Forever will I remember the first time I heard "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", and (I shamefully admit, now) that I didn’t even know it was Paul McCartney. I bought the album Ram as soon as I could, and grappled with the beautiful horns of that beast for ages. I could easily say that Ram is one of my top ten albums of all time. All time. Sorry George and John (and Ringo, I guess), Paul did a good number on this one.
Portland’s own multi-project-multi-instrumentalist Dave Depper has taken this sweet lamb with horns under his musical wings to create quite the cover album, full of intricate liberties that sets The Ram Project apart, just enough to give you chills. I’ve been listening to it for the past few days, and I have to join multiple other music journalists in saying that at times, when I heard Dave Depper’s falsetto hanging in the air from another room, there is a moment where I forget that it’s not Paul and Linda on the turntable. The album comes out on Jackpot Records May 5th.
Expect a full review of The Ram Project soon (it’s like getting to review Paul McCartney right after The Beatles broke up! Kind of…kind of.), and for now, enjoy Dave’s rendition of "Dear Boy" – Mike Harper