Whiskey Six is comprised of Chris Strickler on vocals and guitar, Jake Dalton (AKA – Mongo) on lead guitar, Raf Garcia on bass, and Matt Indes on the drums.  They appropriately got their name, or maybe inappropriately is a better word, when the band was only a trio, each possessing two testicles. Each member of the band also possesses a weighty admiration with things pertaining to whiskey, mostly the drinking of it.  They added Matt Indes on drums and realized they had a problem with their name, but thus far have remained Whiskey Six.  I suspect Whiskey Six has a much better ring to it than does Whiskey Eight. Six will always be a superior number to eight when it comes to the name of a hardcore rock band.

In one interview the band was asked, “Are you any good?”  Matt Indes replied, “When we’re drinking we think we sound great.  When the audience is drinking we sound even better”.  Let me tell you something boys; I haven’t had a drink in nearly eighteen years and I think you sound fantastic.

This amazingly well crafted set of three songs begins with “Your Disease”.  The listener is lured in to the tune with a Resonator that starts the whole thing off at a deceivingly slow pace, closely followed by Mongo’s gift for playing extraordinarily superior lead guitar, taking the listener to the next, much faster phase of the tune.  “Your Disease” possesses a heavy dose of attitude.  Why wouldn’t it?  First off, the title has the word “disease” in it.  It should be illegal in the rock world to use the word disease without an enormous quantity of attitude.  Attitude certainly resides here, and then some.

The second track is “Seven Headed”, a raucously heavy-handed indulgence for the lover of hard southern rock music.  Chris Strickler’s vocals are perfect.  The rhythm section is right on, and Mongo’s lead guitar is right there in all its glory, doing what it is designed to do: lead the way without overwhelming the tune.  It’s a perfect blend that comes together to form a piece of rock ‘n roll art.

Finally,  “Heavy Metal Doom Machine” wraps it all up.  My guess is that this is the band’s anthem, if they were to have one.  It’s a tune with complete attitude, and I don’t mean a good attitude.  I mean bad attitude.  You know what I mean – rebellious, unruly, defiant, disobedient!  Again, Mr. Strickler’s vocals are right on target as is Mongo on lead guitar.  If my ears were not deceiving me, I’d say I hear a Resonator in the background as well, complimenting it all.  This adds depth to the tune and, I believe, takes it far beyond other songs of this genre.

As Jake Dalton (Mongo) said in one interview, “Both Chris (Strickler) and I listen to a lot of the great blues guitarists, R L. Burnside, Rory Gallagher – guitarists that had a stripped down, raw edge to their music.  We wanted to bring that energy into what we do.”  Congratulations gentlemen, you have succeeded here!

Other current musicians heavily influence most rock or pop bands today.  In many cases, this can cause them to become somewhat two-dimensional.  Bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Yardbirds, along with other bands from the 60’s and early 70’s were influenced significantly by blues legends.  It’s what made them great and gave them longevity.  It would appear that Whiskey Six has adopted this practice from some of these other successful predecessors.  With that in mind, and if Whiskey Six doesn’t lose sight of who they are, we should be hearing a lot more from this great band in the future.

Review by Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Whiskey Six

When I listened to this record for the very first time and Danie Syre chimed in on the first track, “Something Real”, I immediately thought of Margo Timmins from one of my favorite Canadian bands, Cowboy Junkies, with a hint of twang. Ms. Syre’s voice is as smooth as freshly laundered flannel sheets. I say flannel because flannel is warm and comfortable especially when it’s freshly laundered. This record is very warm and comfortable in the end, but first it takes the listener through an array of emotions, mostly surrounding abandonment and broken relationships.

For instance, the title cut “Time for the Truth”, written after the break-up of her fourteen-year marriage, is a song about love and eventually the evaporation of the love, which once brought the two of them together. She sings the song with an enormous amount of emotion. She articulates every word in such a manner you know she truly means what she is singing. “And its time for the truth/This time I’ve nothin’ to lose/And its time for the truth/And this time I’ve been waitin’ for you” It’s not a hateful song really. It’s more about closure and eventually about being able to move on with her life, which she has apparently done, as evidenced by the release of this set of eleven original tunes.

