In that opening track, “I’m Not
Going Down,” Jason Daniels sings “There’s
no one coming to save me/I’m drifting away to sea/I’m terrified,” and
that’s exactly how a lot of folks feel. We are all on a sinking ship, “bailing like crazy.” But he follows that
by insisting, “I’m not going down, I’m
not going down.” And that’s what we all must do these days. This track
features some nice work by Steve Stevens on saxophone. That’s followed by “It
All Can Slip Away,” a song that has a good groove and features some nice work
on keys. At the beginning, Jason sings “It
all can slip away/We’ve got to live today/Because there’s no guarantee of
tomorrow.” There are many songs that urge us to seize the moment, to live
for the day, and we need them all. We need constant reminders to appreciate
life each day, and to let go of our hatred, our heartache, our sorrow. This
song urges us to let the music help us get through, and that’s what many of us
have been doing during these dark and strange days, though I’m not sure how
many of us have been able to “boogie on
down,” as this song encourages. We’re not quite there yet. I hope we will be soon. “The time has come/To trade hate for love/Don’t have to carry around all
these sorrows.”
“Music Is A Prayer” is a
soulful, uplifting number about the power of music to help us, telling us “Every time you sing a song/You’re sending up
a prayer/Music is vibration/Let your frequency be clear.” The line “Let your music fill the air” reminds me
of a line from my all-time favorite song, the Grateful Dead’s “Ripple”: “Let there be songs to fill the air.”
Then “I’ve Been Ramblin’” features some good work on harmonica. This is another
song to add to my road trip play list. Now I just need a road trip. My
girlfriend and I have talked about getting an RV. There is something so
appealing about that now, isn’t there? This song has a strong groove, and
becomes a damn good jam, exactly the sort of thing to keep you going during
those long stretches on the road where there seems to be nothing of interest in
any direction. “I’ve Been Ramblin’” is followed by “39202,” which has a funky
groove and includes some nice work on saxophone. There is a good energy about
this instrumental number. Its title, by the way, refers to a zip code in
Jackson, Mississippi. “Be My Friend” also features a good groove.
“Dead And Gone” comes on
strong, ready and eager to rock us. “When
I’m dead and gone, please don’t put me in no grave.” It is interesting to
cut loose and simultaneously think of one’s own demise, but maybe that’s what
we’re doing on a daily basis, cutting loose as a way of keeping it at arm’s
length. I always figure if I’m dancing, death can’t touch me. Don’t tell me I’m
wrong. This song features some great stuff on guitar. At moments, this track reminds
me of Eric Clapton’s version of “After Midnight.” That’s followed by “Breathe,”
which immediately announces itself as a fun track, with that work on keys, and
the saxophone. It is a positive number, with lines like “You’re beautiful/You’ve come so far/You’ve got so much to give” and
“Forgiving yourself, that’s where you
start/You’re going to do some things wrong, you’re going to do some things
right/Don’t give into the darkness, look at the light.” There are more
positive vibes on “Get Down With Now,” another song with a delicious groove.
The album then concludes with “Prayer To The World,” which should do the trick
of reminding each of us that we are not facing these troubles alone. In fact, a
large group of backing vocalists adds support to this one, adding their voices
to this prayer to the world.
CD Track List
- I’m Not Going Down
- It All Can Slip Away
- Music Is A Prayer
- I’ve Been Ramblin’
- 39202
- Be My Friend
- Dead And Gone
- Breathe
- Get Down With Now
- Prayer To The World
Downloads From The Universe is scheduled to be released on July 31,
2020, and is going to be available on both CD and vinyl.
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