Randy O’s “Coming Home” Album Release Party

Randy O, lead singer of rock band Odin, celebrated the release of his solo album Coming Home last night at Rainbow Bar And Grill on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. Before the album played, Amber Lynn introduced Randy, who then spoke of how the album was something he’d been wanting to do for twenty years, a “bucket list thing.” The event was something of a family affair too, with Randy’s wife, son, daughter and mother all in attendance. His son presented him with a plaque commemorating the album’s release. His daughter is responsible for the cool artwork on the album’s cover. The music itself is really good, some of the tracks sounding like that great timeless rock and roll I always associate with summer. It is different from what you know of Odin, though that vocal power remains a key component and draw. After the album played, Randy O did a short three-song set, and was joined by Odin band mate Aaron Samson on bass. The first song, appropriately enough, was titled “I’m Changing.” Randy O followed that with “Pop’s Song,” which interestingly is a re-working of “Lonely Man,” a song from the Lostboys album, Lost And Found. He then wrapped up the set with “Black & White Don’t Matter,” one of my personal favorites from the new album.

Here are some photos from the night:

Rainbow Bar And Grill is located at 9015 Sunset Blvd., in West Hollywood, California.

Diana Panton: “A Cheerful Little Earful” (2019) CD Review

I don’t have children, so I don’t listen to a lot of children’s albums. However, my girlfriend and I were both so delighted by the first track we heard from Diana Panton’s new album A Cheerful Little Earful that I just needed to hear the rest of it. Just because it may be appropriate for children doesn’t mean it can’t be enjoyed by adults. Good music is good music, right? And there is a whole lot of good music coming out of Canada these days. Vocalist Diana Panton is based in Hamilton, Ontario. She has received two Juno awards, first for her jazz album Red, and then for her first children’s album, I Believe In Little Things. On that album, she covered songs like “The Rainbow Connection” and “Sing.” Now she is following that with A Cheerful Little Earful, an album that is thoroughly enjoyable. Of course, part of the reason this album works so well for both adults and children is that most of the songs Diana Panton chooses are not strictly children’s songs. Joining the vocalist on this album are Reg Schwager on guitar, and Don Thompson on bass, piano and vibes.

The album opens with a wonderful rendition of “Happy Talk,” a song written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers for South Pacific. You know this song. It’s the one with the lines, “You’ve got to have a dream/If you don’t have a dream/How you gonna have a dream come true?” Good advice for people of all ages, right? Diana’s voice is so cheerful, so friendly. And this track features some bright and excellent work on keys. That’s followed by “It’s A Most Unusual Day,” which was written for the 1948 film A Date With Judy.  Diana Panton delivers a sweet, joyful vocal performance, with some minor lyrical changes. For example, “There are people greeting people” becomes “I hear birdies greeting birdies.” I love the guitar work. “‘A’ You’re Adorable” is a goofy, wonderful tune, also from the late 1940s, delivered with a sense of fun. And yes, it’s an alphabet song, but it’s also a love song, and it features some totally enjoyable piano work, almost like children have taken over a speakeasy.

“Red Red Robin” is a perfect choice for a children’s album. It is the bass line that I mostly latch onto when listening to this track. That’s followed by “I Don’t Want To Live On The Moon,” a children’s song written by Jeff Moss for Sesame Street (in the show, it is sung by Ernie). I really like these lines: “I’d like to visit the jungle, hear the lions roar/Go back in time and meet a dinosaur/There are so many strange places I’d like to be/But none of them permanently.” That “permanently” line delights me every time I listen to this track.  We then get “Cheerful Little Earful,” the album’s title track, which was composed by Ira Gershwin, Billy Rose and Harry Warren for the musical Sweet And Low. Diana Panton’s vocal performance is just so adorable. Toward the end, when she sings “Make me happy, you can do it” she already sounds perfectly happy.

