Steve Pichan - recording artist: Press

Thursday, 11 February 2010

You Don't Know Che - The Song by Steve Pichan
www.myspace.com/stevepichan

I would urge everybody to check out this fantastic song exposing the Real "El Che" by Singer/Songwriter Steve Pichan. Steve is recording artist of 35 years with a specific
interest in political story lines. Steve has been writing since he was 10 years old.

It is about time some publicity was given to those voices who are opposed to having the image of a Stalinist who called for thermo-nuclear war bandied around as a "radical".

Enjoy the song and post up a comment on his site.
Posted by James Bloodworth

Twang Town
Reviewing the latest in Americana, country, folk, singer/songwriter, acoustic, blues, and bluegrass.Steve Pichan’s socio-political commentaries have non-partisan bite
Reviewed by Brooke Curtis

Steve Pichan/Am I Here Already?


Somehow singer/songwriter Steve Pichan is able to write socio-political lyrics without being preachy or partisan. A big round of applause for Mr. Pichan, please. If Am I Here Already? were to be summed up in a single description, it would be, “Probably the only Neil Young LP that could be appreciated by both Democrats and Republicans.” Pichan slices into news media credibility on the pointedly catchy “NY Times,” slamming the legendary newspaper with the lines, “In the Times, New York Times/Can’t read anymore today.” On one hand, conservatives will appreciate Pichan’s disdain for the paper because of its reportedly liberal bias, but the left-wing set will agree with him as well as Pichan is really attacking the media’s obsession with violence and real-life horrors. The timely “The Line (Voter’s Lament)” takes a non-partisan punch at America’s distrust over politicians.

If all this sounds weighty and too serious, Pichan sends his messages through indelible roots-rock hooks a la not only Young but John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne, and Bruce Springsteen as well. The gorgeous, evocative “Somewhere” glides with dreamy acoustic riffs and warm, contemplative singing. “Iron Man” has the tough exterior yet fragile heart of a lost Springsteen jewel. “Here Already?” seduces us with spellbinding riffs and a sultry groove.

Steve Pichan’s ‘Am I Here Already?’ is ‘consistently superb’
August 31, 2008 by kyrbyraine

Reviewed by Kit Burns

Steve Pichan/Am I Here Already?


I had become so fond of singer/songwriter Steve Pichan’s Am I Here Already? that actually writing about it proved to be somewhat difficult; after all, what new words could I use to praise a CD that is now so familiar to my ears? The last decade has seen artists that nobody has ever heard of, many of them musicians who once dreamed of a rock & roll life, releasing their material to the global online community. Of that constantly growing population, Pichan is among the best. Am I Here Already? is the kind of consistently superb record that can create positive competition between regional artists. In other words, it raises the bar in terms of songwriting, instrumentation, and singing. Pichan knocks this baby out of the park like Barry Bonds pounding a 100 mile-an-hour fastball.

Pichan grabs us quickly. The opening cut, “The Line (Voter’s Lament),” greets us with the same winter melancholy vibe that envelopes the pictures on the CD’s packaging. Set to twangy guitars and a shuffling beat, Pichan addresses the State of the Union, namely the confusion and lack of confidence felt by voters during the presidential election due to previous broken promises by politicians. “Tell me no lie/Tell me the truth/Tell me the things I can expect out of you,” Pichan sings, his voice carrying the weight of disillusionment. The powerful “Iron Man” is charged with images of 9/11: “Watch with unbelieving eyes/The scene as it unfolds/Bricks and steel fall from the sky.” The “Iron Man” of the title seems to represent everyday heroism, the courage that bursts from us during times of great tragedy.

Pichan’s haunting, pensive vocals are definitely in the mold of Neil Young, especially on the desolate “Mile” and “8th Day.” There isn’t a single tune here that I would throw off the island; it’s as close to perfection as it gets.

Written by Lucinda Coyne

Singer/songwriter Steve Pichan may have inadvertently given us the theme song for the upcoming presidential election – and current campaign within the Democratic Party – with “The Line (Voter’s Lament)” from his terrific album, Am I Here Already? Like much of the record, “The Line (Voter’s Lament)” is written and sung with a thoughtful, provocative edge, definitely in the spirit of late ’60s-early ’70s folk. Oddly enough, this is the 55-year-old artist’s debut even though his mastery of words and sharp vocal craft more than suggest a recording veteran at the helm.