Track five on this record is a tune called “Rose”. Ms. Syre didn’t know her mother very well and, in fact, had been raised almost exclusively by her father. Later on there were twelve years where Danie and her mother did not speak at all. In 2008 when she heard the news that her estranged mother had passed away, “Rose” was born. It’s a song full of questions that we always wanted to ask but never had the chance. Now the answers to the questions are all gone and there is no possible way to retrieve them. Therefore, she has been left to develop her own answers, which will eventually lead her to forgiveness and ultimately healing. “What were you running for/Who were you running against/I just don’t know/Would you say it was all left to fate/Or was it a script of a role you had to play/If I had written our story/I’d be sure to  make it happy/I would have written it that way. “Rose” is a beautiful song and is performed to perfection. The wailing of the pedal steel guitar, beautifully played by Nathan Carroll, resides in the background eloquently representing the tears that go with the song.

The tunes on this record were conjured up with a large dose of heart, pain, suffering, and eventually fond memories (“Campfire Song”) with a dash of comedy (“Simple Fool”) that brings us some relief from the pain.

In her bio, she tells of her father being the biggest influence in her life in many ways, but especially in the evolution of her musical journey. He was a guitarist and there would be many a day where friends and family would come over. They would sit and play together for hours. Many of these friends and family members were excellent musicians themselves, so her almost constant exposure to the arts helped her to form into the talented musician she is today. The material for her first record, The Journey, released in 2007, came to her while caring for her ailing father, to whom she dedicated the album.

When her father passed, Ms. Syre was left with his Martin guitar he loved so much. This inspired her to write “Martin”, a cool little blues song written out of the love and adoration she possessed for her father and his guitar. Even though the song is called “Martin”, I’m not sure her father didn’t play a huge role in the creation of this song, which by the way, happens to be my favorite tune on the record with “Simple Fool” a close second.

Ms. Syre wrote all the songs on this record plus sang and played guitar. In addition, she was accompanied by a small army of musicians; Nathan Carroll played lead, acoustic, and pedal steel guitars, Darcy Johnstone played bass, Joey McIntyre on drums, Jason Kodie on the piano, accordion, and the Hammond, Shannon Johnson on violin, Scott Peters on the mandolin, Chris Wynters on guitar, Krispian Smidt-Paborn on harmonica, and Kjierstin Hubka sang background vocals.

This record is quite dramatic in many ways, born from many different emotions. The death of her father, the estrangement and eventual death of her mother, the end of her own marriage, all of which has come together to create the vision she would need to write the material for this sophomore effort. The emotions that went into the creation of the material transcend into her performance as well.

Danie Syre is certainly an artist I will keep my ear very close to the ground for, listening for more to come. If she can keep writing material as strong as the eleven songs on this record, she should have a very bright future ahead.

Review by Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Danie Syre, Time for the Truth

David Robert King hails from Boise, Idaho and in my opinion is someone we all need to pay very close attention to.  His EP Take Me Home is comprised of five very well-crafted tunes that obviously come from the very heart and soul of this young artist.

As I have stated in many reviews of americana and/or roots music over the years, for the music to be successful it must come from the heart and soul. If it doesn’t, it fails. By successful, I don’t mean it has to sell a million copies. It simply means the artist has to be satisfied with his work. After compiling these five tunes, Mr. King should be very satisfied.

He begins the EP with a strange little love ballad called “Strange Freedom”. I get it though. “There’s a strange freedom in knowing//The one that you love doesn’t love you back”. True statement. It’s the not knowing that holds you prisoner and will drive you insane. At the very least, the knowledge of not having reciprocal love frees us, eventually enabling us to move on to the next heartbreak, or whatever else lies ahead.

Next up is the title cut for the EP, “Take Me Home”. It’s a painful, yet well-crafted tune about sleepless nights and tormented days of lost love, broken hearts, and striving to get back to where you were prior to the broken heart, but the receiver of said love is not on the same page. The confusion, the pain, the hope, the disappointments; it’s all present in this fine tune. “My head is spinning and my hearts a mess/Take me home/But in the meantime/Leave me alone”

The final cut on the EP is very cool tune called “As Closed”. The gentle picking of the banjo, accompanied by piano and organ all compliment each other, gracefully building as we move along through the song, intertwining beautifully with the lyrics. “As closed as my eyes seem/I can tell you’re right there with me/And I’ll hold on to you/Even when the whole world shakes/The world will just have to wait/You’re all I can see/You made everything different/You made everything beautiful.”

