The album kicks off with "When Heroes Say Goodbye," a good country rock number with a driving beat, a song about the effect music has on us, particularly when we're young. "When I was a kid you were there for me/The sound inside my head to set me free." And now so many of those folks are gone. Clay sings, "It's hard to say goodbye to your heroes/You don't know when they'll decide to go/You get the news, you can't rewind/A thunderclap inside your mind." These days we're losing more and more of those musicians that have been such an important part of our lives, not just our childhoods. The year 2016 was especially bad (that year we lost Leonard Cohen, Leon Russell, David Bowie, Merle Haggard, Prince, Dan Hicks, Rob Wasserman, Guy Clark, Ralph Stanley, Maurice White, Paul Kantner, Signe Anderson, Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, Billy Paul and many others), but just recently losing Bob Weir was hard, as he was the last voice of the Grateful Dead, a huge part of my life. This song was written by Clay DuBose and Ted Russell Kamp. Both Dean Parks and Brian Whelan are on guitar, Ted Russell Kamp is on bass, Carl Byron is on organ, and Mitch Marine is on drums. That song is followed by "Winning Streak," also written by Clay DuBose and Ted Russell Kamp. This song takes us to a wedding in Las Vegas, officiated by an Elvis impersonator. It contains references to Elvis songs, including "Can't Help Falling In Love" and "Suspicious Minds." "This could be the start of a winning streak/A winning streak, a winning streak for you and for me." This track contains some hopping work on keys. Brian Whelan is on piano, as well as electric guitar on this one, and Sasha Smith is on organ. Ted Russell Kamp is on both bass and acoustic guitar, and Jamie Douglas is on drums. It's a fun number that feels totally positive, even while using all that gambling imagery. "I'm placing a bet like it's meant to be/Doubling down on our destiny."
"All we are in this universe is a tiny point of light," Clay DuBose sings at the beginning of the album's title track, reminding us of that photo of the earth as tiny blue dot. Then he follows that line with this one: "One lonely sailor on a sea of endless night." I'm sure many of us have been thinking about this vast universe, and our tiny, and brief, place in it. It's all over too soon, and someday even this planet and the sun will be gone. This song features a particularly good, and varied, vocal performance, as well as some excellent lyrics. "All of us, all as one/Oblivious to oblivion." I love that. Quietly powerful moments like that lead this to being one of my personal favorite tracks. Also, this song has some special guests, including the late Neal Casal on both electric guitar and acoustic guitar. I wonder how many more recordings he'll pop up on. And Janiva Magness adds some excellent vocal work. This is an outstanding track. "You can't cheat Father Time or fool Mother Nature." Then "Dreams Come Untrue" is a bluesy country rock number with its own special power. "There's a liar in my head, he has returned/He says, touch the fire, this time it will not burn/There is one thing he forgot to mention/Dreams can come untrue." And then he sings, "The day that I lost you, that was living proof/That dreams can come untrue." This track contains another strong vocal performance, plus quite a bit of good guitar work. Neal Casal is again on electric guitar on this one, as is Dean Parks. Both Brian Whelan and Carl Byron are on keys. Again, there is so much talent on this album.
I wasn't expecting to burst into tears while listening to this album, but there is a song titled "I Hope You're Watching" about the loss of his father, and of course it made me think of my own dad, and suddenly I found myself in tears. While I think the chance of there being any sort of afterlife is just this side of nil, this song is effective, because of course there is still the hope that this isn't the end, that we'll get to see our loved ones again. I wouldn't bet on it, but that doesn't quell the hope. John Schreffler adds some pretty work on pedal steel, adding to the song's emotional impact. That's followed by "Waiting For The Day." Doug Pettibone joins the group on both electric guitar and baritone guitar, delivering some wonderful work. There is a bluesy edge to some of the guitar work. This track also contains a great bass line. And there is a good energy to the vocal performance. "Just give me a little sign/That the sun's about to shine." I think many of us need just that sort of sign. Isn't this darkness going to give? Mitch Marine is on drums.
The first of the album's two covers, is "New Game Now," which was written by Kris Kristofferson and Danny Timms, and included on Kristofferson's A Moment Of Forever. Danny Timms plays piano and organ on this track, and his work is a big part of the track's appeal. In fact, the song begins with some thoughtful work on piano, setting the tone. Also, this track contains what might be the best vocal performance of the album. This is a really good rendition. Will Ray plays electric guitar on this track, and Michael Clarke is on drums. Then "Fading Away" has a steady beat pushing it forward, and us along with it. "When things start going a little too well/In heaven I start jonesing for hell/I fear I have lost all that I found/My days are numbered, I'm counting them down." Both Brian Whelan and Doug Pettibone are on electric guitar, and, yes, there is some excellent guitar work here.
"Broken Mirror" has a softer, more intimate sound, led by acoustic guitar at the beginning. Both Ted Russell Kamp and Dean Parks play acoustic guitar (Ted Russell Kamp is also on bass and toy piano). "Broken up, broken down/Broken mirror on the ground/Shards of love disappear." And the song builds from there, in power and beauty. Brian Whelan and Doug Pettibone are on electric guitar. Sasha Smith is on organ, and Mitch Marine is on drums. That's followed by "Growing Wild," an energetic number. "Every year is flying by," Clay DuBose sings in this one. It's a song about watching one's children grow, and how it happens so quickly. This song features some good work by Eric Corne on harmonica, and a really nice bass line. And even though this one starts with a great energy, it somehow becomes more energetic as it goes, leading to an exciting conclusion. Clay DuBose then turns to a jazzy vibe on the album's second cover, The Kingston Trio's "Scotch And Soda," to wrap things up. He delivers a delightful rendition of this Dave Guard composition, leaving us feeling good.
CD Track List
- When Heroes Say Goodbye
- Winning Streak
- Father Time & Mother Nature
- Dreams Come Untrue
- I Hope You're Watching
- Waiting For The Day
- New Game Now
- Fading Away
- Broken Mirror
- Growing Wild
- Scotch And Soda
Father Time & Mother Nature was released on June 12, 2026 on Lazy River Records.
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