh Simpson – Missoula Independent)

"True poetry put to song". - (Erika Parfit - The Entertainer)

Boone’s prodigious output doesn’t come at the expense of quality songwriting. Boone seems to innately recognize how to develop music for the different idioms. With his effortlessly appealing tenor and thoughtful lyrics, fans of bands like the Jayhawks, Counting Crows, or Guster will find Boone’s more aggressive, acoustic guitar-driven folk-rock right up their alley.
Boone’s solo material is both gorgeous and soulful. Set against nothing but acoustic guitar, Boone’s voice is given ample room to explore the full range of emotion; and it does so, time and again.
- (Joe Nickell – The Entertainer)

Artist Commentary:

Ignore the Orange Hand has definitely been a “work in progress”. In the past, I have always written songs more quickly then I have had the ability to enter the studio and record them, due to funding restrictions or simply loss of interest over time. Therefore, a lot of the work I have done prior to “Ignore the Orange Hand” has been almost completely live. But I wanted to take a much more patient route with the production of these songs.
I started laying down basic tracks for the new c.d. in November of 2003, and wrapped up all of the actual tracking by May 1, 2004. By giving it a lot of time, I think all of the songs naturally took on their intended form, which lends to very little repetition from track to track. It has always been hard going in and recording an entire album in one day, and still obtaining a strong defining emotion for each individual song. “Ignore the Orange Hand” is an emotional soundscape. The topics range from the universal experience of broken-hearted love and loss, to the present day war conflict. By taking our time, the album developed a fluidity that molds the lyrical content with its compositional support in a way that no other album I have completed has been able to translate. Because I had always lacked proper resources I would have to do the best I possibly could, with primarily acoustic guitar and voice, to relay a group of songs with completely differing emotions. There is definitely something to be said for a very hard-hitting snare and a driving rhythm behind a topic that demands such a sound to accompany it. And for this very reason, I am willing to take the ballsy initiative of giving this album a **** review, because of every contribution outside of my own craftsmanship. Max Allyn, who performed all of the existing drum tracks and nearly all of the bass lines on the album does nothing short of a miracle to all of the songs he assisted in composing. Sarah Condon, the female vocalist on the disc performs a broad spectrum of vocal harmonies throughout, and her ability to hear what each song needed turned out to be the final “glue” on almost every track. Aside from her being one of my best friends, if she did a solo vocal album, I would gladly drop $18 to purchase anything with her voice on it. It is beautiful and powerful to say the least. Tom Allyn, Max’s dad, offered a vast assortment of crucial harmony lines as well on songs like She Got Me Good and Accent, and his aged wisdom gave the project an even more matured vision and perspective.
This album is definitely about the details. It is everything from a stand-up bass line on Tuesday Nights that absolutely makes the tune, to a subtle tremolo guitar effect on Good Life. The little salt and pepper of a simple percussion line, or the trickle of a mandolin makes each song unique, yet gives the album its continuity in a very tasteful manner. In addition, I had the priveledged opportunity of sound mastering guru Adam Ayan (protege of Bob Ludwig) from renowned Gateway Matering work his brilliance after our final mixes had been completed. His experience with artists like Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Counting Crows, and Tracy Chapman brought a polished interpretation to the final touches of our project. Ignore The Orange Hand is a very diverse collaberation. Topically, and stylistically, it is all over the board. It takes a journey through various genres and life experiences. Last but not least, the photography of Tom Baker is it’s own work of art, and it definitely has nothing to do with me being in the pictures. Hope y’all enjoy the samples.

David Boone – vocals/guitar/piano
Sarah Condon – vocals
Max Allyn – drums/bass guitar
Tom Allyn – vocals/percussion/guitar
Jack Barnwell – hand drum
Emery Barnwell – mandolin
Mandolin Jim – mandolin
Josi Becker – strings
Tom Catmull – vocals
Nathan Baker – stand up bass
Tom Baker – photography

All songs written by David Boone
Recorded and Mixed by Max and Tom Allyn at the Hickory St. Studio
Final Mixes by Max Allyn

P.S. THE TITLE: It is a metaphorical statement. The orange hand being symbolic as a system of thoughts that we are to simply adhere to and follow because someone else has stated their significance, and we have chosen to value these set opinions and standards more highly than our own inner convictions and more highly than the Divine. It is a poem inside the layout, and has since become a song of its own.

