Dennis Davis' CD “The Last Song of the Summer” is Sexy
January 7, 2016 By Cindy Bates Muir (TROPROCKIN.COM - the magazine)
What is it about the music of Dennis Davis that makes it so appealing? For those of us who love the beach, water and romance – which would include most of us! – it’s the fact these elements make up so many of his song lyric themes.
Plus, much of his music is downright sexy, in my opinion. And who’s to argue that “beachy-sexy” isn’t the best kind? Dennis recently released a new CD called Last Song of the Summer and it was worth the wait.
The recording kicks off with “Blue Water, White Sand,” and I don’t know many music listeners who don’t dream about the title! “Tonight” is vintage Dennis, to me. He always has at least one song about being barefoot in the sand and this tune has a forward, upbeat sound. Featuring Tammy Rogers on fiddle, “Barefoot Waltz” is a sultry 3/4 tempo that will make the listener want to find the nearest beach on which to dance!
Dennis features some classic rock and roll rhythms and great love song lyrics in “You Were Meant For Me” with a surprise tag on the end of the song. In “Lucky Man,” I think he must be channeling Chuck Berry… this is as close to rock and roll as Dennis gets. He swings the musical pendulum back to romance and a great beat for slow dancing in “Who Knows.” And those who love being on the water will like “Sailing Again.” The lyrics make the listener smile and the song isn’t just for sailors.
The title track, “Last Song of Summer,” is about a lost love, but with a likable, upbeat feel.
“To The Beach” makes me want to get to the Texas Gulf Coast as soon as I can, with its country feel. And the last song will tug at the listener’s heartstrings. “One Special Moment (Mama’s Little Boy)” is about a mother looking back at how much she has loved her little boy into adulthood. Here’s the clincher… Dennis wrote it as a surprise “mother/ son dance” song when is son recently married. Wow!
Dennis is an extremely talented Texas Trop Rock singer whose music could stand up to anything on mainstream radio, in my opinion. I can’t wait until the next time I get to hear him live…. my husband Don and I have a special song that Dennis knows we always love to dance to and never fails to play it for us. With this new CD, I think we’re going to have several new special songs!
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Last Song of the Summer
Review by Andy Eng - The Scene Magazine
"Last song of the Summer" - Quite a fitting title indeed. The album is a collection of two brilliantly mixed genres, Parrothead beach music and matter-of-fact in your face country, which surprises the bejeesus out of me as to why I haven't heard this stuff before. Yes, it's not likely to see one wearing cowboy boots and long denim while on a sailboat as it would beto wear sandals and cutoffs in the rugged country ourdoors; yet, whenyou get to the heart of the matter, these two generes mesh together perfectly, sharing common ideals and likings. "Last Song of the Summer" has made it onto my album of the year list. Pick up a copy and put it on your list too!
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TROPIC OF TEXAS
Review by Lucky Boyd (Academy of Texas Music)
2011
The genre that includes tropic-inspired music is rather narrow. Perhaps its most famous contributor is Jimmy Buffett. Best known as ‘trop rock,’ the style actually crosses over into country, folk, rock, and Caribbean rhythms such as calypso. The genre pulls from so many influences but ends up in ‘feel good’ place every time, inviting listeners to toss their cares and just relax. The genre is rather difficult to master, and few have had success in it. There are, however, some who personify the genre, such as Hanna’s Reef, Kelly McGuire, the Bad Monkeys, and the gone-too-soon Troy Allan, to name just a few. Now comes Dennis Davis who has captured the spirit of the genre like no other. His influences are varied and he brings them all to the table in his outstanding sophomore release. Davis is poised to be a major player in the genre, with songs like “Tropical Diversion” and “Something To Beach About.” Every song on the disc is a potential party as Davis wraps his warm and comfortable voice around flawless performances of stories featuring the Texas coastline. “On The Seawall” will speak to those who know the allure of Galveston Island and “Rosie’s Cantina” will be a favorite of Padre Island visitors. Davis departs a little from the party atmosphere on “The Bridge Builder,” but the cut is nearly five minutes of a wonderfully catchy anthem that rivals anything being produced in modern country music. Equally motivational is Davis’ almost-gospel offering “Be The Light” which features choral echoes in the chorus, a feature that can easily propel a song to epic stardom. The wrap-up track is the title cut and is an autobiographical treasure that immortalizes the aforementioned McGuire and others as Davis takes you on a journey up and down the Texas coast, a place he deems the “Tropic Of Texas.” Rare as it may be, Davis has released a follow up to the 2006 BAREFOOT ON THE BEACH that has one immeasurable attribute: it can take up permanent residence in your CD player. The hard release date for this album is early 2011, and there’s no doubt Davis has set the bar for all who follow.