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From Rambles Cultural Arts Magazine
by Lynn McLachlan --
 Anyone who doubts that the song is the most
important element of a recording should listen to No Song Left to Sell,
Fred Koller's collection of tunes he co-wrote with the late Shel
Silverstein.
Silverstein, who died last year, was
well-known for both his quirky and intelligent songs ("Cover of the
Rolling Stone," "Boy Named Sue") and his witty and poignant
children's books (Where the Sidewalk Ends, The Giving Tree
and others). Silverstein was a gifted and prolific talent who had a
remarkable ability to distill complex ideas into the simplest forms. It's
not surprising that he excelled at cartooning, children's literature and
songwriting -- all art forms that depend on simplicity.
Fred Koller is a successful Nashville
songwriter. I was delighted to learn while researching this review that he
wrote "Angel Eyes," a song I've long admired, which has been
covered by both John Hiatt and Jeff Healey. Koller and Silverstein met in
1974, wrote a song together, and kept hooking up as songwriting
collaborators for the next 25 years. In this recording, Koller pays
tribute to his old friend and does justice to the songs themselves with
his own honest and moving performances.
There's a lot here. The collection includes
classic storytelling ("The Lovely Margarita," "Little Green
Buttons"), reflections on the songwriting life ("This Guitar is
for Sale," "Remember My Song") , satirical social
commentary ("Happy Caucasian"), smart observation about life in
general ("Don't Knock the Music You Were Made To") and touching
love songs ("Make It Pretty For Me"). Without exception, the 14
songs are intelligent and well-crafted. Check out this remarkable opening
verse from "Sweet and Simple Things": "Baby's happy when
she's horizontal / Laying back and listening to me sing / Sending out for
burgers from McDonald's / Baby likes the sweet and simple things."
Behind many songs is the impression that these two guys were giggling away
at whatever odd idea they'd decided to work on today. (If you were alone,
would you have actually finished "Goodnight Little Houseplant"?)
Listening, we feel included in a friendship of uncommon depth.
The songs here are produced simply. They're
beautifully recorded by Cliff Goldmacher with Fred Koller's voice up
front, supported by Koller's acoustic guitar, Goldmacher's piano and
harmonica, and Bob Doerschuck's keyboards. Vocals are rough at times, but
that's the point. Anything too polished would take away from the friendly
intimacy.
Both Silverstein and Koller could write
great songs on their own. But thank heavens they met and were able to work
together so well. From start to finish, No Song Left to Sell is a
joy. As I read this, I'm listening to "Happy Caucasian." One
line of the song goes "I can make a celebration out of a bad
situation." After the death of his friend, that's exactly what Koller
has done. No Song Left to Sell is a tribute to songwriting, to
friendship and to collaboration. Come to think of it, they didn't use
"collaboration" as a rhyming word in the Caucasian song. But of
course, in the grand cosmic scheme of things, they did. -- Lynn
McLachlan
From High Bias
by Michael Toland
Fred Koller is the Americana Jimmy Webb, a veteran songwriter with cuts all over the folk/country/blues spectrum, from Kathy Mattea and Vern Gosdin to Peter Case and John Hiatt. Though his name isn't of the household variety, it's likely everyone has heard at least one Koller tune sometime. His best-known songs are probably "Let's Talk Dirty in Hawaiian," cut by co-writer John Prine among many others, and "Angel Eyes," which was a hit for the Jeff Healey Band.
No Song Left to Sell consists of new Koller recordings of songs he co-wrote with his late buddy Shel Silverstein over the course of their 30-odd year friendship. Ranging from the first ditty they ever penned together to one of the last, the record shows off the considerable breadth and depth of the collaboration.
Those familiar only with Silverstein's satirical offerings (Johnny Cash's "A Boy Named Sue" or Dr. Hook's "Cover of Rolling Stone," for example) will be surprised by reflective numbers like "Make It Pretty," "This Guitar is For Sale" and "Jennifer Johnson and Me." Which isn't to say that both authors' wry sense of humor isn't present-"Little Green Buttons" ("on her birthday suit," inspired by an encounter in a steam room with a tattooed woman), "Bluesman" and "Happy Caucasian" will definitely evince a few chuckles. Koller pares these performances down to guitar, piano and voice, showcasing the songs in their purest form, as if the two friends had just written them. His gruff vocals aren't really suited for the more tender material, but it sounds so much like that of Silverstein that you can close your eyes and pretend you're listening to a long-lost Silverstein album. No Song Left to Sell is both a loving tribute to a compadre and a reminder of the richness of their shared catalog.
-- Michael Toland
From Outsight
On No Song Left to Sell, Fred Koller sings 14 songs co-written with Shel Silverstein. In singing, Koller mixes the cool folk style of Dave Van Ronk with the Silverstein's sputtering excitement.
Koller began a quarter-century of collaboration with Silverstein after the two met in Nashville in 1974.
These songs are warm, humorous, mysterious and by and large real and unforgettable. No Song Left to Sell is the paramount experience a music fan wants from a singer-songwriter album.
From Music Korner
by Geoff Melton
Fred Koller - No Song Left To Sell
The late Shel Silverstein was a jack of all trades and a master of all.
