At once progressive and rustic, Sandy Dickerson’s solo forays with the ukulele are far from what you would expect from such an apparently simple instrument. From the opening chords on his fifth solo recording, Songs from the Cold Coast, Dickerson shows that the perceived limitations of the instrument won’t prevent him from creating complexly layered folk tunes. He explores its possibilities, making each of its four strings work. Dickerson may be known around town as the bassist for a handful of other bands – the Panda Conspiracy, Big High, Missing Players and the Subdwellers – but with another album, High Seas, on the way in March, this project is hardly sitting on the backburner. Accompanied by drummer and percussionist Steven Barci, and Chris Poage on flute, accordion and clarinet, his commitment to his solo work shows in the thoughtful composition and varied products on each of his albums. Songs from the Cold Coast balances understated, unconventional sounds with accessible language, and its songs run the gamut from upbeat to somber. Sparse melodies on tracks like “This Room” provide a backdrop to Dickerson’s whispery vocals and quietly disconcerting lyrics, while the four-string twang on the comparatively lively “3 or 4” underscores the song's – and the album's – alternately assertive and confessional tone.
- Kate Shepherd
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