The title “If You Feel Like Singing, Sing” of course reminds me of Cat Stevens’ “If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out.” Don’t let anyone silence your voice (unless you’re in a movie theater or something, in which case please shut up). There is a light quality to this track that is endearing. That’s followed by “Music And Me.” A Michael Jackson song on a children’s album? Might seem an odd choice these days, but he didn’t write “Music And Me.” It was composed by Michael Cannon, Don Fenceton, Mel Larson and Jerry Marcellino, and it is a good choice to follow “If You Feel Like Singing, Sing.” “Grab a song/And come along/You can sing your melody.”

The first part of “Look To The Rainbow” is delivered a cappella, showcasing Diana Panton’s beautiful voice.  Diana delivers an enjoyable rendition of Cole Porter’s “Experiment,” a song that offers some good advice for both children and adults: “Experiment/Be curious.” That’s followed by “Aren’t You Glad You’re You?” This is such a deliciously goofy and wonderful song, and Diana delivers it with a youthful vibe and innocence. The first lines always make me smile: “Every time you’re near a rose/Aren’t you glad you’ve got a nose?” I also really like the bass line. The album concludes with “Hush-A-Bye Island,” a song to help us drift off to a better land in our dreams.

CD Track List

1. Happy Talk
2. It’s A Most Unusual Day
3. “A” You’re Adorable
4. Red Red Robin
5. I Don’t Want To Live On The Moon
6. Cheerful Little Earful
7. If You Feel Like Singing, Sing
8. Music And Me
9. Pocketful Of Miracles
10. Look To The Rainbow
11. All In The Golden Afternoon
12. Experiment
13. Aren’t You Glad You’re You?
14. Sing A Rainbow
15. Hush-A-Bye Island 

A Cheerful Little Earful is scheduled to be released on October 18, 2019.

Lyn Stanley: “Favorite Takes: London With A Twist: Live At Bernie’s” (2019) CD Review

I love Lyn Stanley’s voice and her style, and have from the moment I first listened to her several years ago. I also appreciate her choices of material to cover. On her newest release, Favorite Takes: London With A Twist: Live At Bernie’s, she delivers wonderful renditions of some familiar songs. The album’s title might be a bit misleading, for this isn’t a typical live album; it’s not a concert recording. The songs were recorded live, directly to analog disc rather than using magnetic tape, leading to an excellent sound quality. This was done at a studio, not a concert venue. So the “Bernie’s” in question is not a club. Rather, Bernie Grundman is the sound mastering engineer, so the “Bernie’s” in the title is effectively the studio where he was working his magic. Joining Lyn Stanley on this release are Otmaro Ruiz on piano, Mike Lang on piano, John Chiodini on guitar, Chuck Berghofer on bass, Aaron Serfaty on drums, and Luis Conte on percussion. These tracks were recorded over a two-day period, January 19 and 20, 2019.

This album opens with a cool and playful rendition of “Route 66,” the delicious bass line playing nearly as prominent a role as the vocals. There is even a bass solo halfway through. Plus, there is some really nice work on guitar. However, the coolness of the track comes mainly from the drum beat and those touches on keys. And the playfulness is mostly in Lyn Stanley’s vocal approach. Just listen to the way she delivers lines like “Just take my way, it’s the highway that’s the best” and “It winds from Chicago to L.A.” (the way she holds onto the word “winds”). We are off to a great start. Lyn Stanley follows that with a version of Bruce Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac” that swings and grooves. She is clearly having a lot of fun with this sexy song. The track shakes and moves well, and features some delicious stuff on keys. Of course, whenever a woman tackles this song, it becomes a lesbian song, which adds to the fun of it. She then gives an intimate and at times breathy delivery on “Lover Man,” a song written for Billie Holiday. This rendition features a sort of intoxicating, sexy instrumental section.

