Six night “virtual” show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – Aug 13,14,15,20,21,20, 2021
Friedman will be premiering the album with a six-night “virtual” show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival titled, “Dean Friedman’s American Lullaby,” running August 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 2021 [8pm London / 3pm New York]
The crowdfunded album, touches on a broad range of topics, including: the calamitous pandemic, looming environmental disaster, racism, sexism, our fractured politics, and an intractable culture war. The title track “American Lullaby,” a moving account of America’s original sins and 400 year love affair with guns, and will be on Spotify on August 13. “Halfway Normal World” is a poignant yearning for release from perpetual lockdown; “The Russians Are Coming!,” a 100% factual narrative based on the “Senate Intelligence Committee Report on Russian Interference in the 2016 U.S. Election.” Other song titles: “Welcome to Stupid Town” and “On a Summer’s Night.” The album also offers up “Just Another Birthday Song,” Friedman’s hilarious contender to replace the ubiquitous “Happy Birthday: song, written 125 years ago by the Hill sisters.
“The new album, ‘American Lullaby’,” Friedman explains, “reflects my personal take on all the crazy stuff that’s been happening, in America – and around the world - for the last six years. Like all lullabies, it’s filled with tales of dark deeds and disaster, but couched in soft, gentle tones, meant to soothe and comfort the listener, while gently bracing them for the potential terrors that await.”
The album will be available in stores and digitally on all the main streaming/download outlets. Friedman will be promoting the album during his “virtual” Fringe run, via his regular “DeanZine ‘LiveStream’” webcasts, plus a 40-city “live” concert tour which kicks off April 2022.
Friedman’s recent tours and recordings continue to garner rave reviews: “Every
song in this show is a classic.” (London Theatre Guide), “Songsmith
Extraordinaire” – (Music Week), “Stunning Musicianship” (HotPress), “Dean
Friedman is entirely unique and utterly brilliant!” – (ThreeWeeks)… are just a
few of the superlatives used to describe his unique and original talent.
In addition to his familiar radio hits, most notably
his top 20 Billboard hit, “Ariel,” and album releases and touring, he composes
and produces music soundtracks for TV and film, including the music to NBC’s
Eerie Indiana, Nickelodeon’s Nick Arcade, and the hit Central TV series BOON.
Recently his song, “A Million Matzoh Balls: was featured in an award winning
indie film by acclaimed new director, Janizca Bravo, titled, LEMON. He’s also
published a respected tome on the art and craft of songwriting titled, “The
Songwriter’s Handbook (The Artists League),” based on the Songwriting Workshops
and Masterclasses that he’s conducted at universities and music conservatories
around the world, including L.I.P.A. (The Liverpool Institute for Performing
Arts).
Friedman has faced his share of controversy in recent
years: The Merseyside band, Half Man Half Biscuit released a best-selling EP
containing a track entitled, “The Bastard Son of Dean Friedman,” which went to
#1 on the UK Indie chart; a claim which Friedman vehemently denies, “I’ve never
even met Nigel Blackwell’s mum!” Friedman extracts his revenge on his recent
CD, SUBMARINE RACES, in the song, “A Baker’s Tale,” the hitherto untold story
of Nigel Blackwell’s dubious origins.
Though Friedman’s single, “McDonald’s Girl,” was
officially banned by the BBC for mentioning the name of the well known fast
food restaurant in its chorus, the irrepressible pop song has been covered by a
number of contemporary bands including top-selling, Canadian group, Barenaked
Ladies (WEA), and The Blenders (Universal), whose version soared to #1 on the
national airplay charts in Norway. With the advent of YouTube, video versions
have gone viral and finally, thirty five years after the song was banned by the
BBC, the McDonald’s corporation officially licensed the song for a national
TV/Radio campaign, confirming the song as a pure pop phenomenon.
