Dave & Kara’s Newest Album

The Dreamers

Alternating between layered soundscapes and stark intimacy, The Dreamers—Dave and Kara’s second album, pulses with classic storylines and uncharted narratives. “It was kind of interesting how the album took on a life of its own,” Dave notes. “Once we entered the studio, the songs rewrote themselves.”

When asked about producing The Dreamers, Dave acknowledges the trickiness of self-producing, “You run the risk of being too close to the material.” Dave and Kara credit much of the cohesive sound of The Dreamers album to the recording engineer, Greg Paul, and the mixing engineer, B.D. Willis.

Achieving what you want most from a favorite album— the urge to play it again, the title track is perhaps Dave and Kara’s most triumphant surprise. Both lush and stark, elliptical guitar lines compress into a stunning, crescendo ending. “When we recorded The Dreamers, I realized there was something really special about this album. It elevates the magnificence of life’s unfolding, despite the challenges you face along the way,” Kara adds.

Little Wren, the lead track, introduces you to the pure and ethereal quality of Kara’s voice. Dave’s sparse guitar playing and Kara’s fluttering, bird-like voice foretells the sonic feel of the album, “Fortunes grow and fortunes die/ I might have missed your coming by/ Had I been looking with my eyes.”

One Foot, an infectiously upbeat tune, cleverly turns the “other” into celebrating and giving support to a “brother.” Kara drew upon her youngest brother’s experience with racism. “My brother was adopted from Columbia. He was constantly picked on because of his darker skin. But he didn’t let that steal his joy. One Foot inspired us to double down on the joy.”

Penelope is a modern-day interpretation of Odysseus and Penelope’s marriage. The layered soundscape of five guitars creates a haunting sojourn. Sidestepping the traditional traps of spousal blame, victimhood or abuse, Penelope’s rich imagery and surprising rhythms cross traditional boundaries of time and space, illuminating an emotional journey bordering the mystical.

Dillinger’s Ghost is another song that defies a fixed time and space storyline. Filled with fantastic imagery and bullet fast guitar pacing, Dillinger’s Ghost juxtaposes an upbeat, catchy Americana tune with a character’s descent into mental illness.

Having written and produced music for top ad agencies and brands across the U.S., Dave’s talent in the music world spans more than three decades. Dave co-founded Kung Fu Bakery Recording, a multi-grammy winning recording studio in Portland, Oregon, and was one of the first inductees in the Oregon Music Hall Of Fame. Then, Dave met Kara, a poet, short story and screenwriter. They fell in love. With the help of Dave's dad (also a musician), they encouraged Kara to sing and write with them.

If you are looking for a favorite new album, this small, unknown, husband-wife duo is a must for your 2021 playlist!