Reviews

Doop & the Inside Outlaws- Everett Belcher

By Don Zelazny

If you’ve been hangin’ around AmericanaRoots for some time then you have heard of Doop & the Inside Outlaws, whether it be hearing them on one of our podcasts or reading our review of Doop’s last disc Blood River. We’re happy to say Doop is back with another helping of his brand of Rust-Belt Americana on his new disc Everett Belcher. It is definitely a late entry into my top 10 of 2009 list!.

The Inside Outlaws is a group of singer-songwriters and musicians based loosely out of the Downriver area of Detroit (my hometown) whose goal is to find and develop talented singer-songwriters. One of these is Don “Doop” Duprie. His bio reads;
“Born and raised in the industrial enclave of River Rouge, MI, this son of an auto mechanic and an Avon lady learned early on that hard work and doing the right thing always provided for his family. A veteran firefighter, Doop now conveys that same work ethic and honesty in all aspects of his musical career as a full-time singer/songwriter signed to a publishing deal with Nashville based Highland Publishing. He now divides his time between the two music cities.”

Now to the new disc. The title track is an excellent one, about an old moonshine runner. Even with jobs as scarce as they are in Detroit, Doop takes a jab at one in MFNJOB. He’s too rockin’ to call strictly country, but too country to call rock’n’roll. He’s a great mix of it all. He even adds a great cover of Springsteen’s tune Prove It All Night.

We have had so much great music come out of Detroit. I think hands down the best songwriter we now have to offer the Americana World is Don “Doop” Duprie. Check him out!

Doop’s new disc a fond family remembrance

“It’s all true stories from the heart. Just tell the truth and make it rhyme,” says singer-songwriter Don (Doop) Duprie. He and his group, the Inside Outlaws, will celebrate their latest collection of songs with a release party Saturday at the Park Bar in Detroit.

“Everett Belcher” is the title of the new disc, which touches on outlaw country, Americana and rock ‘n’ roll and is named for Doop’s grandfather.

“When I got the idea for this record, I thought about what he would be thinking right now, to tell some stories about his life. He worked for Great Lakes Steel back in the day. He was one of those guys that worked every day and never went on vacation.”
While keeping that kind of blue-collar work ethic and family history in mind, Doop paired up with longtime friend and songwriting partner Ty Stone to complete the record.

“I wrote a few of the songs by myself, but the title cut, specifically, Ty and I wrote about our grandfathers coming here to Michigan on the hillbilly highway,” says Doop. “They came from Kentucky, worked in the steel mills and did their thing.”

Doop’s 2007 debut, “Blood River,” was recorded at Ghetto Recorders in Detroit, and its songs are full of the same blue-collar work ethic. That album and Doop’s incredible live performances helped put the singer-songwriter on the local music map.

For “Everett Belcher,” Doop headed back to Ghetto Recorders to record with famed studio engineer-producer Jim Diamond. “It’s one of the few places where you can go and let your hair down. It’s pretty laid back.”

Doop’s backing band, the Inside Outlaws, is among the stellar crop of local players. It includes drummer Dave Shettler, bassist Diamond, pedal steel player Pete Ballard and guitarist and backup vocalist Matt Dmits.

Guest performers on the new disc include Eddie Baranek, Bobby Emmett, Chris Codish, Whitey Morgan, Kenny Tudrick and Matt Van.

Opening the party will be sets by Dmits and Whitey Morgan and the 78’s.

Doop & the Inside Outlaws - My Fault. Excellent song from Everett Belcher, the newest release from Don “Doop” Duprie and his band. Doop is a veteran firefighter and rocker from the Motor City. Other gems on this record include the title track and Saturday. Available at CCNow. Goodsongs.com

Finally got the wherewithal to start that marathon. So, new today to TExR: massive big wodge of Brandon Jenkins, Doop & the Inside Outlaws (love these guys … new album, Everett Belcher, TExR’s recommendation for the day), Danny Trashville (solid, solid twang), buttload of Grant Langston (TExR’s favourite new discovery), the Lovell Sisters, Ronny Cox, Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles, Daddy (Will Kimbrough & Tommy Womack), big honkin’ bunch of Josh Grider, Paul Burch. That’s 18 albums down … more on the way … TexasExile radio

Doop & the Inside Outlaws: Everett Belcher

Label: Self-released

Format: Album

Media: CD

Genre: Country

By Bill Holdship

Don Duprie (aka Doop) is one of Detroit’s very best current songwriters. That he writes in what some might consider the Americana/country-rock idiom probably means he’s more underrated than he should be in this city. He often gets the “country” label, even though Duprie’s approach to country is closer to the roots artists like Springsteen and Mellencamp have claimed in the form than it is to most anyone you might hear on modern country radio. Hell, Doop & the Inside Outlaws even cover a Springsteen song on their second full-length LP — “Prove It All Night,” to be precise, delivering one of the best performances of an already well-known song by the Boss in memory, substituting steel guitar hooks for the rocking axes and tinkling piano riffs found in Bruce’s original.

