The Nine Seas: “Dream Of Me” (2020) CD Review

Singers and songwriters Liz Tormes and Fiona McBain are the duo The Nine Seas. These two extraordinary voices have been performing together for many years in the group The Big Bright, and are now releasing their first album as The Nine Seas. Titled Dream Of Me, this album is a gorgeous collection of engaging and moving songs. It was produced by The Nine Seas with Jim White, who also joins them on most of the tracks.

The album opens with an original song, “Am I Still Your Demon?” That is probably my favorite song title so far this year, and it’s an excellent song, featuring beautiful harmonies and a sweet folk sound. Then the horns come as a delightful surprise, adding another layer to the sound. That’s J. Walter Hawkes on trombone. The song is addressed to an ex-boyfriend. “When years have passed/And it’s too late/I know you so well/You’ll blame it all on fate.” That’s followed by “I Never Will Marry,” a traditional song that has been covered by Linda Ronstadt and Joan Baez, among others, with variations on the lyrics. This rendition by The Nine Seas is gorgeous, their voices rises gloriously and mournfully above that soft strumming on acoustic guitar. There is something angelic about their harmonies, voices coming to you from above, but gently, perhaps to help, perhaps to lead you to the beyond. “She plunged her fair body/In the water so deep/Closed her pretty blue eyes/Forever to sleep.” Yes, there is death here, but it is like a drifting away. And when death comes, I hope it comes with voices and sounds like these. Jim White plays banjo, and Glenn Patscha plays piano on this track. The Nine Seas then turn to folk gospel with a cover of “Trials, Troubles, Tribulations,” a song written by Estil C. Ball. Again, they deliver a beautiful rendition. I love the work on banjo and percussion, both by Jim White.

They then return to original material with “Go To Sleep,” written by Liz Tormes. This one has a friendly, almost magical, folk sound, and sounds like a sort of lullaby, a song offering advice. “Don’t let the years pass you by.” Yet it comes from a serious and darker place, a place of death and ghosts. But it ultimately has a comforting and uplifting vibe, almost like some playful sprites have joined them to guide us all on. That’s followed by “I Really Want You,” a song written by Fiona McBain and Jeff Riedel, a gorgeously sad song, a sort of ethereal waltz that oddly reminds me just a bit of “He Needs Me,” that beautiful song from Popeye (which was also used in Punch-Drunk Love). “So tell me that this heart is mendable/That the love can be dependable/I really want you.”

The Nine Seas deliver an unusual and engaging rendition of Charlie Rich’s “Midnight Blues,” slowing it down a bit and giving it an interesting and kind of haunting sound, part blues and part folk.  “I just can’t help but feel a little insane/Every time I hear you call my name/Been blaming you for all the bad things I’ve done/Still, I must admit every once in a while it was fun.” It is a truly interesting track, and something about it keeps me on edge, though their voices have a soothing quality. Oliver de la Celle adds some nice work on electric guitar. That’s followed by a traditional song, “Down In The Willow Garden.” This one has a beautifully simple sound, so that the focus is squarely on their voices. It is kind of eerie hearing these gorgeous voices singing of committing murder. Glenn Patscha plays pump organ on this track, and Tony Leone is on drums. Fiona McBain plays piano on “Where He Rests,” a beautiful and moving song she also composed. It is a song of the tragedy of September 11th, 2001. There are some heartbreaking lines in this song, such as “Some said goodbye/I know that he would have tried” and “But never again will he whisper my name/No, never again can I call him to save me.”

They then offer a cover of “Midnight,” a song written by Boudleaux Bryant and Chet Atkins, and recorded by Red Foley. This is the second song on the album with “Midnight” in its title, a time that conjures the darkest and loneliest thoughts. This song certainly creates a sense of loneliness, even desolation, though it has also a sweet quality here. One thing I love about this album is its combination of bright and dark sounds and moods. “Midnight/What a lonely time to weep/I ought to know/Midnight/I should have been fast asleep/Hours ago/Still, I’m crying/I’m crying ‘cause I miss you so.” That’s followed by a cover of “Sea Of Heartbreak,” a song written by Hal David and Paul Hampton, and recorded by Don Gibson. They put their own spin on this famous song, by having their voices accompanied by just percussion, including hand claps. This gives it something of a playful quality, and seems to urge us to sing along on the chorus.

The album then concludes with different renditions of two earlier tracks – “Trials, Troubles, Tribulations” and “Midnight Blues.” Both tracks feature just guitar and their vocals. In this rendition of “Trials, Troubles, Tribulations,” the gospel element seems stronger. But that might be because it reminds me of a singer/guitarist who used to perform at the church I went to when I was growing up. Both Liz and Fiona play acoustic guitar on this track. Then on “Midnight Blues,” Fiona plays electric guitar. Both tracks are wonderful, but I especially like this rendition of “Midnight Blues.”

CD Track List

1. Am I Still Your Demon?
2. I Never Will Marry
3. Trials, Troubles, Tribulations
4. Go To Sleep
5. I Really Want You
6. Midnight Blues
7. Down In The Willow Garden
8. Where He Rests
9. Midnight
10. Sea Of Heartbreak
11. Trials, Troubles, Tribulations
12. Midnight Blues

Dream Of Me is scheduled to be released on April 3, 2020.