Where previous tunes on the record have been about confusion, hopelessness, and wounded hearts, this song is a sharp contrast, bringing the listener messages of hope and the beauty of love found, along with the joy it can bring to us. It is absolutely my favorite song on the EP and was a great way to end this superb treasure. The music here is big, very big. I would be quite amazed if we do not hear a lot more from this exceptional new artist. I could honestly relate to every single tune on the EP.

David Robert King is a very talented singer/songwriter and I truly enjoyed listening to and writing about his fastidiously sensitive music. I definitely will look forward to hearing more from him in the future.

Review by Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames David Robert King, Take Me Home

There is no telling what you will hear coming out of the worlds greatest city. There is just so much, it can be incredibly overwhelming.

I had been anxiously awaiting this EP, not because I had ever heard of the band, but it was rapidly approaching deadline time, yet I had received nothing to review. Then, alas, in the mail today was the uninspiring brown envelope with the music I had been sitting on pins and needles, earnestly awaiting.

I knew time was of an essence so I ran to my laptop, and inserted the CD. I was, immediately and utterly blown away by what was coming through my headphones and penetrating the right side of my brain.

I review a lot of music and currently I am completely buried in a mountain of CD’s and digital downloads, which I need to listen too and decide on the ones I will review. Hawk and Dove is as good as anything I have buried in that mountain of music. They are as good and in some cases, even better than just about anything in that pile, and believe me, there are some great artists there.

One thing I watch for or more appropriately in this case, listen for in a new band, is what is different about the performance. What makes them stand out? With Hawk and Dove, I can think of several things. Their compositions for one thing, there are only four tunes here, but they are a very potent four.

The melodies are sonically powerful and the individual performances are even stronger, but the one thing that truly defines Hawk and Dove would have to be Elijah Miller’s vocals. He possesses a raspy voice that reminded me of Tom Waits played at a slightly higher RPM than 33 1/3. He also wrote the strange and wonderful lyrics to these four tracks.

Rachel Lyons beautifully plays the violin and on the song “Stain”, she aids in creating a haunting atmosphere to the tune. I listened to it early this morning and the sound of it has been following me around, echoing in my head all day long. The lyrics are wonderful and are a bit on the strange side –

We’ve been boiling frogs,

Just to see if it’s true.

And we watched to make sure

That there like me and you

They just sit there and don’t

Seem to mind what we do.

Strange indeed, to say the least, but it adds to the uniqueness of this wonderful new band.

The guitar played by John Kleber is slightly distorted and lies in the background. His instrument is meant to inspire and compliment Miller’s vocals and he succeeds here. Ms. Lyon’s expertise on the violin, and Mr. Kleber’s guitar, besides being quite good, also understands where he is supposed to reside within each composition; everything collides to make this a wonderful listening experience.

The rhythm section is comprised of Stephanie Sanders on bass and session musician Dave Butler on drums. They expertly pave the way for the rest of the band, binding everything together in a tightly cohesive comportment.

I look forward to hearing and seeing more from Hawk and Dove in the future. Hearing music like this forces me into a dilemma; do I stay here, deep in the heart of Texas, or do I pack up all of my belongings and my family and get our posteriors up to NYC where it seems everything is happening.

 Reviewed By Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Hawk and Dove, Rocking Chair

Big Blue Spruce is a trio from Philly P.A. consisting of Paul Miller on guitar and vocals, Dan Park on drums and vocals, and Will Morieschi on bass and vocals, pleasantly surprised me with a sampler of their music. I call it a sampler because it only consisted of three songs.

I didn’t realize this when I first inserted the CD into the CD player in my car on Saturday when I was on my way to Fredericksburg to watch some high school basketball. I only mention this because, as it turns out this was some really amazing “road” music. Then all of a sudden the fourth tune on the record played and I thought to myself; this seems familiar.

The fourth track was, in reality, the first song repeating itself. This is how I realized there were only three songs on the record. Oh well.

However, the good news for Big Blue Spruce is I wanted to hear more. They achieved a goal that should be the goal of every recording artist. That goal is leaving the listener hungry for more. Mission accomplished. Now go forth and record more music!

The first song on this little sampler is a very mellow tune called “All Away”. It begins with a very cool jazzy intro that is sonically pleasing to the ear and is sure to get your foot tapping and your head nodding. The song pulls you in immediately and captivates you with they three part harmony. There is most definitely chemistry within this trio and when you listen to them it becomes quite obvious they were meant to sing and play music together. The arrangement itself is really quite simple but they manage to make it sound more complicated than it truly is. Will Moreschi wows us as with a very nice bass solo about half way through the tune.

