The Naked Dutch Painter
Stew
Smile Records
Stew (singer-songwriter Mark Stewart, formerly of Negro Problem) conjures up memories of great California songwriters such as Burt Bacharach and Randy Newman. On The Naked Dutch Painter, he shows a kinship with both when it comes to smart piano-based pop and switches off between the two when it comes to song subjects.
Stew's songs are affectionate ruminations on the Hollywood lifestyle. Though he often attempts to cut through the pretensions of different Hollywood characters, his wonder with these creatures comes shining through. Just like a person reading a tabloid, he is fascinated, disgusted and longs for their lives all at the same time.
It is not done better than on "Giselle," a tale about a girl who "carries a switchblade and is very well-read." The carnival music gives us the atmosphere of her life while we learn about the intimate details -- her ignorance and beauty. While not overly impressed by the girl's activities, by the end of the song we are in awe and possibly in love.
Then there is the art school girl of "The Naked Dutch Painter," who you will always love and will never impress enough to have her fall in love with you.
Stew puts it gently, "the naked Dutch painter in the kitchen does not want to fuck you." She is the most impressive person you know, but you are either too boring or too dumb for her.
Stew's brilliant songs are stories so obscure and personal that they are relatable. There are a couple of songs on the album that are too broad and sentimental ("Reeling" and "The Smile"), much like Bacharach at his worst and Randy Newman's soundtrack work. But, most of the songs reveal the wicked combination of Stew making fun of himself, his characters and his listeners.
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