The fact that Duprie’s two original compositions — written with friend Ty Stone — which open the album, can stand alongside a classic Springsteen tune speaks volumes about his talents. “Everett Belcher,” the story of a “hillbilly” running moonshine in the late ’40s, is a mighty fine mixture of the rock and the twang, the latter owing as much to Duane Eddy and “Ghost Riders in the Sky” as it does to an old country & western beer garden jukebox. The song’s wonderful hook (and chorus refrain) — “He drank too much and talked too fast/Waylon, Merle and Johnny Cash/sang songs about his kind, I know they did” — sets the bar pretty high via its name-dropping. And yet the song manages to totally deliver on different levels; nothing to be ashamed of here. And the moody, Tom Petty-ish “MFNJOB” (”But I got a three-year-old and a new ex-wife, so it ain’t up to me/And I put up with all this BS at my MFNJOB”) then demonstrates what Hank Williams already knew decades ago — that simplicity and clever wordplay (especially with a great melody behind it) are not mutually exclusive.

“Burn This City” could serve as an anthem for Detroit’s current economic plight, much in the same way that Mellencamp’s “Rain On the Scarecrow” was one for American farmers. But Duprie is as equally at home with ballads as he is with rockers. “Getting What You Want” (”can sometimes get the best of you”) is absolutely lovely; “If Everyone in the World Was My Friend,” a solo composition and acoustic performance by Duprie that ends the album, has a poignant message and melody that can haunt long after the CD concludes. And at just 10 songs, unlike so many modern CDs, Everett Belcher never overstays its welcome, much like those classic albums once made by the likes of Waylon, Merle and Johnny Cash

Doop is an outstanding singer as well, and the musicianship here — featuring a somewhat revolving cast of notable locals — is excellent. Jim Diamond who produced also handles bass duties throughout (as well as one lead guitar performance); Whitey Morgan (of Whitey Morgan & the 78’s) offers up a blazing guitar solo on the opening track, which also features background vocals by the aforementioned Ty Stone, who’s been working on his debut album for Atlantic Records with Kid Rock (ex-Rock regular Kenny Tudrick plays drums on one track here) for nearly two years now. One imagines the results couldn’t possibly be any finer than the two CDs Doop & the Inside Outlaws have released during that same time. Whatever the case, these guys should be writing songs for all the Nashville big shots. Modern pop culture would only be that much better for it.

Doop & the Inside Outlaws’ CD release party is Saturday, Aug. 1, at the Park Bar, 2040 Park Ave., Detroit; 313-962-2933. With Whitey Morgan & the 78’s and Matt Dmits.

Monday, August 31, 2009

Doop & The Inside Outlaws - An Americana Daily Review

We recently received a copy of Everett Belcher, the latest release from Detroit-based Doop & The Inside Outlaws. According to the promo-flyer, Everett Belcher is an ode to Don ‘Doop’ Duprie’s grandfather and the people like him, hard-working people who moved up from the south hoping to find steady employment in the Motor City.

Hard-working people, a term that must surely apply to Doop and The Inside Outlaws, they’re too tight musically not to be. From what we could pick up around the net, Doop and the band are very big in Detroit and you don’t get big in Detroit unless you work hard.

The title track to Everett Belcher, really is an ode to another generation, a time when young men like Everett Belcher worked hard, played hard and drank harder.

He drank too much and talked too fast
Waylon, Merle and Johnny Cash
Sang songs about his kind I know they did
He was always the simple kind
He never paid no never mind
And some days I wish I could be like him

Showcasing the band’s talent, style and heart with an instantly familiar feel in both melody and message, it moves along like an 18 wheeler in the night headed to the house.

And, it’s the perfect introduction to MFNJOB, a modern day workingman’s lament that should be the hit of the summer. It’s got that sly rockabilly beat and a Hammond B3 that crawls in and around the lyrics then creeps right out front setting up the instrumental break so perfectly. And, if you ever felt trapped in a dead-end job or weary from the way your life is going, this one will hit you like a sock on the jaw. It would make a fantastic video, somebody from GAC or CMT needs to contact these guys while there are still some MFNJOB’s available.

We like these guys a lot. Every cut is solid and nine of the ten songs are originals. The only cover song, Springsteen’s Prove It All Night, blends in so well you forget it’s not one of their own.