Next on the record is “Show Your Face”. This tune is more about the vocals than anything else. “Oh my God/Show your face/take control of this faith/Sorry It’s not what you wanted/I don’t know what you believe/Your trust is the door that you open for me/maybe I should believe/Oh my God/Show your face”. Again a very simple song in arrangements but they accomplish making it seem more complex, driving the song with some very strong vocals.

Lastly, and my favorite song on the record is “When It Dies”. You have the rhythm guitar leading the way then all three chime in with their three part harmony that goes so well with the song. They slow it down a bit on this track which enables them to create a jamming little tune I liked a lot. Of the three songs showcased here, this one is driven primarily by the bands ability to harmonize and please the sense of hearing with their arrangement of the vocals. The first thought I had when I heard this trio harmonize together was POCO or maybe Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. They really are that good. Those references can not be ignored. Finally Mr. Miller ties it all together with a fine guitar solo that really shines a spotlight on his talent as a guitar player.

Mr. Miller on guitar and Mr. Moreschi on the bass guitar do a fine job and have moments where they showcase their talents on their respected instruments.  Mr. Park binds them all together on drums. As mentioned previously when I talked about the vocals they reminded me of some great vocally driven bands but sonically I was reminded of the Atlanta Rhythm Section. They have that mellow, kind of laid back rock ‘n roll sound to them. Only it’s all updated to their very own era with their very own touch.

This sampler seems to be expertly showcased in its production values produced by Dan Park. All it needs is more; as in more material. Perhaps they have it, but if they do, they need to throw down some more tracks. In my opinion, this neat little trio needs to get busy writing more songs for us to enjoy.  They’re certainly off to a good start.

Reviewed By Rod Ames

CD Review Writers, Rod Ames Big Blue Spruce, The Seed

At first glance Mercuryhat had a very fresh sound to it. But upon closer inspection, the result of listening to the first full track, Hovercraft, it sounded as if the band was more REM than Mercuryhat. I liked it, but I could not escape the idea I was listening to someone who sounded like someone else. It would have been different if they were covering one of REM’s tunes but this was not the case. It’s okay to be influenced by a band. Hell, The Beatles were influenced by Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Buddy Holly. However, they were able to create their own identity. I do not believe anyone would or could argue that point.

The third cut on the record is Hurricane Tree. This tune fares much better than its predecessor, and is a finely written, well constructed song about someone trying to escape the pain they have been through following a broken relationship. The softly picked lead guitar played by Steve Wilt, adds to the melancholy mood of the song. Even though the song is about the pain of a broken relationship, it does not dwell on doom and gloom. Instead, it focuses on hope, as the words continue repeating in the chorus, “But I keep on holding on”. Towards the end of the tune it takes off in an entirely different direction presenting the listener with a very trippy sound evoked in the electronically enhanced lyrics, “I could have used you as a friend/I could have loved you better then/I could have used as a friend and could have loved you better then”, leaving us with a feeling of reflection and remorse at some of the things the storyteller could have done differently to have made the damaged relationship a better one. But it’s all too late.

On Memo To Self the band had at last achieved their individuality. This is the song I was waiting for. It possessed all of the influences of the musicians they stated in their bio had influenced them, but it was all their own. Mercuryhat, with Memo To Self, have found who they are. Eric Ott’s vocals were amazing and Steve Wilt again adds his obvious expertise to the song with his blues sounding guitar. Towards the end of the tune the band completely abandons the soft approach experienced in the first two-thirds of the song, and let loose with some rocking guitar riffs lead in by some impressive bass guitar playing. It all comes together and propels us to an amazing crescendo that will leave you astounded at what you just heard.  On this particular tune the band excels to the level I had come to expect from them after reading their bio. Finally, I believe we had what Mercuryhat should be.

Overall, I would say this is a decent record. There are actually glimpses of pure genius. Steve Wilt’s guitar is masterful on songs such as Barrington, Memo To Self, and others, but I believe the band as a whole, needs to discover who they truly are. Do they want to sound like someone else or do they want to be influenced? There is a difference and I believe they are very close to discovering what that difference is.

Reviewed By Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Blinding Blues, Mercuryhat, Stinging Bees

Town That Time Forgot is the latest album from Terry Penney that takes the listener on a trip through time.  It has a very down home feel that few, except for the likes of Billy Joe Shaver, Kris Kristofferson, Townes Van Zandt, and Steve Earle, have been able to accomplish. He is indeed in great company.

