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I'm lucky enough to know Bruce, Deb and Sue personally,
though not as well as I'd like to. And I've seen them perform numerous times,
so it's fair to say I'm a Sons aficianado right here at the outset. But putting
that aside, I finally had the chance to 'audit' this record a few times lately
on my doctor-ordered 'fitness walk' courtesy of my iPod, and I'm moved to
comment on it. I had the kind of experience one has when returning to a
favorite restaurant expecting a great meal and having your expectations
exceeded by something truly superlative. These three are great folk and great
singers, so it would follow that they are great folksingers. But they're also
much more than that - gifted songwriters; sonic/visual artists of the mind's eye.
I'm trying to avoid music review jargon words like 'juxtaposition' and
'synergy' but I can't. The Sons' special gift is to juxtapose three disparate
persons and their musical palates and create a unique synergy that works on so
many levels. There, I've said it.

This record has all the bright spots of the
Sons (Sons-spots?) - quirky lyrical brilliance, soaring harmonies, interwoven
themes both musically and lyrically, deep roots and innovative musical
brush-clearing. It's a damn shame that our culture has no larger stage to
present music that falls outside the pop/rap/country unholy trinity. If it did,
Sons would deserve to be on it, goofing around, lifting our hearts with harmony
and lyric, and contributing a little magic in our lives. I count myself lucky
to have that option. You should too. You're missing out on a superlative feast.

Come on out and come see me play some gee-tar.