Lucinda Coyne: Your song, “The Line (Voter’s Lament),” really captures the confusion that
people are undergoing right now with their political choices, something which will probably get worse as we near the election. What is the story behind it, though?


Steve Pichan: Living in the Detroit area, we have lived through the scandal of Detroit’s
mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick. For me, he epitomizes the art of political spin and lies. His story certainly has influenced my refrain. The verses, however, are inspired by the current presidential campaign. This is not a partisan song. It is intended to shine a light on the problem of dishonesty. Certainly, all political persuasions have a vested interested in being told the plain and simple truth. Voters are screaming, “Tell me no lie, tell me the truth.”

Coyne: How long have you been writing lyrics, and what inspires your words – current events or personal experiences? Or both?

Pichan: I started writing songs with lyrics more than 40 years ago. A good storyline inspires my lyrics, hence, they can come from both.

Coyne: What artists have guided you creatively throughout the years?

Pichan: Steely Dan, Neil Young, Steve Winwood, John Hiatt, Jars of Clay, Lyle Lovett.

Coyne: What songs on Am I Here Already? are you most proud of and why?

Pichan: I particularly like “Mile” and “Iron Man.” Both are deep and meaningful stories with a musical style (rock ballad) that I enjoy most. “Mile” is about the tragic loss of a seven year old girl, and her father’s struggle to deal with the difficult emotions. He strives to seek comfort in the hope of being reunited with her. “Iron Man” is a song that speaks to the spirit of Americans when faced with a national tragedy which, in this case, tells the story of an ironworker who is moved by the events of 9/11 and decides to head immediately for New York. When he arrived, he was able to offer his professional skills to the task of disassembling steel structure.

Coyne: Am I Here Already? seems to be your debut album, but it has the craftsmanship of a longtime veteran. What made you finally decide to put out a CD?

Pichan: I have written songs and played guitar since the age of 10. I also performed professionally for many years while performing many originals. My recording experience, however, was limited to a handful of sessions. I was determined to build a studio which has taken many years to perfect, and I was aided in the process by recording engineer, Jim Kissling of Tempermill Studios in Detroit. Jim now helps out on final mixes and ultimate mastering. The development of my studio and recording process has finally enabled me to record my songs at a professional level that I now have confidence in. The release of the CD happens to coincide with my 55th birthday, hence, the title.

Coyne: Where you raised and how did your environment shape you as an artist?

Pichan: I was raised in a small town farming community that was very picturesque. I suppose that the area influenced me somewhat. My interest in politics and religion is really what has shaped me most

'PICHAN, STEVE'

'Am I Here Already?'


- Genre: 'Folk' - Release Date: '2007'


Our Rating:
The names quickly come to mind: Neil Young. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. James Taylor. Bruce Springsteen. Randy Newman. Elvis Costello. Those are the icons which, subconsciously or not, are recalled on the debut album from singer/songwriter Steve Pichan (http://stevepichan.com). The two-fisted "NY Times" combines Newman's bitingly sarcastic observations ("In the Times, the New York Times/What is the crime today?") with Costello's gift for disguising sword-sharp lyrics beneath a happy singalong chorus.

Pichan has a wounded, sensitive voice that is similar to Young's but not as nasally. "Mile" could've certainly fit onto Young's "Harvest Moon" with its folk-country stylings. The cinematic textures of the music add gravity to Pichan's meditation on death and the afterlife. "Somewhere" is an enigmatic tale of lost love which may or may not be referencing the dangers that loggers face and the pressures their jobs place on their families. The brilliant "Iron Man" utilizes 9/11 to frame Pichan's heroic ideals, that people must find the strength within them, their inner Iron Man, to help others in times of distress.

"Am I Here Already?" is built on the same blue-collar philosophies that propelled Springsteen to the top. This is an album for the working class; even though it doesn't speak to them, it talks to them in a language that they understand. "Am I here already?" Pican asks, and he appears to be singing about the American Dream, one that was seemingly lost with the death of John F. Kennedy. Frequent spins reward deeper interpretations of Pichan's lyrical insights, and the album continues to grow in meaning and personal connection with every play. I love it.