Present Tense

Product Description
Digitally remastered 1997 reissue on Sundazed of the debut by this trio comprised of Gary Usher, Glen Campbell & Bruce Johston. A pop/ psych masterpiece with true California soundmelodies first released on Columbia in 1968, it features theoriginal cover art and 20 tracks, including nine rare and/ or previously unissued bonus tracks: 'My World Fell Down' (Single Version), 'Artificial Light (Of All The Living Lies)', 'Get The Message', 'Mass #586', 'Love's Fatal Way', 'The Keeper Of The Games' (Demo), 'Lonely Girl', 'Sister Marie' (Instrumental) & 'Hotel Indiscreet' (Single Version).

Present Tense,Sagittarius,Sundazed Music Inc.,Baroque Pop,Pop,Psychedelic,Psychedelic Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop,Sunshine Pop

Present Tense

Average customer rating:

Sagittarius - 'Present Tense' (Sundazed)
California dreaming sunshine pop masterpiece
Great! /Almost as good As Mamas And Papas
Fun from beginning to end!
Lushly beautiful "lost" album

Present Tense
Sagittarius
Manufacturer: Sundazed Music Inc.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Magic Time: The Millennium/Ballroom Sessions
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The Yellow Balloon

ASIN: B000003H1D
Release Date: 1997-10-28

Tracks:

Another Time
Song To The Magic Frog (Will You Ever Know)
You Know I've Found A Way
The Keeper Of The Games
Glass
Would You Like To Go
My World Fell Down
Hotel Indiscreet
I'm Not Living Here
Musty Dusty
The Truth Is Not Real
Artificial Light (Of All The Living Lies) Previously Unissued
Get The Message (Previously Unissued)
Mass #586 (Previously Unissued)
Love's Fatal Way (Previously Unissued)
My World Fell Down (Single Version)
Hotel Indiscreet (Single Version)
Lonely Girl (Previously Unissued)
The Keeper Of the Games (Demo) Previously Unissued
Sister Marie (Instrumental) Previously Unissued

Album Description

Digitally remastered 1997 reissue on Sundazed of the debut by this trio comprised of Gary Usher, Glen Campbell & Bruce Johston. A pop/ psych masterpiece with true California soundmelodies first released on Columbia in 1968, it features theoriginal cover art and 20 tracks, including nine rare and/ or previously unissued bonus tracks: 'My World Fell Down' (Single Version), 'Artificial Light (Of All The Living Lies)', 'Get The Message', 'Mass #586', 'Love's Fatal Way', 'The Keeper Of The Games' (Demo), 'Lonely Girl', 'Sister Marie' (Instrumental) & 'Hotel Indiscreet' (Single Version).

Customer Reviews:

Sagittarius - 'Present Tense' (Sundazed).......2006-02-27

Originally released in 1967,this was the first of just two releases that Sagittarius had put out. Best described as psychedelic pop. On this CD reissue, you get the album's original eleven tracks, with nine unreleased bonus cuts tagged on for good measure. Something I just discovered, is that this short-lived band was one of Glen ("Rhinestone Cowboy")Campbell's early works. Never would've guessed. Line-up: Gary Usher-producer&vocals, Glen Campbell-guitar&vocals and Bruce Johnston-vocals, from what I could find. Might appeal to fans of The Turtles, The Association, Lovin' Spoonful, Beach Boys and Yellow Balloon.

California dreaming sunshine pop masterpiece.......2005-07-15

This extraordinary collection of recordings is perhaps the jewel in the crown of two legendary California singer-songwriter-arranger-producers: Gary Usher and Curt Boettcher. While it was released as an album (all of whose 11 original tracks are included here), its confluence of original sources makes this something of a collective, rather than a group album.

The roots of these recordings lay in Usher's overflowing fountain of creativity. Having written, produced and recorded dozens of albums in a short period of time (often alone or with studio musicians and pals), he found his role as a top producer at Columbia (Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, etc.) to be limiting. He began to spend off-hours in the studio creating new works, and after failing to pitch Chad & Jeremy on the song "My World Fell Down" (previously recorded by the UK's Ivy League), decided to record it himself. Usher gathered elements of the legendary Wrecking Crew, along with Beach Boy Bruce Johnston and touring Beach Boy Glen Campbell (who sang lead) to wax what would become a #70 hit.

Interestingly, modern day listeners probably know "My World Fell Down" more from its inclusion on Lenny Kaye's original "Nuggets" compilation than they do from the original single or album release. The relative success of the single did bring a demand from label head Clive Davis for more, and Usher quickly began assembling material from the fictional Sagittarius (named after his astrological sign), eventually in conjunction with up-and-coming star Curt Boettcher.

