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Darkness and Light
John Bunzow
It is a common
occurence for modern entertainers to be compared to great names that
have already carved their way in history. As in country music, it
seems the public will not be content until the next Woody Guthrie,
Pete Seger or Bob Dylan blow us all away with their insight, their
compassion and their sheer gift of music. I don't think this will
happen until the public realizes that ideas don't just jump out of
the speakers and into one's ears--you need to listen to what is
being said. That's why I'm glad that circumstances caused me to
first read the lyrics of DARKNESS
AND LIGHT before
I actually got to listen to the recording. This, folks, is poetry at
it's finest. These words come from the depths of the soul. They
travel upward and onward, forever forward. They describe the
heartache of true despair, the promise of hope and the joy of
contentment. To read these lyrics are to walk in the shoes of a man
who has seen the bottom. To listen to this recording is to take hold
of that man's hand and let him lead you to a better place, or at
least let you know that you do not travel alone. With the help of an
exceptional collection of musician's, this is a CD that will not
gather dust in your collection. Thanks to Tim Lauer on keyboards and
Allison Moorer, Anthony Crawford and Jimmy Hall providing harmony
vocals, Bunzow's thoughts and music come to life in a wonderful
manner. The rhythm section, Larry Mars on bass, Chad Cromwell and
John Gardner on drums provide a solid sound that is greatly enhanced
by Dan Dugmore's pedal steel guitar and Ray Kennedy's slide. I also
thought that adding shakers on "Choices Come Easy" was a
nice touch. The violin on "Straight Into The Sun" by Tammy
Rogers is also superb. This a CD that country music lovers will
love, but is sure to make an impression on anyone you play it for.
Or, if you're just feeling down and need some soothing reassurance
for yourself, this is group therapy---country style.
http://www.burnsiderecords.com/sideburn/
Pat Benny
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