While most famous for his classic children's books, he was also known for
his Playboy cartoons as well as his songwriting, having written hits for the
likes of Johnny Cash and Dr Hook. From 1974 until Shel's death in 1999 he
formed a strong friendship with Fred Koller, and over those 25 years they collaborated on numerous songs, 14 of which are finally seeing the light of
day on Fred's new disc No Song Left To Sell. Through simple acoustic arrangements and Koller's distinctive vocals (at times reminiscent of Tom
Waits) these stories come to life in their own cleverly twisted way that
fans of Silverstein's books will definitely appreciate. Completing the
package are Koller's delightful and insightful liner notes detailing his
experiences with Silverstein and the stories behind the songs. -- Geoff Melton
Greenman Review -- The Roots & Branches of Music & Literature
by Rebecca Swain
Fred Koller is an amazingly successful songwriter. His Web site actually contains a list of his songs and the many artists who have recorded them, including The Jeff Healy Band, Rosemary
Clooney, Pinkard and Bowden, Mary Black, and Saffire: The Uppity Blues Women.
No Song Left to Sell is a collection of fourteen songs written by Fred Koller and Shel Silverstein. The songs are by turns moving and humorous. "Jennifer Johnson and Me" is a sweet, nostalgic cut, while "Little Green Buttons" explains the amusing way a woman got her lover's
attention. "Honey Always" tells of a woman who knows how to take care of herself. "Happy Caucasian" is a bouncy, whistle-along song with a nonstop rhyme scheme; "Goodnight Little Houseplant" is a sad, sad lullaby. If you've ever read any of Shel Silverstein's poetry you will hear his influence in the lyrics.
The instrumentation is simple, with Koller playing all the instruments:
dobro, guitar, and mandolin. The songs are generally low-key and
easy to listen to. The liner notes contain entertaining snippets about how
each song was written. This is really a delightful collection. --
Rebecca Swain
Amazon.com Reviews on "No Song Left
To Sell"
Reviewer: A music fan from Wisconsin Dells, WI
Koller is an extraordinary songwriter and idiosyncratically gifted singer,
who records only sporadically. He's penned tunes for Kathy Mattea, Nanci
Griffith and the Jeff Healy Band, and worked with numerous songwriting
luminaries, including Shel Silverstein. Koller's latest disc features new
recordings of fourteen titles penned with Silverstein, dating back to their
first collaboration, a tale of nostalgic memories sparked by forgotten
photographs, "Jennifer Johnson and Me."
Though a few of these titles have been recorded by others (ranging from Mac
Davis to Robert Earl Keen), Koller's delivery is unique. He invests a
firsthand perspective in the lyrics with a voice that bridges Tom Waits'
bowery blues and Randy Newman's slyness. He lends equal credence to
outlandish stories of transvestite strippers and happy Caucasians as he does
broken romances, houseplant love songs and idyllic stories of life in the Santa Cruz mountains.
The spare guitar and piano accompaniment keeps the focus squarely on the lyrics, which are like unearthed treasures from a secreted stash.
Amazon.com Reader Reviews on "How
to Pitch and Promote Your Songs" by Fred Koller
 Walter
Carter, songwriter and author of The Songwriter’s Guide to Collaboration
-- “...comes complete with an encouraging pat on the back and a motivational kick in the butt.” - Lee Wilson, attorney and author of Making It in the Music Business
-- "Ensure that your songs will always produce what every songwriter dreams of—royalty checks. Buy this book and read it!”
- Washington Post -- “Any songwriter with hopes of selling a song to a recording artist should read this book.”
- An Invaluable Guide and Tutorial For Song Promoters.
March 22, 2002
Reviewer: Midwest Book Review, Oregon, WI USA
Songwriters have benefited from the prior editions of this classic: this third edition updates information, expanding and revising chapters and revealing today's new tools needed to get songs recorded. From understanding the business needs of agents and producers to targeting producers with special styles,
How To Pitch And Promote Your Songs is an invaluable guide to the basics.
- Nashville Song System Described in Helpful Guidebook
January 11, 2000
Reviewer: Ronald W Simpson, Provo, Utah, USA
Koller is a working Nashville songwriter who also sits on the board of the Nashville Songwriter's Association International (NSAI), which does a terrific job of mentoring capable young songwriters and giving them an entry point into the Nashville writers' community. The title pretty well describes the book, and Koller is an author equal to his task. On another point, as Writer's Digest pulls back from its ten years of leadership in the field of music business books (mid-80's to mid- 90's), I'm glad to see former Writer's Digest authors such as Koller and Paul Zollo finding good second homes. In the case of Fred Koller, our thanks go to Allworth Press in New York, a division of Billboard Books. Ron Simpson, School of Music, Brigham Young University. Author of MASTERING THE MUSIC BUSINESS.
- Fred Koller Offers His Insider's Know-How
May 11, 1999
Reviewer: A Reader from Mobile, Alabama
A very useful guide...especially if your ambitions are Nashville-centric. Helpful insights into the inner workings of the music business are rare and appreciated. This one is not academic....it is practical.
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