From Seattle gray to Monterey bluez, Dave Lemon sings his truth.

Lemon Returns: Full Circle: Singer/songwriter Dave Lemon chronicles stories of his Peninsula past.

From Seattle gray to Monterey bluez, Dave Lemon sings his truth.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

On his 2004 CD Stumble In, Monterey native Dave Lemon crafted songs that recalled the punky blasts of alt rock music popularized in the early ‘90s. Though recorded in Seattle, where Lemon was living at the time, the album mostly reflects on his childhood spent on the Peninsula.

Throughout the punchy “Remember,” with Lemon’s voice sounding like Neutral Milk Hotel vocalist Jeff Mangum, the songwriter recalls “laughter and disaster” while growing up in Pacific Grove. The title track’s electric jolt deals with a more serious matter: a childhood friend’s father struggling with alcoholism.

Lemon admits that during the dreary Seattle winters he frequently thought about his sunny past in Monterey. “There were times when I was homesick,” he says.

Just last year, Lemon decided to return to the Peninsula and was pleased with new developments in the local music scene. “I love the fact that there’s a lot of new venues here,” he says. “These venues are allowing original music to be heard.”

Upon returning, Lemon assembled a backing band featuring bassist Art Culbertson of the punk rockers the Snot Rockets and drummer Steve Palomarez. Now called Dave Lemon & the Double Shots, the group has played at CSUMB’s Student Center, the Lounge Underground and Salinas’ First Fridays.

Back in his hometown, Lemon can now pen songs about Monterey from a new perspective. One of his newest numbers, titled “Monterey Bluez,” addresses a specific issue that affects local residents. “That song deals with how much it costs to live around here,” he says. “It’s a struggle.”