C. Daniel Boling - Love, Dan (2024)

This starts with a touch of sarcasm that’s a little John Prine-like with an acerbic sense of Randy Newman humor. Mr. Boling states in his lyric by a little boy addressing his mother: “…dear mama, I hate you, love Dan.” That would get a listener’s attention especially when a letter from the singer’s offspring begins much the same way toward him.

I’m not a big fan of this type of song but this one’s clever & understood. Mr. Boling taps into an area some people are familiar with but don’t write songs about. The 14 tracks affectionately laid out on Love, Dan were recorded at Jono Manson’s Santa Fe, New Mexico Kitchen Sink studio. It’s the 10th C. Daniel Boling solo album & was produced by Jono (humming/bgv) & Daniel Boling (all guitars/vocals/banjo).

“All of Us Are Immigrants” is alright in a folky Pete Seeger sense & it doesn’t come on too heavy which is a relief. Many get the immigrant issue confused with going anywhere but not doing it legally. Every country in the world has rules & laws about who comes & can stay.

Many of the tunes are also performed in a style that was adapted by artists from Tom Rush, Tom Paxton & Arlo Guthrie. C. Daniel Boling (a former member of the folk trio The Limelighters in the ‘60s) carries on that tradition admirably. Will it appeal to everyone? Probably not. It’s an old-fashioned folk tradition but when done well it is entertaining & educational. Some like “Whadya Do Today” sounds silly, but the message is heartfelt & serious.

Boling touches on childhood stories, family life, aging parents, social issues & celebrations. Some could be misconstrued as radical songwriting, but Boling doesn’t sing with that kind of voice. He’s not Phil Ochs or Joan Baez. He prefers to sing with a friendly tone like Burl Ives (“Mr. In-Between”) & still get his message across effectively.

Boling cruises closely but never touches anything with controversy. Instead, he maintains order in his material to reach the widest audience without ruffling feathers. Boling’s also effective with his more poignant melodies (“Something From Your Past,” “Quarter” & “I Don’t Know How”) which are some of the best songs on this showcase.