John Dunbar’s creative prowess soars when he sets boundaries. His album ‘What A Difference Indifference Makes‘ was initially planned as a collection of ‘piano songs,’ and it stays true to that vision. However, Dunbar is quick to point out that it won’t offer a reimagined take on well-known piano songs like ‘I’m Still Standing,’ ‘Piano Man,’ or ‘The Way It Is.’ Instead, as Dunbar elaborates in an interview with Sweet Sweet Music Blog, listeners can anticipate something entirely different.
Be sure to catch ‘I Wonder If She Colors Her Hair Now’ featured on the ‘The Best Power Pop of 2023‘ Spotify playlist.
John, the lyrics for the opening track ‘I Wonder If She Colors Her Hair Now’ are just captivating.
“Track her down? No, I wouldn’t dare now
To the past I shouldn’t compare now
Who’s marching to the beat of her snare now
I wonder if she colors her hair now”
That ‘compare’ and ‘snare’ rhyme must have felt like a win besides the title, right?
Most of the time, with me, it all starts with a song title. Once you have a beguiling song title, the song almost writes itself. It can inform the feel of the song, set up the storyline, and finding the catchiest melody to sing that phrase can get the ball rolling.
“I Wonder If She Colors Her Hair Now” lent itself to some fun and meaningful rhyme schemes. I’ve been accused of having too much faith in song titles. When I look at the tracklist of an album and see banal song titles, I think the songs will be even more banal. So, I always try my best to do the opposite. Someone told me that this song was a fresh approach to the one-who-got-away song genre. I’ll take that.
The title hints at how long she’s been gone. I hope it comes across that the character in the song isn’t judging her if she does color her hair. In the bridge, you get the idea that he hopes she doesn’t, since he’s certain she’d be as beautiful as Emmylou Harris if she went totally grey.
The vibe of ‘What A Difference Indifference Makes’ feels so airy, making the songs incredibly approachable. Was that the aim when you began writing?
When I gave myself the challenge of making a piano/keyboard album, I feared it might come across as redundant, boring. I hope it doesn’t. Airy and approachable sounds like a nice description to me. I think what kept it from being repetitive was that they were not all written on piano. “You Really Got Meh” started as a strummy, acoustic guitar song that I wasn’t sure would become a John Sally Ride song or end up on some other project. When I tried it out on piano, it really opened up the song and gave it a completely different feel from the way it was originally written. That seemed to create the method for the rest of the album.
When I heard this was your piano-centric album, I expected hints of Billy Joel, Elton John, Ben Folds, or Bruce Hornsby, but it’s pleasantly different. Can you elaborate on what crafting a ‘piano album’ means to you and who inspired you?
I am thrilled that you said that. I did fear people would think I was pulling an Elton/Ben Folds thing. I think what saved me from not sounding that way was not being a very good piano player. I’m semi-adequate. That kept things simple and direct. I play piano like a guitar player. I voice chords without using my thumbs. We’ve been working on a new John Sally Ride album this year. When Joe Pampel adds his guitar and sends them to me, it’s like Christmas morning. What he adds in riffs, solos, chording never fails to blow me away. He changes songs into something I didn’t expect. When I started working on “What A Difference Indifference Makes,” I felt so inferior as a guitar player compared to what I was hearing on those future John Sally Ride tracks, I thought to myself, maybe I’ll just do the album without guitar. So that became the challenge and theme. It was fun to come up with melodic runs, fills, and riffs on keyboards. I would not have come up with them had I been using a guitar in those sections.
What led you to handle everything independently this time around?
I have way too many ideas and plans for my own good, never mind anyone else’s. I can’t expect everyone to come along with me for every ride. When I come up with these album plans with certain themes, concepts, restrictions, I keep them to myself. Just a slight look from someone that I can interpret as “Are you sure about that?” could be enough for me to abandon the ship. I am easily discouraged, so I don’t say anything until the project is finished. This way, no matter how bad a reaction I get, it’s already done.
There’s an abundance of beautiful songs on the album. Do you sense this is a peak of your creativity?
That is very kind of you to say. Most artists think their newest project or what they’re currently working on is the best thing they’ve ever done. Time usually tells you how wrong you are. I was working on two other projects before finishing up “What A Difference Indifference Makes.” A new John Sally Ride album, that I mentioned earlier, and some truly ridiculous thing that falls under my keep-it-to-myself theory. I was close to finishing that, then I thought it might be just too much. So I decided to focus on this album instead.
It’s funny, the other day I was listening to an old iPod on shuffle. I highly recommend that to everyone. It always surprises; songs you forgot you loved, songs you never knew you put in there, songs you never heard before. A song came on that sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it. I was digging it. At about the one-minute point, I realized it was ME!!! Then I instantly disliked it and fast-forwarded to the next song.
With your kind response to the album, you are making me believe I made the correct decision by putting this one out first. Thank you for that.
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