Boettcher's early work with the group Ballroom yielded several tracks for the album, including the original recordings of "Would You Like To Go" and "Musty Dusty, as well as several more songs ("Another Time" "Song to the Magic Frog" and "Keep of the Games") that were re-recorded. It's a mark of Usher and Boettcher's synchronicity that the previously-recorded works fit the Sagittarius album so perfectly. Though produced a bit less lushly than the multi-voiced orchestrations they'd purpose-build for the album, the tone matched the album's slightly-high autumnal pop. At turns this is mindful of Brian Wilson's more complex works, the intense vocal arrangements that Boettcher pioneered with The Association, and the bubblegum psychedelia of The Lemon Pipers and Strawberry Alarm Clock.

What began as a downtime hobby for Usher turned into a full-blown collaboration with Boettcher, and an album with an extraordinary ratio of latter-day-collectability versus at-the-time-purchase. Sundazed's masterful CD reissue augments the original album with nine bonus tracks, seven of which are previously unreleased. Most importantly, the original single versions of "My World Fell Down" and "Hotel Indiscreet" display the odd bridges that Usher was forced (by Columbia) to edit away for the album. The former's middle part is a melange of bullfight music, baby cries and alarm clocks, while the latter includes an unusual spoken-word passage from Usher's then-recent label signing, The Firesign Theater. Firesign's Peter Bergman turns up again (as he did on many Usher productions of the era) on "Mass #586." Also of great interest is Boettcher's demo of "The Keeper of the Games," highlighting his singing in a setting that is much less ornate than usual for his finished works.

Dawn Eden's liner notes are terrific, and additional song notes flesh out some of the compositional and recording history. The original engineering of Roy Halee and Tom May has left us with sparkling clean tapes of a California masterpiece.

Great! /Almost as good As Mamas And Papas.......2005-06-29

This album is terrific...problem is....you don't know if you are listening to the Mamas And Papas...or Saggitarius. Far, Far too similar but enjoyable to listen to.

Fun from beginning to end!.......2004-01-13

Take the Beach Boys, the Mamas & the Papas, and the Cowsills, throw them all together in a blender, and that's the sound you get. Maybe not a work of art or anything, but it's definitely fun from beginning to end.

Lushly beautiful "lost" album.......2002-11-17

Idiosyncratically beautiful album from 1968, full of gorgeous melodies, lush harmonies, and stunning musicianship and production. A one-shot project by producer Gary Usher and many of L.A.'s elite session musicians (including Glen Campbell), it's a shame this album has been so overlooked for so long. Those who enjoy the late 1960s Beach Boys, Association, Harpers Bizarre, and the like will find much to appreciate in this stunning CD. Excellent dynamics and overall sound quality plus several bonus tracks just sweetens the deal.

Average customer rating:

A great two-fer: too bad about the packaging
Great cd, but you won't be getting it for $17 anytime soon...
What are you thinking?
Outstanding 2-fer, Present Tense was the record of '79
Gary Klebe is an angel with a broken throat

Present Tense/Tongue Twister
Shoes
Manufacturer: Landmark Distributor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Boomerang/Shoes on Ice
Black Vinyl Shoes
Silhouette
Crashes
Shades in Bed

ASIN: B000001LB3
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Tracks:

Tomorrow Night
Too Late
Hangin' Around With You
Your Very Eyes
In My Arms Again
Somebody Has What I Had
Now and Then
Every Girl
I Don't Miss You
Cruel You
Three Times (See Me/Say It/Listen)
I Don't Wanna Hear It
Your Imagination
Burned Out Love
Things You Do
Only in My Sleep
Karen
She Satisfies
Girls of Today
Hopin' She's the One
When It Hits
Yes or No
Found a Girl
Hate to Run

Album Description

1988 reissue of the first two Elektra albums on one disc by this legendary U.S. pop band. 'Present Tense', originallyreleased in 1979, features 12 tracks including 'In My ArmsAgain', 'Too Late' and 'Tomorrow Night'. 'Tongue Twister', originally released i

Customer Reviews:

A great two-fer: too bad about the packaging.......2006-10-07

It pains me to give only four stars to a CD that contains the two best albums by one of my all-time favorite bands, but I have a problem with the packaging. I have both these albums on vinyl, but one of the discs is warped, so I bought this CD. The music sounds as great now as it ever did, but I was disappointed that they went with bargain-bin packaging here: no lyrics, no pictures (except for tiny reproductions of each album cover), no liner notes. Albums this great deserve better treatment, and I would gladly pay double the price for high-quality reissues that at least contained the original artwork and lyric sheets.