The crickets are chirping. You can hear the rolling thunder and hounds barking in the distance. Then, all of sudden, you hear someone running, their feet hitting the dirt hard. At this point we are led into the tune with dobro and its sliding licks. It’s official; we have been introduced to A Place to Hide, the very first track on Terry Penney’s new record, Town That Time Forgot (Bulldog Records).

The song is what Folk or Americana genres are supposed to be about. There is a story involved, and you must pay attention to the lyrics. This is a trait missing in most mainstream music today. Penney captures this from the very first few lyrics – I’m Bones and loneliness, I been gone so long/Locked up in a prison cell for someone else’s wrong. Then in the chorus – So turn around girl it’s me standing ‘neath your back door light. You can hear the desperation in the song. He’s running away from the law but can’t stay away from the one person who believes in his innocence, which is sure to result in his capture or worse. He mentions prison, apple pie, and even Hank Williams. The song is right on target and doesn’t miss a beat.

The very next tune is the title cut, Town That Time Forgot. Terry Penney intones how things once were but connects it directly to today’s world – Where a dollar and the dirt roads stretch for miles/and the stars have yet to fall from the sky. I’m almost certain that folks in the larger metropolitan areas don’t even look up to see the stars anymore. They’ve all been swallowed up but the big city lights; and hell, you can’t even find anything at the “Dollar Store” for a dollar anymore. Penney takes us to a place where you can still see the stars and dirt roads are still in existence. It’s a song of great nostalgia and has a texture to it we don’t get to experience very much anymore.

The Fifth track on the record is Benny Brown. It’s a progressive bluegrass tune and is one of the best tracks on the record. It tells the story of a young man going off to fight in WWI, the war to end all wars, and as so many of these songs do; it ends in tragedy. It’s a song of valor and pays tribute to our heroes who have been sent off to war to fight and pay with there lives, the ultimate sacrifice. The arrangement is very traditional and complete with banjo, mandolin, and fiddle.

The final cut is Plan B. It’s a simple little tune, cut from a more traditional country vein. Everything about this song is simple, which is precisely why I loved it so much. The lyrics are something we all can probably relate with to some degree – I lay it all down and walk through the gate/another twelve hours punched at a job that I hate/I drive away into the night, just another day in my life. The chorus raps it all up into a nice neat little package – Hey, Lord throw me a line/I’m sinking down her can’t you see?/The preacher says hold fast boy this is God’s plan/No offence Lord, But I’d love to see Plan B. Certainly, these are thoughts we have all had at on time, I know I have. But it’s also about his faith. No matter how bad things get, he never gives up on his God.  He just wants to know if there is another plan. It captures the true essence of the working class hero.

Mr. Penney is accompanied on the record by Glenn Simmons on acoustic, electric guitars, and background vocals. Glenn Parsons plays bass.  Dean Stairs plays the piano, organ, acoustic guitar and bass. Fab Tranzer plays the mandolin and dobro.  Jody Hale is on the fiddle, mandolin and banjo, and Tommy Detamore plays the pedal steel.

This is a top notch recording produced by Terry Penney. He wrote or co-wrote all of the tunes. The production values were consistently professional through out the record resulting in a very rich listening experience.

 I suspect we will be hearing much from this great young artist in the very near future. I will certainly have my ear close to the earth listening for him, because that is where music such as Terry Penney’s comes from. It seems to grow up to us from the rich dark soil that lies underneath our feet, and connects with us in a very natural, earthy way.

Reviewed By Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Terry Penney, Time That Town Forgot

To be perfectly honest I was quite ready to not like this record, but when I inserted the CD into the player, something else happened. I not just liked the record, I loved it. I’ve never considered myself much of a mainstream kind of guy, but I recognize talent when I hear it, and it is definitely here.

The Hendrickson’s set out to produce and finance this entire project without the backing of a major record label even though it sounds as if it were. Mr. Hendrickson jokes that the two major investors for their project were Mastercard and Visa.

Musically this duo is all over the place. Nine times out of ten, I’d say there is evidence of a severe identity crisis present on this recording. However, these songs are all so well written, so well produced, and most importantly, so well performed, it all works to come together to create something that sounds like it should all be together. Jeremy Hendrickson has somehow infused all these different genres; blues, jazz, modern country, rock, and pop to form some powerfully upbeat music that we can all enjoy. Mr. Hendrickson’s talent for writing and producing plays a huge role for the seemingly seamless flow of the songs from one genre to the next. This is truly an amazing accomplishment for a seasoned veteran let alone someone trying to break through.