Lyn Stanley gave us a good rendition of “Blue Moon” on London Calling: A Toast To Julie London, her previous release. Now she delivers another excellent version, with a cool, somewhat relaxed late-night vibe. Yeah, it feels like it is last call and we’re spying that special someone we’ll be taking home. A nice slow dance, and then to bed. She also gives us an unusual, interesting take on Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell” (a song that is sometimes listed as “C’est La Vie”). There is something really hip about this rendition, particularly in the guitar work. There is also some really nice stuff on keys and on percussion, the track having a strong pulse. That’s followed by “Goody Goody,” another song that was included on London Calling: A Toast To Julie London. Again she is having a fun time with it, as are the musicians backing her. I particularly like the bass line. One of the best and most stirring vocal performances of this album is on “Love Letters.” That track also features a wonderful lead on piano.

On London Calling, Lyn Stanley presented a version of “Bye Bye Blackbird” that featured her vocals supported by just bass. Now on this album she delivers another cool rendition, this one beginning with bass (and later including a good bass solo), but soon adding drums and piano and guitar. Lyn’s vocal approach includes delightfully playful readings of certain lines, such as “Here I go, singing low” and “Sugar’s sweet, so is he.” I love the gorgeous and intimate vocal performance she delivers on “Body And Soul.” This track also features a soulful lead on bass, supported by some percussion. Lyn Stanley then wraps up the album with a Cole Porter tune, “In The Still Of The Night.” This version cooks along, pushed forward by some groovy work on drums and bass. Her voice, in contrast, has a relaxed quality at times, creating an interesting effect. And I love that lead on guitar.

CD Track List

1. Route 66
2. Pink Cadillac
3. Lover Man
4. Blue Moon
5. Let There Be You
6. You Never Can Tell
7. Goody Goody
8. Love Letters
9. Bye Bye Blackbird
10. I’ve Got You Under My Skin
11. Body And Soul
12. In The Still Of The Night

Favorite Takes: London With A Twist: Live At Bernie’s was released on June 30, 2019.

Olivia Frances: “Orchid” (2019) CD Review

Olivia Frances is a talented, young singer and songwriter (apparently she just graduated from Clark University, in my home city of Worcester, Mass.), mixing pop and folk elements to create a fairly positive and cheerful sound, music that should raise your spirits. Her latest full-length album, Orchid, her third, features all original material, written or co-written by Olivia Frances. Joining her on this release are William Ellis on drums, Pat Lassiter on bass, Mike Holmes on keys, Will Doughty on keys, Mike Durham on guitar, and Shayne Hill on guitar.

The album opens with its title track, “Orchid,” a good pop song with a well-drawn central character. When it kicks in, this tune has something of an early 1960s vibe, which I dig. “Now she’s on her own, living in the city/Working hard and singing little ditties.” “Orchid” was written by Olivia Frances and Michael Astrachan. That’s followed by “Moon To My Sun,” a wonderful song with a pleasant pop sound. Her vocal delivery has a sweet, almost dreamy quality here, and yet the song has a strange power. “Oh, darling, I think I love you/I’m not sure what you’re made of/But I must be made of it too.” I also like the percussion on this track.

“Porcelain” has a straighter pop sound, particularly during the chorus. This one creates another vivid character, opening with these lines: “She sits alone in a pink chair/By the window of a café/She sips hot tea off a tray/Every weekday/Like she’s on display.” That’s followed by “Flowers For Myself,” which goes a bit too far into the pop realm for my taste. I prefer the next track, “It Just Takes One.” Sure, it is ridiculously positive, but it seems we need this sort of thing these days, more than at any other point I can recall during my lifetime. I mean, things are screwed up out there, and we want to feel like we can effect some change, both in our own lives and in the world at large. This song reminds us that it is possible, that we are not powerless. “It just takes one smile to brighten someone’s day/It just takes one laugh to chase the blues away/If someone’s feeling down and out/Lend a hand, help him out.”

“Once In A Blue Moon” is for me one of the album’s highlights. It has a sweet, pretty, delightful and engaging folk-pop sound, a sound you can drift away upon. “‘Cause once in a blue moon/He buys her flowers/Takes her by the hand/And looks into her eyes/Once in a blue moon/He holds her tight/Whispers in her ear/And kisses her good night.” There is something pretty about “The Bee & The Rose” too, which has an enchanting vibe and a wonderful vocal line. This song has what is probably the album’s best vocal performance.

