A review of Richard Dean’s Accidental Human

Richard Dean

Accidental Human

Coastal Bend

Singer/songwriter Richard Dean was born and raised in Texas, but he has been a resident of Colorado for a long time now. He has four solo albums to his name and his latest, Accidental Human is a beautiful piece of work.

Where Dean is most impressive is in his subtlety, his lack of a need to blow things out of proportion and, instead, to focus on the simple things and that wonder than can be found in them. When, in “Big Rock,” he sings, “I’m gonna sit here on this big rock, smoke a cigarette,” it sounds like the most blissful idea ever. That’s thanks in no small part to his voice, which is both croony and road-weary in equal measure. It’s smooth, but not polished, and it’s easy to believe every word he utters.

He’s also the king of understatement, singing on “Louis Seize (XVI) Est Morte (Louis 16th is Dead)” that, “Louis Seize is dead, that mean old king went and lost his head.”
Later, on “Radium Dial,” he sings, “We make a face that glows in the dark, in outer space there’s no place to park, welcome to the nuclear age.” Vivid stuff.

Overall, Dean is a stunning storyteller and an excellent instrumentalist. A credit to the area.