1. She Got Me Good
She bends back the night with candlelight. She brings back to me all those memories. I’m unsatisfied with using proper words tonight. She’s unbeautified next to the sunlight.
So before you even try…. Don’t tell me now that you can’t find any good in this life. She got me good enough to try. She got me good enough to try all of the reasons to my why’s, my doubts and my fears disappearing with the windows to our pasts. They’re passing by through the window glass of a 76’ LTD. I watched em’ passing by through the window glass of a 76’ LTD. Oh, she got me good enough to cry. She got me good enough to cry, all of the reasons to my hopes and my dreams, how they seem so feasible and viable, redeemable and try able. And I got no problems with love. No, I got no problems with love, but is it passing by through your window glass. Don’t let it pass you by through your window glass.

2. Tennessee Rain
She grew up in a Tennessee Rain. Humidity put her on a western train. I grew up with a heartburn smile, not a lot to say for my hand-me-down smile. My Mama taught about the good old days. Daddy worked the sawmill but he never got a raise. It’s all been said before, but now my head’s all wrong. It’s all been done before, but now it’s done and gone. I’d say it all now, but I got nothing to say. I’d play it all now, but I got nothing to play. She grew up in a Tennessee Rain, not a lot of pleasure for a whole lot of pain. It’s all been said before, but now my head’s all wrong. It’s all been done before, but now it’s done and I don’t want to miss a thing, sitting on the top of the world. I don’t want to lose your love. She made it back home down a memory lane. She made it back home through the Tennessee Rain. Now I’m thinking about the days of old, your skin so hot and your heart so cold. We could take a trip to the Mexico shore. We could be rich, and we could live poor.

3. Ode to Robert Frost
Mr. Robert Frost, I’ve lost a certain thing or two that made love true, that made hope new for once in my life. This cannot be the way to ever want to turn around and say, “I want a way to change the lines. I want the end to rhyme.” You said, “Happiness makes in height for what it lacks in time.” Is it over now, is it over now? Has it all been said, has it all been down? Mr. Robert Frost I’ve lost a certain thing or two that made love true, that made hope new for once in my life. Tell me that you know the way to Wyoming Rd. We can pick up my pills there, and we can go back home.

4. Downfall
You leave your light on for your getaway. I’ve seen a lot of good die away. You’d be delighted to see my life to shame. My pressure points ache, but I will not be broken too. A lot of feeling has left you. Your bleeding demons, and I’m not your footstool. I’d fight you further, but I’d end in your hell too. The walls around me shake, but I will not be broken too. I’m not going down to your point of view. I might be a fool to you, but I’m not going down to your point of view. I’m speaking to you, won’t you listen in. When did this start, and will it ever end? I’d like to hold you but your so distance. Your eyes are vacant I’m not your assistant. I will not be broken too. You sold your soul for some cocaine. You curse the sky for your mistakes. You left your love for a one-night stand with a downer in your belly and a bottle in your hand crying, “Oh my God, how could you lie!!!!” Well I’m not going down to your point of view. I’ve seen some go down, I’ve seen some hold on. I’ve been the beggar chasing candles. I’ve seen your downfall. I’ve seen your smile, but it’s been awhile. Has it been awhile?

5. Tuesday Nights
She only drinks on Tuesday nights. That’s what I hear from a friend. I find myself crying random, and sometimes I can find me a friend. All of the walks, all of the talks of the past, all the dreams; they go riding to where it seems that I’m back in your arms again. I’m back in your arms again. She’s got a lot of things going for her, I see her now and again. She met someone that smiles often, and that’s a lot more then I’ll ever say of myself. All of the walks, all of the talks of the past, all the dreams; they go riding to where it seems that I’m back in your arms again. I’m back in your arms again. It’s been awhile. Oh, it’s been awhile. Don’t you ever think we were something? We were something else. Don’t you ever remember if nothing else, the good times, all the kisses and the tears. And don’t you ever want to fall asleep back in these arms again.

6. Caught Up
I’ve been down, caught up in love. I’ve been found, caught up in love. I’ve been drown, caught up in love. I’ve been sound, caught up in love. Now I’m on my way. I’m on my way back home. We sit down in field of gray. We sit down in fields of rain. I sized it up, I can’t complain. I sized it up, I can’t explain. We could lie down in dreams of blue. We could lie down in hopes of true. We could lie down in field of love. We could lie down, me and you. Well I’m on my way. I’m on my way back to you.

