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43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
He is a mighty man, November 3, 2004
The origins of Steve Burns' "Songs for Dustmites" is the stuff of future rock legend, which turned him overnight from the star of kiddie show "Blues Clues" to a respected indie-rock musician. His spacey-rock debut is one of those albums that won't be noticed by critics, but will be appreciated by music-lovers.
It starts off with the elusively melodic "Mighty Little Man," which explodes into a fuzzy bassline and an orchestral display of sound -- and that's only the first few seconds. That sound continues in the even more epic trumpet and cello of "Stick Around," and the waveringly acoustic splendor of "What I Do on Saturday."
Oh wait, what was the story of Burns' sudden reinvention? Simply put, Burns was at a party when someone spun the Flaming Lips masterpiece "The Soft Bulletin." He immediately left, bought the album, and began working on his own music, leaving behind blue dogs and dancing with kitchen utensils. And in a display of good-music karma, he got Flaming Lips' Steven Drozd and Michael Ivins in on the work.
The result is melodic yet fragmented rock music, the sort of larger-than-life stuff that appeals to the grown-ups that have a kid inside them. Burns creates sweeping orchestral epics and weaves them in with bassy rock), and overlays wavering keyboards over acoustic guitar. There's a slightly folksy bent to the songs, as if folk were played on a spaceship.
Burns' gentle croon is pleasant to listen to; he blossoms especially in "Mighty Little Man," where his voice echoes majestically over the orchestral bass. That seems to be in keeping with the theme of the song, about an ordinary man becoming a hero ("Nobody else is stronger than I am/Yesterday I moved a mountain"). That theme continues in songs like "Henry Krinkle's Lament," but in between those Burns bares his soul, sings about angels without wings, and battling gravity.
Forget Blues Clues -- there isn't a trace of goofy juvenility in this album. "Songs for Dustmites" is a solid debut, transforming Steve Burns into a mighty little man. A fun album that hints at possible future greatness.
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
steve goes to college...ROCK college!, September 15, 2003
I had no idea who Steve Burns was, but I am a Flaming Lips fan, and when I read that they were working with this strange fellow from a children's TV show, I got curious. I followed the link to Steve's website, listened to the songs, and decided I had to have this. The music is expansive, open-hearted and nerdy in a good way, and occasionally reaches liftoff, as on "Mighty Little Man," which deserves all the good stuff said about it. Sure there's a Flaming Lips influence; there's a lot of that going around these days, which is why Dave Fridmann (producer) stays busy. Occasionally, "Songs for Dustmites" sounds like an alternate-universe Flaming Lips, one without the melancholy of Wayne Coyne's overall vision. The beeps and swooshes frame songs that are more upbeat and hopeful than Wayne Coyne's, and Burns' voice is probably a bit easier for some people to handle than Coyne's Neil-Youngish yawp. However, there are also songs that don't sound like the Flaming Lips at all, as in ">1" with its prominent fingerpicked guitar, and the moody neo-folk-space-jazz of "A Reason." And to be fair, the influence of the Beatles and David Bowie (especially early Bowie of the "Space Oddity"/"Hunky Dory" era) is at least as present. (there's also a spot on "Troposphere" where he sounds like a dead ringer for David Cassidy! but don't tell anybody.) Overall this is a thoroughly charming and intriguing CD, and I can tell already it will reward closer listening. This is the best debut CD I have heard this year. I have a feeling we're going to be hearing more from the newly un-green-shirted Steve Burns.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great!, September 2, 2003
First of all, yes, this is the guy from Blues Clues. No, he didn't die of a drug overdose. Instead, he got together with members of the Flaming Lips and made this great CD. The first track, "Mighty Little Man," sets the tone for the whole album: it's an innocent, uplifting song about a man who likes to watch TV, then gets super-powers. It has crashing cymbals, booming drums, and a fuzzy bass. If you like the Flaming Lips, you'll like this. As the CD continues, Steve sings some beautiful harmonies with Steven Drozd, plays some laid-back acoustic indie-rock songs, and muses about such things as micro-gears and superstrings. This CD isn't aimed at kids, but Steve's childlike enthusiasm is evident throughout, as lyrics about Spider-man and G.I. Joe abound. Don't be put off by the fact that Steve Burns used to be the host of a popular children's television show; this CD is the real deal.
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