CDs and EPs

Wait Until Dark

Mastered and released in 1992, this album bears 12 compositions—forged from years of performing in a New Wave band and finding my voice as a songwriter and arranger. It is in many ways a rather dark album, partly because I grew up on literature and folk music, which nourished my tendency toward introspection.

But “Wait Until Dark” is unabashedly New Wave. This album came at the end of a wonderfully eccentric, frenetic period in music, where post-punk techno bands broke all the rules that stymied creativity in the late 1970s, and forged a fresh new musical language. Suddenly music was fun again, and catchy pop tunes were all over the airwaves: witness Joe Jackson, David Bowie, The Fixx, The Cars, The Motels, Thomas Dolby.

Something unique about this album, and something that befuddled A&R people at the time, is that I employed a female vocalist to deliver no fewer than four songs. I found it immensely intriguing and challenging to write from the perspective of a woman. This challenge began during my band years when I penned several songs for our lead vocalist, Nancy Howell.

I worked with a great audio engineer on this album (John Cline), as well as some very fine guitar players: Jeff Ives, Mikey Wright, and Mike Altomare. I played all keyboards, rhythm guitars, bass, and handled all the drum programming.