Gabe Hizer “Persistence of Memory”
Gabe Hizer’s Persistence of Memory was a totally unexpected listen. His music can best be described as a cross between 70s folk and adult contemporary, and there’s a little bit of country sprinkled into the mix. Think Gordon Lightfoot’s song-stylings with a voice like Gary Puckett.
All of that makes Persistence of Memory a very unique listen. Gabe’s songwriting is elegant and mature. I can’t see kids grabbing this up; this is music for people that have already traveled down life’s road a bit, especially songs like “Some Things Never Change” and “The Lesson”. These two are particularly poignant. “Some Things Never Change” deals with the changes that Alzheimer’s Disease takes on the life of a loved one. It’s hard not to feel the emotion when listening to this song. This is one of those songs that will leave you in tears by the time that the last note is played and sung. With “The Lesson”, Gabe paints an accurate picture of how we all react to the end of a relationship, from the self-imposed loneliness to the inability to see that there may be hope for good things in the future. I particularly love the lines “It’s the time when you’re out of on you own/Your heart turns to stone for awhile/You can’t see that there’s light up ahead/All you know is the darkness inside”. I can’t think of any better words than these to describe how I’ve felt after a break up.
Gabe seems to be in tune with the broken hearted. “Paris Café” is a reflection of a man that can’t get away from the memory of the lover that’s left him, no matter how far he travels.
One of my favorite songs on Persistence Of Memory is “The Ballad Of Joey And The Bottle”. I think Gabe was channeling Gordon Lightfoot when he was writing this one. The song is actually about the insanity defense, something that Gabe, a former lawyer knows more than a little bit about. The song is sung in that folk country style that Lightfoot perfected in the early 70s. “The Ballad Of Joey And The Bottle” would be right at home sung next to the likes of Alberta Bound and High and Dry.
This album was an absolute joy to listen to. I loved the beauty of the songs, but more than that I loved Gabe’s voice and his incredible range. The man can hit the low notes and some pretty high ones, and he does it without making the listener cringe. In fact, listening to Persistence Of Memory is blissful. It’s an album I’d recommend to all my friends that love the music of the 70s, because Gabe has captured all the good things that were brought to music in that decade and he’s created a beautiful album that should be savored like a fine wine. It’s only February, but I count Gabe’s Persistence Of Memory one of my favorite albums of the year. I’m sure in December when I look back on all the music that’s come out, this album will still be in the top.
Review by Andrea Guy
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