7. Good Life
I’ve seen a lot today, it’s a good life. But it’s hard not to know all of the reasons why. I’ve got to find my way before it’s too late, before I’m just a ghost beneath the fog sifting through a life of pain. So I spend my lifetime in the Sunday morning pews, still woke up with the Monday morning blues. If I could choose a better way, you know I would. Be my baby. Won’t you be my baby in the morning. I’ve read a lot of news today about the good life. But it’s getting hard to buy all of their tools to try. I’ve got to find my way, it’s getting too late, before I’m just a broken down ground sifting through a life of rain. So I spend my lifetime with the Sunday evening news, still woke up with the Monday morning blues. If I could choose a better way you know I would. I’ve seen a lot today, it’s been a good life. But it’s hard not to know all of the reasons why.

8. Light at the End of the Tunnel
What’s this wall we’ve run into. Well it don’t mean nothing, we’ll find a light at the end of the tunnel. What’s this love supposed to do? Well it don’t mean nothing, without a light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve been coming down. I’ve been coming down with a disease of questions. Were you loving me? Were you loving me? What’s this drag we’ve got against us. Well it don’t mean nothing, we’ll find the light at the end of the tunnel. Whose got all of the answers anyhow? Well, they don’t mean nothing, without a light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve been coming down. I’ve been coming down with a disease of questions. Were you loving me? Were you loving me? Will we fade away as the sun? This don’t mean nothing, without a light at the end of the tunnel. Or will we rise above as the done, cos it don’t mean nothing without a light at the end of the tunnel.

9. Emphasize the Flowers
Change has come and I smile as the tears drain my soul. You lie to yourself. You’re so strong. And I miss you seconds before you’ve even gone. Now I’ve got nothing left but time. Did I think like old lovers? I still hope for the better. Did you write me off as a letter and send me off to the doves. I haven’t slept for hours. I haven’t been awake for days. Just thinking of life without your eyes, I should’ve emphasized the flowers. Loves gone to pieces, and our heaven looks like hell. Oh my God, when do you listen to giving in, giving up, to farewell. Did I think like old lovers? I still hope for the better. If this is the final of the letters, right off we fell in love. We slept in for hours. I still dream of those days. So this is life without your eyes, I should’ve emphasized the flowers. I’ve been thinking of life without your eyes, I should’ve emphasized the flowers.

10. Under the Influence
We must not become under the influence. Instead of trading psalms, we’re bettered baring arms. We must not become under the influence. Instead of trading graces, we’re battered wounded faces. It seems like years like this are all too familiar. If dreams, like a victim surrenders, then we’re on our way down. I heard you say, “You’ve got it all wrong”. I heard you say, “I have not let you down. You let you down.” We must not become under the influence. In pride we’ve waged our wars. We’re bettered baring laws that seem to brake their own under the influence of a heart that’s turned to stone. We’re better left alone.
IN Response to the query: What has God done for me? If God is good, why is there all the pain and suffering? This song is a response to those common questions. The answer lies within the quotation marks.

11. Sooner
Sometimes I talk about nothing until I can say hello. Sometimes I drop all that I’ve got on my plate to let you know. Many hours in my day, but the best are the ones that I waste with you. Many hours a day I waste alone, but you know that one is never better then two. I would fall asleep just to make it to you sooner. You place your bet on the one who always wins, and your bound to fail in the end. You place your bet on one who once couldn’t run, and their grateful for the chance to race again. I’ve been on my last lap a time or two, fallen with a faulty shoe. But there’s an insider rider with a broken down timer, taken a break till my pride is through. And I would fall asleep just to make it to you sooner.

12. Accent
Turn your lights towards the heavens. Turn your eyes towards the sun. Hope in love, and love your hope, wisdom over your silver and gold. Your gonna walk where the sun sets. And your gonna wake with the rise. Your gonna talk with an accent. Your gonna fall, but your gonna rise. Turn your lights towards the heavens and turn your eyes towards the sun. Hold your loved one through right and wrong. Write a poem and sing a song. And say “Your gonna walk where the sun sets. Your gonna wake with the rise. Your gonna talk with an accent. Your gonna fall but your gonna rise. All your life is a gift. All of your breath is a gift from above. All of your life is a rhythm dance. All of your love is a gift from above. Turn your lights towards the heavens.