The album opens with "Sunrise Lightshow." And yes, its first moment does feel like a strong beam of light shining upon us, with a certain power to change things, to bring life. The guitar has a nice, mellow feel early on, and the piece moves at a slow pace, easing us into the world of the album, urging us to sit back and enjoy. There are some pretty elements to this track, helping soothe us. The energy begins to build in intensity in the second half, the track becoming exciting. It builds and builds, reaching a surprising level of power, and now the music rushes about, flowing above us, until just before the end, when it relaxes again, recedes, leaving us in a different state from the beginning. The guitar work in "Mirror Image Mirror" also has a kind of mellow, relaxed feel, at least at the beginning, creating a nice, dreamlike quality. This track also takes a turn, much sooner than the previous piece, creating several peaks in quick succession before then moving to a more soothing place again, though still with some power behind the guitar.
"Majestic AF" comes on with a great, bright, joyful force that is wonderful. I found myself smiling like a madman throughout this track. It is catchy too. And check out that outstanding bass work. There is a glorious power here, and we can feel it running through us as well as above and around us. There are moments when it feels things might change, but then the joy comes rushing back in, without any diminishing of its force. This is one of my personal favorite tracks. So much is happening, all of it wonderful. Then "Soul Of The Sea" begins in a more contemplative space, a song built of memory as well as of hope and beauty, that guitar singing and leading us upward. There are some great, surprising moments too, when a shaft of light rushes up from below, piercing the sky and allowing us passage into some new place we didn't think we'd be able to go. This one takes us on a good journey, and then releases us on a new plane, a new home.
The electric guitar work of "Resolution" feels like a character, with goals and needs, and it moves within a certain space of joy and knowledge, imparting to us something of its experiences, something of that knowledge. The other instruments support that voice. I love the way the guitar soars, gathering us and taking us along. This is one of the album's most beautiful tracks. It is followed by what is labeled as "George's Garden," but which I think is actually "Drums Of Peace." This one has a surprising opening moment, a strange beginning that grabs our attention with that percussion. And then it begins to build and open like a flower that all at once blooms, demanding our attention, announcing, "Here I am!" There is something here that has a great feeling about it, spreading a kind of electric joy and excitement. And then there are reminders of that opening, the percussion remaining a key element. There is also a bit of a psychedelic thing too. This is another of my personal favorites. On sites such as Bandcamp and YouTube, what is titled "George's Garden" is listed as "Drums Of Peace" here, so it seems the two tracks somehow got switched on the disc.
Right from the beginning of "Turn Of The Tide," there is a positive bent to this track that is incredibly appealing, even if there are hints of melancholy beneath it all. The guitar wants to take us through, or perhaps above, any trouble we may be experiencing, reminding us of some more important truth. The track's forward movement doesn't give us too much time to think back on our past. Let's just see where this will take us. Watch the light playing upon the water and follow it to some new horizon we hadn't dreamed of. And then we are suddenly there, within that light, within that future, and it feels good. That's followed by "Fever Dream." As its title might suggest, there is a dreamlike feel to this piece, the guitars even leaving an echo of our dreams behind, which we can experience again. There is something soothing about this piece. We feel relaxed, but attentive, without worries, immersed completely in the experience, the sounds painting vivid colors across the landscape. It's over all too soon.
What is labeled "Drums Of Peace" on the CD case, but which seems to be "George's Garden," has a moment at the very beginning like it is gathering power, and then there is a burst of energy and we have no time to consider our surroundings, because we are within this engine, this streak of light. The guitar is what guides and determines our journey. The album concludes with "Sunset Moonrise," which fades in and has its own beauty. And perhaps because of the way it fades in, it feels that the beauty is of the eternal kind. We are catching a piece of it here, but other people will experience other pieces, and the same goes for those before us. At least, that is the feeling we get. Yet there are still some surprises, like that moment approximately two minutes in. And the track finds a soothing place, a solid light beam of sorts. Interestingly, as it begins to fade out, there is a similar sensation to that of the beginning of the album's first track. It is like we are at the beginning again. What a wonderful journey this album takes us on. This might be the best volume in the series so far.
CD Track List
- Sunrise Lightshow
- Mirror Image Mirror
- Majestic AF
- Soul Of The Sea
- Resolution
- George's Garden (though likely "Drums Of Peace")
- Turn Of The Tide
- Fever Dream
- Drums Of Peace (though likely "George's Garden")
- Sunset Moonrise
Waves 7 was released on July 1, 2025.
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