Another favorite is Getting What You Want, a mournful tale of infidelity wrapped up in the refrain, Sometimes getting what you want can get the best of you.

Everett Belcher is dedicated “To all the hard-working people in this town that spent the better parts of their lives busting their asses only to see it all fall apart. God bless them and keep them. And for all the people who think they are getting away with something, just remember – What’s done in the darkness will be brought to the light.“

Recorded, mixed and mastered at Ghetto Recorders in Detroit

Doop and the Inside Outlaws
Everett Belcher
Self-Released

From the first strum of the acoustic guitar on album opener “Everett Belcher,” Doop stakes his claim as Detroit’s Bruce Springsteen. This isn’t lazy journalism (I see you eyeing the Springsteen cover, “Prove It All Night”), but just an acknowledgment of the sense of Americana that runs throughout this album. Meshing The Boss and his New Jersey tales with John Mellencamp’s odes to Indiana, Doop fills Everett Belcher with bits and flecks of Detroit. Prime example: his hate/hate relationship with work on “M.F.N.J.O.B.” — ERIC ALLEN-Real Detroit Weekly

Band: DOOP AND THE INSIDE OUTLAWS
Album: “Evertt Belcher”
Label: Self-Released

By: Jeff Kurtis Today’s Country Magazine

When you think of Texas or Nashville you think of country music. But how about Detroit, MI? Though known mostly for their Motown sound, the city of Detroit is also where Doop and the Inside Outlaws call home and they are country as country gets despite their location. With their new album Everett Belcher, they bring you into the album with the title track singing the tale of the Everett Belcher and instantly introduce you to their country music influences as they mention Waylon, Merle, and Cash in the chorus of the song. As you push forward through the album you find a more roots sound combining with the country vibe originally presented. Songs like the rocking “Burn This City” and “Play The Devil Out of That Thing” show his 70’s rock and Southern rock influences combing in more than the other songs, however the tone of the whole album is set earlier in it. With his cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Prove It All Night,” Doop gives you the biggest hint into his major influence and things to come with the album as this definitely has early Springsteen written all over it. So as stated above, although Detroit is known for its Motown style it is often forgotten that roots rockers like Bob Seger also came from that area helping to set the tone for today’s roots rocking country based groups like Doop and the Inside Outlaws.

Review from Redneck Matt from Hillbilly heaven radio

Some musical groups go overboard when they try to mix different styles, but these guys keep it down home while keeping it interesting. Doop and the gang not only mix traditional, alt, so-rock, and more modern country songs across this album, they seamlessly blend elements from all within the same tracks. Track 9 even has that retro-rockabilly feel, sounding very much like ’6 Days on the Road.’

Grab a PBR, slide it in your gamecock coozie and enjoy, y’all! Lyrics are in the liner notes.

Redneck Matt
Hilbilly heaven radio

Those of you who read my previous post on Doop & The Inside Outlaws will find it less than surprising when I proclaim his album Blood River to be one of the best I’ve heard in who knows how long.

At ten songs there’s little room for error, so Doop keeps it tight. From the impeccable opener “Shoot You Down,” a tale of vengence waiting to happen like a proud man’s version of “Jolene,” to the closer “No Way To Live,” with its achingly beautiful chord progression and melody, there’s no deadwood to be found. Keep this album in your player and the track skip button will get dusty.

Singer-songwriter Don “Doop” Duprie is assisted ably by legendary Detroit producer Jim Diamond (White Stripes, Mooney Suzuki) and The Inside Outlaws, a nationwide group of singer-songwriters dedicated to developing new talent through education and networking. All contribute stellar performances, playing everything needed without calling attention away from the songs.

The band has a keen ear for melodies and after a mere single listen you’ll catch yourself unknowingly singing along. “If I Were You I’d Probably Hate Me Too,” with its country stylings, and “Let It Bleed,” with its raw emotion, showcases Doop’s lyrical skill, while “Who’s To Say” lets us know the band isn’t afraid to let loose and out Black Crowes the Crowes themselves. “Without You” still makes me teary eyed a good 30 listens in, much to the chagrin of my fellow drivers on the road.

In fact, I couldn’t find a single instance where listening to it didn’t sound good. If you choose music based on mood and environment, this album is a godsend. Rainy day? Sounds perfect. Sunny day? Roll the windows down and crank it up. Bad day? Yes. Good day? Yes. I tried it under every conceivable circumstance and everytime it hit me just right. Like all truly great albums, the songs transcend mood, enabling them to be played at any given time without a loss of effect. Remarkable.