There are more positive vibes in “Do You Know?” with Olivia asking us “Do you know just how lovely you are?” and “Do you know just how special you are?” But of course it’s the “Do do do do” vocal part that is the most positive and totally catchy. You might not want to like this song, particularly if you’re feeling cynical and pessimistic, but you will probably end up enjoying it. She follows that with a mellower folk tune, “Cocoon.” While most of the album was recorded in Nashville, this track was recorded in Amherst, Massachusetts. The CD then concludes with “Makin’ Room For You.” On the CD case, it is listed as a bonus track, but no one has yet adequately explained to me how an album can have a bonus track on its initial release. Anyway, it has a pleasant vibe with something of a 1970s influence. I dig the saxophone toward the end of the track. That’s James Zavala on sax. “I’m getting rid of the old/And getting ready for new/Oh baby, I’m making room for you.”

CD Track List

1. Orchid
2. Moon To My Sun
3. Porcelain
4. Flowers For Myself
5. It Just Takes One
6. Once In A Blue Moon
7. Lettin’ Summer Shine
8. The Bee & The Rose
9. Do You Know?
10. Cocoon
11. Makin’ Room For You 

Orchid was released on June 14, 2019.

Rob Laufer: “The Floating World” (2019) CD Review

There is a whole lot of fantastic music coming out of Los Angeles these days, which of course is thrilling for me, since I reside in this city. One of the groups I have yet to see, but keep hearing about, is the Wild Honey Orchestra, a collection of well-known L.A. musicians who put on benefit concerts (they did one earlier this year featuring the music from The Kinks’ Are The Village Green Preservation Society). The man behind these concerts is Rob Laufer, a singer and songwriter who has produced albums for other artists as well as released a few albums of his own. The last one, Excruciating Bliss, came out nine years ago, and he’s finally followed that up with The Floating World. While he is joined on certain tracks by some special guests, this is basically a solo album, with Rob Laufer playing most of the instruments. He also wrote all the tracks.

The disc kicks off with “Avalanche,” a cool pop tune with folk elements. Check out these lyrics: “We could disappear without a sound/They found her belongings/Strung between the lake and a swallow’s nest/She writes from the new world/Buried is how I remember best.” Dave Pearlman plays pedal steel on this track, as well as the one that follows it, “Highway Machine,” which is one of my favorites. I love this music; it has everything I want: excellent lyrics and a sound that is its own, somewhere in the middle of rock, pop and folk, a full sound that carves its own reality and invites us inside. Plus, there is a string section, which I always appreciate. I am a sucker for cello. Matt Fish is on cello, and Lyn Bertles is on violin. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Would you opt for lore and illusion/To the exclusion of the spark/Sure, it’s sad pulling reasons by the roots/And sure, it’s sad packing monkeys into suits/But naming’s just a form of persuasion.” Rob Laufer then changes gears for “Bolt Of Blue,” a fun, upbeat number. This one is dominated by some great sounds on keys. Eric Drew Feldman is on organ and horns; Danny McGough is on Wurlitzer. “Holy robes and clever sayings/Never held much sway for you/So why is your TV on that channel/The first thing that you tune it to.”

“Floating World,” the album’s title track, has a pretty sound (with just a touch of a John Lennon vibe, right?). And again, this album features some excellent lyrics, such as these lines: “And the floating world was her own/No sailor could hold onto her/Harpoons, torpedoes, valentines/All seemed to pass right through her.” That’s followed by “Space And Time,” another of the disc’s highlights. Its nice, strong, prominent beat brings a smile to my face, this track reminding me a bit of T. Rex, mostly in the vocal approach. Yeah, there is definitely a late 1960s feel to this, with a bit of a trippy vibe at moments. Lyn Bertles and Matt Fish return on violin and cello respectively. I seriously love this track. “Don’t be afraid to come alive/Nothing will leave you satisfied.”

