The album opens with “Dream Catcher,” which has a sweet, magical vibe. There is a cool, 1960s sound to the music and to Jessie Baylin’s vocal approach. “Give me dreams of happiness and joy/And laughter in the night.” There are also some rather humorous “La la la” backing vocals, which make the song even more adorable. “Dream Catcher” was written by Jessie Baylin and Thad Cockrell. That’s followed by “Supermoon,” which features a pretty, gentle vocal performance. “No one’s gonna sleep tonight/We’re under the same big beautiful sky/Pulling us closer.” This track also contains a magical instrumental section in the second half. This one was written by Jessie Baylin and Daniel Tashian. “Strawberry Wind,” the album’s title track, is a beautiful and positive song with something of a timeless vibe. “And the door is open/Strawberry wind is blowing/And I feel good just knowing/That you’re here with me/And the world is wide open/For you and me.” This music has a relaxing and uplifting effect, which certainly everyone could use in these strange days. This wonderful song was written by Jessie Baylin and Daniel Tashian. It contains some nice work on guitar, particularly toward the end.
“Same Old Tune” has a delightfully playful vibe as it opens. Here are the song’s first lines: “Walking along, humming a tune/Thinking so sweetly, baby, of you/Only you, humming that same old tune.” There is a bit of the blues to this track. This is one of my personal favorites. Everything about this track is great, from that cool drum beat to those delicious additions on electric guitar. This track is a total delight from beginning to end. I can see it having tremendous appeal for children, but those elements are also what grab those of us who are adults too. For aren’t we all still kids inside? “Same Old Tune” was written by Jessie Baylin, Andrew Combs and Jordan Lehning. That’s followed by “Sparkle Shoelaces.” How strange that the line “Sparkle shoelaces, sparkle shoelaces” can sound romantic, but I swear it does. Jessie Baylin creates a wonderful dreamlike landscape here, like a vacation in a land of dreams located near a clear sea. “What once was tragic/Turns into magic/Takes us to faraway lands/And mystical places,” she sings. And the music of this song does just that, making it another of the disc’s highlights. The line “Say hello to the friends we know” reminds me of a holiday song. “Sparkle Shoelaces” was written by Jessie Baylin and Thad Cockrell.
“Little Bird” gently rocks us in its arms, and there is something undeniably catchy about it. “Little bird, little bird/Stretching your wings in the morning light/Fly away, fly away/Don’t forget that you’ll/Always be, always be, always be my baby blue.” Ah yes, a song of letting go, but not really letting go. I’m not a parent, but I understand that must be a difficult but also exciting moment, looking forward to seeing what your child will accomplish on his or her own. This is a beautiful song. It was written by Jessie Baylin and Daniel Tashian. It is followed by “Magic Of Your Mind,” which has a classic sound, particularly in the guitar work and the rhythm. “Sometimes life will be low/Sometimes life will be high/That’s just the way the river flows/But you will always have the magic of your mind/Magic of your mind.” That’s a nice message for both children and adults.
“It’s The Summertime” has a wonderfully cheerful groove. “If you feel like dancing, you can have a party/You can stay up late, tell everybody/It’s the summertime.” Oh yes, this song perfectly captures and conveys that great feeling when the weather turns warm, and the possibilities seem endless. Growing up doesn’t really kill that feeling. “Doesn’t last too long,” Jessie Baylin reminds us. True, not just of summer, but of the entire thing, so let’s do our best to enjoy ourselves and our time. I love this song. Then “I Am A Dreamer” begins with strings. The guitar work then adds to that dreamlike quality which is perfect for the song. “My feet in the gutter, my head in the clouds/Long are the days when the sun meets the moon/Just like my world when I’m dreaming away the blue.” That’s followed by “Power In Words.” “There’s power in the words/Be careful what you say,” Jessie Baylin sings at the beginning of this one. It’s a song about how you really can’t take back anything you say, and reminds people to think before speaking and to come from a place of love. I like that work on keys in the middle. “Let love flow.” The final of the original album’s tracks, “We Need Each Other,” has a classic, soulful vibe. “We need each other, yes we do/Yes we do, yes we do.” It is a positive, cheerful and pretty song.
Bonus Tracks
The final four tracks on this disc were not included on the album’s original release. The first of these, “Big Feelings,” begins with the sound of a child saying, “Come on, let’s go.” Then Jessie Baylin addresses the child directly, singing about how she was once a child too. It is a song about the connection between a parent and child, and it urges the child to feel okay about opening up. “If you need a place to land, you can talk to me/You’ve got those big feelings, I’ve got them too/It can be so hard to contain them/Something I’m still learning how to do/And it’s so hard to explain them.” This one was written by Jessie Baylin, Daniel Tashian and Thad Cockrell. It’s followed by “Come Over.” It is another track that has a magical feeling as it begins. The drums come in, leading to the main body of the song, as she sings about hearing someone playing The Beatles’ “The Ballad Of John And Yoko.” This track has such a pleasant vibe. “Come over/You know we’re going to have a good time.”
This disc’s sole cover is “I Can Bring Love,” a song the Bee Gees included on the album To Whom It May Concern, released in 1972. Jessie Baylin delivers a touching, beautiful rendition. “I can change the whole world if you are near me/No tears if you can hear me." The expanded edition of Strawberry Wind concludes with “A Beautiful Life.” This song begins in a place of worry, but soon Jessie Baylin sings, “When it all goes wrong and it falls apart/That’s when all the good things can finally start.” And the song opens into a brighter place, which is wonderful. This track is another highlight, and it contains the adorable lines “Sprinkle me with grace/I’m a human sundae.”
CD Track List
- Dream Catcher
- Supermoon
- Strawberry Wind
- Same Old Tune
- Sparkle Shoelaces
- Little Bird
- Magic Of Your Mind
- It’s The Summertime
- I Am A Dreamer
- Power In Words
- We Need Each Other
- Big Feelings
- Come Over
- I Can Bring Love
- A Beautiful Life
This expanded version of Strawberry Wind was released on May 31, 2024, and is available on vinyl as well as CD. The vinyl version does not contain the final track.
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