There’s an interesting dichotomy at play between Doop the songwriter and Doop the singer. The former is versatile and gifted, able to accomplish the most difficult task of all - keeping it simple and understated without sounding trite. Tracks like “Done Em Right” make you wonder why he doesn’t just up and sell it to Toby Keith, retiring a wealthy man through royalties.

Then you hear Doop the singer.

There’s authentic soul and heart in each track, so much so that it pours out the speakers. Doop has my vote for least likely to end up Vanilla Ice - this is not an affluent suburban boy playing a part. You can’t fake this. What’s more, no one else in the world could sing songs like “Let You Bleed,” with the possible exception of Springsteen.

The album peaks, appropriately, with the title track. Showcasing what makes Doop & the Inside Outlaws so special, it’s a tale of a town fallen on hard times and the people who live there trying to make life meaningful. It swims in optimistic despair - people trying look out for each other but limited by barely staying afloat themselves. If there’s community in despair, this is its song. As the song winds down, Doop sings, “You don’t know if you don’t live here.”

But the thing is, after listening to this album, we do know. And that’s its magic.

Keath, Rocksellout.com

05.27.2008 — Review by: Don Zelazny Americanaroots.com

I’m not sure if Don “Doop” Duprie is married or has a girlfriend. If not and he tries to win a heart with songs from his new CD with The Inside Outlaws, Blood River, he better be careful which ones he chooses. I’d avoid “If I Were You I’d Probably Hate Me Too:”

“When we first met I used to treat you like a queen

Nowadays it don’t seem like I’m anything but mean

And I don’t blame you for feelin the way you do

If I were you I’d probably hate me too”

Probably should avoid “Tougher On You” as well:

“It’s been tough on me, I hope I find a way to get through

It’s been tough on me, and baby I’m sorry

‘Cause it’s been tougher on you”

“Again” probably wouldn’t be the best choice either:

…I know I ain’t been perfect, and prob’ly deserve most of this

Between the drinkin’ and the fightin’, you have a right to be pissed.”

Fortunately, these aren’t the only songs on the Detroiter’s new CD! Don “Doop” Duprie is one of the main singer-songwriters of the Inside Outlaws collective that includes Ty Stone, Matt Dmits, Scott Kinson and others in Detroit and Nashville. Previously a firefighter, Doop is now smoking as a full-time Detroit and Nashville singer/songwriter. Seeking an outlet for his lifelong passion for music and songwriting, Doop founded the first edition of the Inside Outlaws in 2005 with longtime friend and co-writer Ty Stone and manager Sam Wood. The Inside Outlaws are a group of singer-songwriters dedicated to developing new talent through education and networking which found tremendous success in 2006 by establishing a relationship between Kid Rock and Ty Stone which eventually led to Stone being signed to Top Dog/Atlantic Records.

Blood River is full of great tunes and energy, brutal honesty and good storytelling. Doop is joined on the disc by too many people to list. Highlights include “Without You,” an organ laced tune that follows the unfortunate course of events in one family and the eventual realization of the youngest that he can’t make it without help from ‘above’. My favorite tune on the disc is the “on the run from the law” rocker “Done ‘Em Right.” He sings:

“So I picked up a waitress out near Kalamazoo;

she said dinners on me boy but I’m comin with you

Now I can’t tell ya what happened through the course of the night,

But I’ll tell that girl done a lot of things wrong,

but she sure done ‘em right!”

This is a fine CD by a guy who is obviously a talented songwriter. It also sounds like the Inside Outlaws collective is working to insure that we have fine music and good songwriters to listen to for a long time!

I’m not sure if alt.country is in vogue any longer, especially since the print edition of No Depression recently bit the dust. But if that great magazine were still on the racks, they’d most certainly make space for Doop & The Inside Outlaws, which is a strangely named alt.country outfit. Doop, the group’s lead singer, sounds a whole lot like Chris Knight. And that’s a good thing. And Jim Diamond (who also produced The White Stripes) does a fine job in bringing out this act’s sweetly beer-soaked sound.

These guys are the real deal, too. During a song that supports their partying lifestyle, “Who’s To Say”, Doop states: “People say I ain’t livin’ right/I can’t turn down a drink/I can’t turn down a fight.” And this life gets the man into trouble, too. The title of “If I Were You I’d Probably Hate Me Too” just about says it all. Yet it’s hard to know if “Shoot You Down” stems from watching just a few too many Westerns on TV. “Don’t you ever come around/I might just have to shoot you down.”

There’s nothing on Blood River that Steve Earle didn’t do better in his early days, or Chris is doing better now. But for those that may live in the kind of small town described via the CD’s title track, this down and dirty escapism music will sound great in your truck while you’re speeding down some back country dirt road.

-Dan MacIntosh