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The following will be especially exciting for many Midwesterners. Charlie Berens and Adam Greuel are about to release a new album of music together. In late 2020, Berens & Greuel released the music album Unthawed on Ufda Records. Unthawed is a nine-song album that is a homage to their Wisconsin roots with catchy singles like but not limited to, “Ope Nope.” And the day before Thanksgiving, the second Berens & Greuel album, Dive Bar Dinner will be released to for our listening pleasure. The new album is 11 songs and has a wider scope, including songs about the relatable Midwest experience.
If you’ve heard the name Charlie Berens in the past handful of years, you’re probably seen one of his comedy routines or been among the thousands to at one of his comedy shows. He’s created a living, making a national name for himself, by sharing the Wisconsin and Midwest experience with wit, timing and relatability that few others can match or articulate as well. Charlie also wrote a New York Times Bestseller, The Midwest Survival Guide in 2021. Since 2017 he’s really exploded within the comedy scene and currently has over 2 million Subscribers and 1.3 billion views on YouTube and millions more across social media platforms. Manitowoc Minute was my first exposure to Charlie’s comedy.
Talking about working with Charlie Berens and the album, Adam Greuel says, “Charlie never ceases to amaze me in that he’s constantly creating. When I hang out with the guy, whether fishing on a river, trouncing through some forest, or hanging at a tavern, he’s always got some kind of goofy or thoughtful observation. It’s been a fun ride to see some of those things come to life in music. Some of the songs make me laugh out loud, others kind of tug on the ol’ heart strings, and some make you wanna dance around a country dancehall or corner dive bar. It’s just a whole lot of fun.”
Horseshoes & Handgrenades is the Wisconsin based bluegrass, and folk band that Adam Greuel supplies vocals and guitar for. Adam is one of several talented musicians and songwriters in that group that includes David C. Lynch, Collin Mettelka, Russell Pedersen and Samual Odin. They are a spectacular live band that I’ve seen a handful of times including but not limited to performances in the gorgeous Driftless Area of Western Wisconsin at the annual Bluegrass gathering called Larryfest. I highly recommend not only seeing the stunning landscapes of the Driftless region, but also seeing Horseshoes while they’re on tour. They play within the Bluegrass circuit with a lot of dates in the upper Midwest most years. Horseshoes & Handgrenades has put out a handful of albums in the past decade including: Another Round (2012), This Old Town (2013), Middle Western (2015), The Ode (2018), Miles in Blue (2020), and For Old Time’s Sake (2022). Adam Greuel has also released two solo albums, Quarantine Tangerine and Low Income Porridge that both came out in 2020.
Talking about making the album and working with musicians, Charlie Berens adds, “I really love this album, and I’m not just saying that because we made it. It’s got stuff to make you smile, make you think, and make you drink. And for those of you wondering “does that guy know how to make music?”, the answer is…kinda. But Adam definitely does. He’s one of the best musicians that I know and his patience as a producer is unmatched. Teresa Marie Hardy of the People Brothers Band and Ann Marie Taepke of The Holderness Family make some really fun and lively guest spots, and the band that Adam brought together blew me away with their arrangements.”
Joining Adam, Charlie, Teresa Marie and Annie Marie on Dive Bar Dinner is an all-star “supergroup” of Midwestern musicians that features Kenny Leiser on fiddle and vocals (Joseph Huber Band, Wheelhouse), Andrew Koenig on electric guitar (Long Mama, Buffalo Gospel), Maxaphone on Saxophone (People Brothers Band, Heatbox), Kevin Rowe on bass guitar (Fat Maw Rooney, Barley Jacks), and Nick Lang on drums (Long Mama, Buffalo Gospel). The music was mostly recorded at the iconic Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, MN. Pachyderm is known for being a spot where Nirvana, The Jayhawks, PJ Harvey, Trampled By Turtles, Andrew Bird, Reina del Cid and Horseshoes & Handgrenades have recorded.
My thoughts on the album overall: I wouldn’t categorize this album as purely a comedy album or too cheesy or a purely Bluegrass album. This album is an upgrade in content from Berens & Greuel’s previous release, Unthawed as Berens finds more of his singing voice and the songs overall are more developed. I think Dive Bar Dinner is especially a delight if you’re a Wisconsinite, or from elsewhere in the Midwest. There’s definitely something in it if you’re from around here, or there. It was great to hear staples of Berens routine built upon while also paired with high quality musicianship. Dive Bar Dinner freely showcases Berens comedic wit, allows his timing to shine and his creativity. There is a good balance from Greuel, as he steps back vocally and let’s Berens do his thing. Berens also does the same for Greuel when Adam is leading the songs. No toes or egos were stepped on. The all start group of musicians shimmer as well.