As I mentioned, this album boasts some tremendous lyrics. From “Fence,” I really like the line “She’d dress herself in clouds.” That was one that stood out for me the first time I listened to this album. That line, almost on its own, creates a vivid character. Then Carl Sealove joins Rob Laufer on bass for “This River.” As “The Holding Sea,” opens, the vibe is similar to some of Aimee Mann’s music, which of course I love. “As Long As You Belong” has something of a 1970s sound, and features Nick Vincent on conga drum. “Why’s it gotta be so hard/When they say all you gotta do is whistle.” The album then concludes with “Hippie Love.” I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one, based solely on its title. When I had hair (oh, those long gone days) I was sometimes called a hippie (though I was much too young to actually be a part of that movement), so I tend to bristle at the use of the word, which often seems to be used with disdain. There has always been something derogatory about the word. And in this song, is Rob Laufer’s attitude toward the couple condescending or affectionate? Seems to be a bit of both. You’ll have to decide for yourself when you listen to it. The song has a cheerful vibe, in part because of its beat. Nick Vincent plays conga on this one too. “Come away, come away with me/Paradise is just around the bend/We’ll hide from the man/We won’t have a plan.”

CD Track List

1. Avalanche
2. Highway Machine
3. Bolt Of Blue
4. Floating World
5. Space And Time
6. Fence
7. This River
8. The Holding Sea
9. As Long As You Belong
10. Hippie Love

The Floating World was released on August 23, 2019. By the way, for those living in Los Angeles, Rob Laufer is playing at the next Mimosa Music Series concert on September 29th.

Johnny Shines: “The Blues Came Falling Down: Live 1973” (2019) CD Review

Everybody I know has the blues these days. If you are paying attention at all, it is difficult to avoid them. Fortunately, the blues can sound so good, as they do on this live album from Johnny Shines. Johnny Shines was the real deal. Born in 1915, he began playing in the early 1930s, a great time for the blues, and he toured with Robert Johnson for a while during that decade. The Blues Came Falling Down: Live 1973 is, as its title promises, a live recording of a concert Johnny Shines performed in 1973 at Washington University in St. Louis. This was a fairly active time in his career. In addition to touring, he put out several albums in the early 1970s. This CD is mostly a solo performance, with Leroy Jodie Pierson joining him on guitar on a few tracks. Most of the songs on this disc were written by Johnny Shines, but there are also a few Robert Johnson tunes.

The album opens with “Big Boy Boogie,” a wonderful acoustic blues tune. The way Johnny Shines speaks in introducing the song, he sounds like a folk performer, reminding me just a bit of Arlo Guthrie in the way he says “about this time.” Is it just me? This is an instrumental tune, but with Johnny offering some comments on the music at different points, giving us a bit of biographical information, and even a bit of a music lesson. There is some joyful playing, which I appreciate. And from the audience’s applause at the end, it’s clear they appreciated it too. He seems so modest, softly saying “I hope you like it” as he begins “Seems Like A Million Years.” It begins with some good work on guitar, and then his voice suddenly comes in, a voice with a tremendous power and a whole lot of passion, sort of in contrast to what we’ve heard of his speaking voice. “Seems like a million years since I sat down and wrote to you/Now and then I wonder why I love you the way I do.” And, holy moly, listen to the power behind that voice as he begins “Have You Ever Loved A Woman,” delivering that first line a cappella, and stretching it out, like an announcement that the blues are here, and are here to stay. This track is fantastic, mainly because of his vocal performance.

Johnny Shines introduces “Stay High All Day Long” as an old song, and I love the humor of his introduction. “Oh, I guess it was wrote way back when, you know.” He has such a good rapport with the crowd. This track finds him doing some interesting stuff with his voice as well as with his guitar, and is a totally engaging song. I love the way he holds onto the word “down” in the line “Well, society bring me down.” And, hey, sometimes staying high all day long seems the right way to go, the right way to handle the current political horror show. Toward the end, this song mentions Chubby Checker and James Brown: “I don’t do the Chubby Checker, James Brown or no one else/Well, the good lord made us all, and I just be myself.”

