Truth Serum

Truth Serum

Have a taste of Truth Serum: An ambitious but loyal thug is framed for the murder of his boss's wife ('Hard Work'). A lovelorn alcoholic dreams of revenge when a rival steals his girl away ('Driver's License'). A fanatic prepares for inevitable war ('Head On') A teenage girl who flirts with life on the wild side gets the surprise of her life ('Fire in Her Veins'). These are a few of the tales spun out in the words and music of Truth Serum on their great new self-titled CD. Born of the struggle to transcend the limitations of folk, the banality of pop, the posturing of rock, and the arrogance of art, Truth Serum makes music with more restorative power than your store-bought medicinal syrup. Tempering strength with grace, demonstrating compassion with detachment, thriving on the delicate dependency of words and music, Truth Serum is the antidote for your affliction. Paul Byrne is the classically-trained composer and guitarist of Truth Serum. His finger-style playing is rich and complex, and his folk-oriented melodies draw on the sophistication of classical music and jazz, while being grounded in the depth and soul of the blues. Daniel Kirk is the singer and lyricist for Truth Serum, with a background is storytelling and song as the well-known author of over twenty picture books, several of which were published with musical CDs. In Truth Serum, however, the lyrics tell stories with adult themes, direct and poignant views into controversial subjects, or sketch character studies that look deep into the spirit. Kirk sings with a purity and intensity that brings the stories of Truth Serum to life. The band's crisp harmonies and rich acoustic guitar playing give their songs dimension, intimacy and and depth, exploring a wide emotional and stylistic range, from delicate art songs to traditional folk music, to fiery rockers. Truth Serum's formidable song craft brings to all of their music the qualities of intelligence, grace and class.