I believe a major reason for their success in meeting their goal of creating such a broad project, was the fact they were able to entice a select group of musicians, arrangers, engineers, and vocalists who have worked with major recording artists such as Faith Hill, Rascal Flatts, John Mayer, Mary J. Blige, Josh Groban, Mariah Carey, Eric Clapton, and Chicago. The production values always present on these artist’s recordings is present in this work as well. It shines through and makes for an incredible listening experience. The choir arrangements, the string arrangements, etc. all help this to be a very successful compilation of songs that all of us can relate to and enjoy.

I really believe I could sit in a room with my parents whom are in their late 70’s and 80’s, my youngest son who is fifteen, and my two adult sons who are in their mid to late 20’s, and we would all agree there is something for each one of us on this record. That was Jeremy and Rebecca’s intention and they absolutely succeed here.

When I read their bio and saw that their songs were all upbeat and family oriented, I have to admit there was a gag reflex, but they very quickly won me over. They succeeded in creating a very upbeat sounding record and I believe, will appeal to an extremely broad audience.

Rebecca Hendrickson’s voice is powerful and able to crossover from genre to genre seamlessly. She can be soulful, she can be country, she can be bluesy, she can be jazzy, and she can even be rock ‘n roll without changing who she is. It’s a unique ability that few performers possess. Jeremy and Rebecca harmonize beautifully and compliment each other throughout the record. Jeremy sings solo on several cuts and has a great voice as well. This is a very talented duo that very pleasantly surprised this reviewer.

The only negative I could find to this album is the cover. In my opinion it does not give us a good representation of what is to be found on the CD. In fact, had I not already read their bio I would have thought it to be some kind of a down home blue-grass record. My mother always told me “you can’t judge a book by its cover”; but mom didn’t know about the recording industry. For some people it’s the cover that grabs us initially, especially when we are trying to break through. So, I’d say jazz up the cover some; make it more appealing to a younger demographic, make them pick it up and give it a listen.

All in all I believe this to be an amazing record with some major talent. After I finished listening to the record I wondered; why haven’t I heard of these guys before? I sincerely do expect to hear a lot more from Jeremy and Rebecca in the very near future.

Reviewed By Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Jeremy and Rebecca, What We Leave Behind

Spiritually based music always continues to amaze me. There are so many variations from the spiritual music world that come from virtually every known culture. You have eastern oriental, Hindi, Chennia, and Buddhist chants, just to name a few. You get the idea.

Then you come to western spiritual music as we have come to know it.

American music in general is pop, rock, country, folk, jazz, and blues. American music has a separate genre for “spiritual”, but it is primarily a one dimensional genre we know as gospel. Recently on the scene we have been introduced to Christian Rock and even some pretty hard rock or thrasher style of Christian music. Many nations do not allow anything but their particular style of music, so it’s somewhat refreshing to hear someone from this country with her eastern roots come forth with her slant on spirituality in the form of her very own unique style.

Ms. Ward has a very soft and pleasant singing voice that fits right in with her compilations. She has assembled some world class artists to play on her debut record that may garner her some well deserved attention. H. N. Bhaksar on violin contributes a degree of mystery and adds a sometimes classical touch, sometimes a jazz touch, but most often a very spiritual touch. Bhaksar is a renowned violinist and composer who has acquired the ability to play many variations of music with equal finesse. His addition to this record creates a unique fusion of western and eastern music.

Ms. Wards distinct style will undoubtedly be categorized as ‘New Age’ and that is probably okay with her. Her style is a very difficult one to categorize. In my opinion she blends together two very different worlds. East and West joins together to express her views on not only eastern spirituality, but eastern philosophy as well, applying it to today’s world, ultimately making it appealing to anyone who would like to give it a try.

In my opinion, Ms. Ward’s music’s uses are endless but the most important use, and I believe the use most important to the composer; is its potential in helping one to get in touch with their creator who ever he, she, or it is.

