The cassette-only album My Luck, My Love is the debut effort by the American singer and songwriter Denison Witmer, self-released on Taxed Life Music in 1995. The tracks were recorded 1994-95 by Don Peris of The Innocence Mission fame (actually Witmer’s guitar teacher) at his own Don Peris Studios. The album was recorded as a project for an English class during Witmer’s senior year of high school. Only 250 copies were made, and the album was given to family and friends. Though My Luck, My Love is Witmer’s first release, he does not view it as his true debut but as the extension of a hobby.
This is the first tape by Denison Witmer, who went on to release many albums through Burnt Toast Vinyl, Velvet Blue Music, The Militia Group, Asthmatic Kitty, etc. Apparently he doesn’t see this as his debut, just a demo he made as an “extension of a hobby” for family and friends. His first real album would apparently be 1998’s Safe Away. But this does sound like a full album – it is a neo-folk album, but he managed to do a good job of recording himself and not sounding like a guy recording himself in a bedroom on a boom box. Witmer became known for using intricate finger-picking on his guitar, and you can hear that here. But it is just him and his guitar, so that may or may not be your thing. [Christian Tape Underground, November 15, 2022]
Cassette tracklist:
Side One
A1. “So You Took My Love”
A2. “Monday At 2:30”
A3. “Lift My Head Up From My Knees”
A4. “Good Cry”
A5. “Take What You Need”
Side Two
B1. “My Luck, My Love”
B2. “I’m On My Way”
B3. “Master Of Being Alone”
B4. “Prayer Song”
B5. “Say You’ll Stick Around”