With “Happy Home,” I like that he takes a moment to feel his way into the song on guitar, then finds that cool rhythm. It’s interesting that this song is paired with “Someday Baby Blues,” because in this one he also sings the words “Someday baby” several times. “Someday Baby Blues” is a cool, slower blues gem. “Well, someday baby I won’t have to worry over you.” That’s followed by “They’re Red Hot (Hot Tamales),” which is so much fun. He tells the audience they should know this song, that it just came out “the day before yesterday.” It moves at a quick clip, and is a joy to listen to. It’s a short number, and it ends rather abruptly. In his introduction to “You’re The One I Love,” Johnny Shines tells the audience: “I don’t care who you are, where you come from, you’re going to have the blues. Sooner or later, you’re going to have the blues. You know, if you didn’t have them yesterday, you’ll have ‘em tomorrow.” That gets the audience laughing. Half the track is the introduction, and yet the introduction flows so well into the song that it feels that these things are not separate, He gives a kind of sweet, gentle vocal performance here, then belts out lyrics at certain moments, as when he sings “God knows I love you.”

“Sweet Home Chicago” is a song that never fails to delight me, and clearly the audience feels the same way, for the moment this tune begins, the folks there start clapping along. This is a good rendition, and it features Leroy Jodie Pierson on guitar. Pierson also joins him on guitar on “The Blues Came Falling Down,” the disc’s title track. “Let me hear you, Leroy,” Johnny Shines says a little more than halfway through, and we are treated to a delicious guitar section. Then “Big Star Falling” begins with the two guitarists giving us a cool little jam. This is another fun number. That’s the last track to feature Leroy Jodie Pierson, but Johnny Shines then borrows Leroy’s guitar for “Tell Me Mama.” There is a bit of tuning and joking at the beginning of this one, with Johnny saying “And when I tell a joke, everybody laughs whether they want to or not.”  This track is another of the disc’s highlights. “Now won’t you tell me mama, what in the world is wrong with you/It just don’t seem like I can please you, woman, no matter what in the world I do.” That’s followed by “Ramblin’,” which seems to be a variation of “Walkin’ Blues.” Before “It’s Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” he thanks the audience. He introduces that song as one of his mother’s favorite songs, and delivers a very cool rendition. I particularly like his choices on guitar for this one.

CD Track List

1. Big Boy Boogie
2. Seems Like A Million Years
3. Cold In Hand Blues
4. Kind Hearted Woman Blues
5. Have You Ever Loved A Woman
6. Stay High All Day Long
7. Stand By Me
8. I’m A Steady Rollin’ Man
9. Happy Home
10. Someday Baby Blues
11. They’re Red Hot (Hot Tamales)
12. You’re The One I Love
13. Sweet Home Chicago
14. The Blues Came Falling Down
15. Big Star Falling
16. Tell Me Mama
17. Ramblin’
18. It’s Nobody’s Fault But Mine
19. Goodbye Boogie
20. How You Want Your Rollin’ Done

The Blues Came Falling Down: Live 1973 was released on May 3, 2019.

Eva And The Vagabond Tales: “Uncharted Ocean” (2019) CD Review

I love music that is able to transport me in some way, and such is certainly the case with Uncharted Ocean, the new album from Eva And The Vagabond Tales. Though based in Riverside, California, this group has a beautifully timeless sound that would seem right at home in some European café. That sound has a tremendous appeal, and it is led and shaped by Eva Mikhailovna, who not only provides the vocals and composes the songs, but also plays the majority of instruments, including acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, bass, accordion and ukulele. Jacob Pflum is on drums and percussion, Alan Arteaga is on banjo and bass, and Jasmine Capitulo is on accordion. Charles Newman is on keys, and also co-produced the album with Eva Mikhailovna. There is also a string section adding to the beauty and emotional impact of many of these tracks. It is composed of Claudia Chopek on violin and viola, and Christian Dupree on cello. As the album’s title suggests, the ocean is a thematic element running through several of these tracks, as you can see from a glance at the track list, with songs like “Sea Will Return You,” “Shallows Of The Sea” and “The Lighthouse.”

