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Cincinnati Post
June 27, 1996

by Rick Bird

IN SEARCH OF A RECORD DEAL
OVER THE RHINE HAPPY TO BE A FREE AGENT

Most bands get invigorated when they sign a major-label record deal. Over the Rhine is taking satisfaction in moving in the opposite direction.

The Cincinnati-based group seems rejuvenated since it no longer has a major-label record contract.

OtR announced two weeks ago that it has been released from the recording contract it signed with IRS Records in 1993.

"It became increasingly difficult to get excited about delivering a record to these guys," said Linford Detweiler, Over the Rhine's main songwriter. "I am really excited about opening a new chapter. It's time to move on. I was very relieved IRS let us go."

OtR's new chapter as an "unsigned" band begins this Sunday with a concert at P&G Pavilion in Sawyer Point Park.

Amazingly, the band has cranked out a new 13-cut CD just a month after it dissolved its recording contract. Good Dog Bad Dog, will be released on the band's own label this week. The album is a collection of band demos and home recordings.

"There was no intention of releasing this stuff at all," Detweiler said. "It was literally recorded in my bedroom for producers and the label so they could get an idea where we were going."

"There's something real honest about the recordings. It's a very naked offering."

Indeed, OtR fans will likely gush over the stripped-down sound. On many tracks lead singer Karin Bergquist is truly musically naked - recording the songs days after they were written, often with just piano and cello accompaniment and Ric Hordinski's understated, excellent guitar work.

The group is rounded out by Brian Kelley on drums and new member Chris Dahlgren on bass. Detweiler is playing piano and acoustic guitar.

Detweiler is clearly enjoying the freedom from the label pressure.

"We're not signed, and we can do whatever we want," he said with a laugh. "We can open the record with a song almost six minutes long that has no drums."

The stripped-down sound serves the band well, since Ms. Bergquist's gut-wrenching, sensual vocals have always been the soul of the group.

It's more so than ever with this CD; here her singing borders on torch songs, '90'-style, often turning Detweiler's introspective lyrics into feminist anthems.

The speed with which the band assembled this collection is astonishing.

When the band was released from the IRS contract just a month ago, Detweiler said, he spent a week "fleshing out" some of the songs with other band members, a week mastering the songs and a week on artwork for the disc.

The album will be available at Sunday's concert.

Most of the songs were destined to be on their next IRS album, Detweiler said, and "I sensed whatever we delivered was going to get lost in the (IRS) reorganization," he said.

Detweiler said the band's creative differences with the label were compounded by the fact that IRS is going through major corporate changes that may result in its getting swallowed up by a larger label. After negotiations initiated by the band, the label agreed to dissolve the contract even though the group owed four more albums.

OtR has released three records since band members moved here in the late 80's from northeastern Ohio and took their name from the neighborhood they settled in.

OtR still has a management contract with noted producer Peter Asher, who is shopping the band's music to major labels. OtR may not remain an unsigned band for long.

For now, though. Over the Rhine seems to be a band at peace with its own sound and image.

"We aren't going to be part hard-rock band, part folk-rock band, part pop, part alternative. We just want to be Over the Rhine."