Search - Keith Sewell :: Love Is a Journey

Fresh bluegrass solo debut

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 09/12/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This multi-instrumentalist has toured with Ricky Skaggs, The Dixie Chicks and Vince Gill, his songs have been recorded by BR-549, John Michael Montgomery, and Alison Krauss, and he's currently the lead guitarist for both Jerry Douglas' and Sam Bush's bands. With this release the native Texan steps from the sideline to center stage.



In addition to playing, singing and writing, Sewell arranged and produced his first released debut. "Released" being the operative word, as his first recorded debut (for the now defunct Rising Tide label) was swallowed up nearly eight years ago in a record label merger. This time out he's supported by a who's-who of contemporary bluegrass musicians, including Andy Leftwich, Jerry Douglas, Byron House, Sam Bush, Scott Vestal and Ricky Skaggs.



Several of these tracks started with Sewell and Leftwich jamming in a home studio on titles that Sewell had written over the years. As the recordings unfolded with later overdubbings, they turned increasingly acoustic and bluegrass. New songs were penned to flesh out an album, and the result is a joyously performed bluegrass album with progressive touches such as Sewell's guitar solos and terrific extended instrumental passages.



Sewell writes often of love's power to outlast the turbulent forces that buffet relationships. The album's title track redefines a relationship's diversions as its essential journey, and "We Go Around" speaks to the sort of bond that can overcome life's intermediate trials. The progressive gospel of "Ripples on the Water" sees baptism as the healing agent in overcoming sin's digressions from God, and Wendy Waldman's harmonies-by-email co-write "Shambles" meld beautifully with intertwined guitar, banjo and mandolin picking. The album's lone instrumental, "Duncan Station," features terrific interplay between Sewell's guitar and Leftwich's mandolin.



The song that really sums up Sewell's energy for this project is "Tell Me Again." Keyed into a palm-pilot on a prop plane, it marks Sewell's re-emergence as a songwriter after having grown disillusioned with the Nashville mill. Nominally written to a lover about the singer's growing ardor, given the compositional circumstance one can just as easily take this as a love song dedicated to the process of creating music itself - and that nicely sums up Sewell's debut as a bandleader. 3-3/4 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2005 hyperbolium dot com]"

BREATH OF FINE, FRESH AIR

R. Graceson | Nashville | 09/27/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hands down one of the best projects ever recorded. You know how it is when you are hungry for something and you don't know what it is and you are unsatisfied until you find it, BUT WHEN YOU DO you just can't get enough of it? That is what this project is, the satisfaction of that craving. It is fresh, innovative and a freedom of artistry. It is a perfect blend of wonderful vocals, storytelling lyrics, excellent music and craftsmanship. This should be handed to you on a silver spoon. This is a must have, a must have right now."