Eva Mikhailovna’s voice is of course the first thing that strikes you as the album begins with “Demur.” There is something adorable about her voice; it has an innocence, a youthful curiosity and excitement, as well as an undeniable beauty. And the first line establishes the ocean theme: “Like a ship with no sail.” The music too is delightful, and features some nice work by Jasmine Capitulo on accordion. And then, holy moly, there is even some yodeling. There is just a hint of it a couple of times early on, but then there is some real yodeling toward the end. “Won’t you please always remember.” That is followed by “Please Keep Me,” which has a more serious tone. There is something so engaging and earnest about this music, and here she seems to be singing for everyone who is reaching out for a connection, or reaching in. “And I, I know I’m confused/But tell me what to do/Don’t leave me/I, I learned how to find/What I lost inside/Please keep me.” The lyrics to this song are so good, so touching. “And I, I stayed up every night/To see who I was inside/Am I no one?”

“Silent Creatures” is one of my personal favorites. There is something so beautiful about this song, and something familiar about it. It very quickly made a home in my brain, in my heart, and I feel all the better for it. And I’m beginning to suspect that Eva Mikhailovna is one of the most talented songwriters working today. Check out lines like “If I am cursed, then aren’t we all/We’re all the same shadows falling over everyone” and “How I wish I had something/That would make me feel complete/I don’t like how you say please/’Cause it can still take everything/Even though I have nothing/That you’d ever want from me.” This song also features some wonderful work on strings. This is an album that I love more and more as it goes, and one that affects me more each time I listen to it. Jack McLoughlin plays electric guitar on this track. “Silent Creatures” is followed by “Tomorrow Comes Too Soon,” which has a fairly straightforward folk sound at the start. Then when her vocals come in, there is an endearing quality. You just want to embrace her voice, or have it embrace you. “Hold me closer/Let me know/You’re not leaving me alone.” I also love the cello.

“Thoughts” is gorgeous right from the start, sounding like it comes from a slightly different reality, slipping into our lives at night through our open windows, through our dreams. Then after a minute or so, it takes a turn, as the percussion comes in with a cheerful and unusual rhythm. There is something magical about this sound, this music. It seems to create its own space, its own universe, and invites us to drift along with it. “Sea Will Return You” has an interesting opening section, dominated by the vocals. It then kicks in to become a pleasant, bright song with a pop vibe, featuring some nice work by Alan Arteaga on banjo. Then “Heart Still Beats” begins with some ethereal vocals, then takes on an intriguing and appealing timeless otherworldly quality. Yet there is also a playful aspect to this song. The line that stood out the first time I listened to this album was “I’m going to burn down every place we were.”

The strings at the beginning of “If You Hide Me Away” are gorgeous and moving. This song too has a timeless, magical quality, and it is gentle, loving with us. “Why did we have to be so afraid/If you hide me away/I’ll wait every day/Not afraid.” Logan Coale plays upright bass on this track, and on the following track, “Shallows Of The Sea.” “Shallows Of The Sea” features another beautiful vocal performance. “You just take what you want and then you let me go/Take what you want and then you let me go/Take what you want and then you let me go/‘Cause that’s what I deserve.” Cameron Baldeon joins the group on lap steel on this track. This album then concludes with “The Lighthouse,” a song that grabs me from the moment it begins. “There’s a ball in the lighthouse tonight/Let’s have a drink with friends and foes.” I love this band’s style, its sound; it takes inspiration from the past and from some alternate present that I want to visit much more often.

CD Track List

1. Demur
2. Please Keep Me
3. Silent Creatures
4. Tomorrow Comes Too Soon
5. Thoughts
6. Sea Will Return You
7. Heart Still Beats
8. If You Hide Me Away
9. Shallows Of The Sea
10. The Lighthouse

Uncharted Ocean was released on CD and vinyl May 17, 2019. (Apparently the vinyl is colored sea green, which means I need to get a copy for myself.)