Examining song by song:
“Beer Me, Beer You,” has Berens and Greuel trading off vocal lines. Beer and beer related activities are mentioned in the lyrics. Great uses of fiddle by Kenny Leiser for the first time on the album but not the last, to move the melody.
In “Keep ‘Er Movin,'” Berens famous catchphrase comes to life. Steady guitar then sax then fiddle solos, accompanied with sweetly sung lyrics.
“Wild Night” opens with a sultry sax solo, then the pace of the song picks up speed with lyrics about a long drinking night and the addition of some other musical instrumentation.
The fourth song on Dive Bar Dinner, “Gangsters Vacation” features the name drop of John Dillinger to start the rhyme. Excellent sounding guitar. Berens and Greuel are both vocalists on this song. They trade lyrics. And there’s also a third vocalist with a higher pitch than the guys. More famous gangsters are dropped in the remainder of the lyrics as well as some unrelated counties.
“Mitten State,” opens with an old timey band sound. Berens then pairs vocals from someone who isn’t Greuel. They carry on a back-and-forth debate on the titular idea about the true mitten state and an attempt for Wisconsin being called the mitten state instead of Michigan is made.
Get Where You’re Going,” kicks off with a guitar before fiddle and drum beat fill out the melody. The lyrics are sentimental in tone and appreciative. Berens delivers most of the lines but Greuel delivers his share later in the song.
The next song, “Midwest Goodbye,” allows for the tradition to get immortalized in an absurdly amusing story. Perfect vocals and musical instrumentation.
“Milwaukee Bartender” tells us a story of a typical bar experience. And the relationship one has with their neighborhood bar. The fiddle, drums and guitar really stand out. Excellent construction to song as the two vocalists trade stanzas, telling from their own perspectives, Bartender and Patron. Nice refrain.
“Old Fashioned Life” is another song where the fiddle opens the melody. Berens delivers the vocals at a measured pace, as he’s describing the perfect (Brandy) Old Fashioned…particularly the variety found in Wisconsin. This song has Berens at his largest vocal range on the album. Fantastic guitar solo in the middle of the song.
“State Fair” is a about a State Fair experience. Lyrics feature dropping band names and foods you encounter. Marvelous musical instrumentation solos from sax, fiddle and guitar.
The final song on the album, “Twister” uses music from a piano, and a microphone simulating news interview vocal effect from Berens as he’s telling a story. Greuel shares his own perspective of the story after Berens. Drifts off in Wizard of Oz wordplay to end the song.
Dive Bar Dinner track list (song time):
- Beer Me, Beer You (3:01)
- Keep ‘Er Movin’ (3:36)
- Wild Night (3:43)
- Gangsters Vacation (2:54)
- Mitten State (3:35)
- Get Where You’re Going (3:25)
- Midwest Goodbye (4:53)
- Milwaukee Bartender (3:43)
- Old Fashioned Life (4:31)
- State Fair (3:04)
- Twister (5:25)
Total run time: 41:50
Dive Bar Dinner gets 3.5 of 5 Scum Drops from me. It’s a good album, a bit above average relative to all album releases this year. Excellent musicianship. Berens comedic wit, storytelling and timing shine, as do Greuel’s vocals. Greuel and Berens balance in each song is great, and much improved from their previous release. The contributions from all-star Midwest “supergroup” of musicianship: Kenny Leiser (fiddle, vocals), Andrew Koenig (electric guitar), Maxaphone on (Saxophone), Kevin Rowe (bass guitar), Nick Lang (drums) and vocalists, Teresa Marie Hardy and Ann Marie Taepke is outstanding. Good sonic quality. I’d recommend all Midwesterners listen to this album. It might hit you in the familarity feels. And if you’re a Horseshoes or Berens fan, I would definitely pick up a copy on the format of your choice.
Dive Bar Dinner will be independently released on the day before Thanksgiving, Wednesday, November 22nd. It will be available digitally on all platforms, as well as physically from Charlie’s site, charlieberens.com and at his merch booth while Charlie is on his “Good Old Fashioned” tour across the country. You may be fortunate enough to also hear Adam Greuel appear with him on select dates throughout 2024. Dive Bar Dinner will also be available at select retail locations across the Midwest. See https://www.hhgmusic.com/ and their individual social media for more information.
Thanks for reading and supporting good music,
Alex
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site, scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions and SWT Interviews. And all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