One of the reasons I love doing what I do is so I can learn more about music and discover new and interesting forms of music. Sometimes you have to wade through a cesspool to get to something rewarding. I have had to listen to a lot of music in my life, a lot of which is often unlistenable, but now I have been introduced to Hui Ward making my musical journey a very rewarding one. I find this compilation to not only be rewarding for the listener, but believe this is a work of art the artist should hold close to her, and continue to nurture.

Will Ms. Ward ever reach “platinum” status as far as the selling of records is concerned? Probably not, but when I listen to her, I for one, do not believe that to be one of her goals. There is, or at least should be an audience out there for her. I know one thing for certain; I would be in that audience.

This was a very compelling and difficult review to write. I’m not an expert on eastern music but Hui Ward has enlightened me and pushed me into going out on a limb to research and discover many different genres I was previously not privy too. What an excursion it was. Thank you Ms. Ward.

Reviewed By Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Hui Ward, The Way

 When I listen to a new artist, I insert the CD and will listen to it four to five times, maybe even six times. Sometimes it just takes that long to get into the groove of what the artist is trying to project. Not this time. Ms. Young’s songs are refreshing and all her own. The arrangements are all impeccably designed and come together to create a beautiful rendition of what was originally born in her head. Each track is carefully laid out to create a mosaic of songs about love, love lost, fantasy, tragedy , spirituality, and hope, all of which we as listeners, have felt at some point in our lives. She connects with us. This is a very successful debut recording by this young artist from Rhinebeck, NY.

The musicians she has recruited for this venture are all masters at their respective instruments. For instance on Bethany’s Garden, Mike Demicco’s guitar adds not just his talent for guitar but also compliments and adds a bluesy feel to the drama of the lyrics in the desperation of the protagonist’s search for the wild roses that bloom forever in Bethany’s Garden. That’s not all though. Rachel Handman on violin takes it to a higher level of drama and ties everything together. You can feel the desperation, the anguish, and the torture of what our hero has gone through on her journey with the wailing violin in the not so distant background. Ms. Young’s voice shows a lot of range and I don’t mean just in octaves. The manner in which she almost whispers the lyrics help us to want to find out what happens to our hero. I love a song that tells a good story and this one does that. We care about the character in this story and it’s the lyrics and the way they are delivered that enables that to happen. It all works.

The fifth track is a jewel called The Wire. It’s a little tune about leaving your comfort zone, what ever that happens to be, and walk The Wire. No safety nets, simply putting one foot in front of the other to accomplish what ever it is you are trying to accomplish.  No one is making her walk the wire; no one is pointing a gun to her head as she puts it in the song. She’s doing what she has to do. It’s another song about moving forward and not looking back, no matter what lies in the path ahead. It’s a song of hope and fear and overcoming said fear. Again, like in Bethany’s Garden, the song is beautifully arranged and produced. Mr. Demicco’s guitar is there in all of its glory and again gives the song a very bluesy feel to a song, ironically enough, about hope. On this particular tune Scott Petito’s talent on the Hammond organ only adds to the flavor of the song.

Finally, on Into the Wilderness, we get another message of hope but more on a spiritual plane than one from experience. I guess you’d say our experiences are extremely closely related to our spiritual growth. This song is about that.

One foot in front of the other, one day at a time

I can see the reason but there’s no rhyme.

No turning back from the journey, now that it’s begun

Oh God, what have I done?

Walking into the wilderness

No path ahead I can see

Walking into the wilderness

Trusting you to guide me.

I believe this to be a song about recovery. Recovery from what life throws at us and using our faith to carry us through these experiences. I’m not a very religious person, but this song did touch me spiritually. In that respect, it is probably my favorite tune on the record. I love the lyrics but mostly I love the simplicity of the words and Ms. Young’s delivery of them.  We are reeled into the song by a profound and jazzy Latin beat you can’t help but tap your foot too. Phil Russo adds his expert saxophone talent to this tune adding to the complexity of the arrangement. Of course Mr. Demicco is there with his guitar along with Mr. Petito on the Hammond, and Peter O’Brien on drums. This is a fine and carefully arranged tune and I was surprised, but adored the abrupt ending to it. It all fit.

Overall, I loved this record. There are nine additional songs on this record and if space would have allowed, I certainly would have reviewed them and given them all excellent remarks. However, the three I chose to write about here all stood out to me.  If I had to, I would compare Cathy Young to someone like Mary Chapin Carpenter or Nicolette Larson, but only if I absolutely had too. My belief is Cathy Young can stand on- her- own.

 Reviewed By Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Cathy Young, Days Like These