Having said that, I will now say that if you haven't heard this band and you like music that's in a similar vein (other reviewers here have described it very well), you do need to get this CD. Unlike most fans, I prefer "Tongue Twister," because I like the leaner, meaner production (by Richard Dashut, who worked with Fleetwood Mac). Both albums are packed with great songs, and there is really not one false note on this entire CD. Enjoy!

Great cd, but you won't be getting it for $17 anytime soon..........2006-07-18

If you are like me, you may have wondered about all the listings where a rare, collectable item that sells for quite a bit normally is supposedly available from Amazon for a much lower amount "normally delivered in 4 - 6 weeks" or thereabouts. Well, I'm here to tell you, they don't have the title and it doesn't appear to be on its way. I ordered several such items, including this great Shoes cd on June 2, just to see what happened. So far nothing... not a peep. All Amazon is doing is putting their legitimate selling and buying customers at an unfair disadvantage while tying up your money (in case they ever do ship it). If I had ordered from an Amazon Merchant, I could have been enjoying this cd for the last 6 weeks.

What are you thinking?.......2006-04-23

Dear Seller:
Um, dude, we all know your high price for these albums is a total joke. I know Skip and Jeff; I drop in on them in Zion on a not-too-infrequent basis. Your price is for any of their CDs is insane, good as their music is--and it is good. What exactly are you thinking?
ZZ

Outstanding 2-fer, Present Tense was the record of '79.......2005-02-16

Shoes are one of those bands that you look at and just scratch your head, wondering "how did these guys not get huge?" Of course, fans in the know will tell you that Shoes were one of the best power pop groups of all time (in fact, in college I did a Power Point presentation on power pop music, and I focused on my "Big 5," of which Shoes were #4). One of the first in a long line of Illinois popsters who just don't get their due - there must be something in the water over there that gives these guys so much talent and bad luck simultaneously. Anyway, the first record by Shoes that was released was Black Vinyl Shoes, which is highly recommended but a bit less accessible. Present Tense followed, serving up an actual hit single (!) in "Too Late," a simply great power pop song any way you slice it. Of course the rest of the album is magnificent from start to finish, and as a guitarist I loved being able to throw this on and pick out most of the simple but catchy guitar parts. Tongue Twister followed, and admittedly sounds a bit thinner and more dated, but there's still a wealth of great tunes for your listening pleasure. Fans of softer Cheap Trick, Dwight Twilley, Emitt Rhodes, Big Star, and the Records would be doing themselves a real favor to track this down.

Best Tracks:
"Too Late" - Cool little riff leads into this lesson in power pop dynamics - even when the guitars kick in and start crunching on the chorus, the vocals stay soft and sweet.
"Your Very Eyes" - Should have been all over AOR/AC stations in the late 70's. Puts other soft rock to shame.
"In My Arms Again" - Really interesting song structure here - scaled back chorus gives way to an explosive, emotive outro. Great tune.
"I Don't Wanna Hear It" - An early example of pop punk, miles better than anything out today in that genre.
"Your Imagination" - For those who dig early Goo Goo Dolls tunes written by bassist Robby Takac, this will fit right in. Good lyrics, peppy and bouncy, a great kick in to the Tongue Twister tracks.
"When It Hits" - More power pop 101 from the masters. I just wish this track was a bit better produced.

Gary Klebe is an angel with a broken throat.......2004-11-19

Overrated wunderhacks like Nick Lowe talked a lot of guff about pure pop for now people. Shoes actually went ahead and did it. Gary Klebe & The Murphy Brothers have more power-pop talent than Badfinger and Big Star combined. And the fact that they're less popular than the 12 or 13 Kenny Rogers impersonators currently plying their craft in Las Vegas only serves to make the underappreciation of Shoes all the more galling.

TONGUE TWISTER is definitely a meatier & beatier proposition than PRESENT TENSE. Frankly, I'm flabbergasted that PRESENT TENSE is preferred by Patrick Wilkins & Alfred Salas. "No synthesizers" is a liner-note bragging-point in regard to TONGUE TWISTER. Although some of those instrumental timbres sure sound synthy to me. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

Shoes have a great idiosyncratic gimmick at its disposal in the form of Gary Klebe's thin wracked voice. Gary can't help but remind me of a fictional character created by Franz Kafka: Josephine the singing mouse. Sing? "She can't even squeak". That's Gary alright. The power-pipsqueak whose voice is more pleasurable & poignant than a thousand Robert Goulets. Gary's ability to move me very deeply with that preposterously wimpy voice of his proves once again that anything is possible in the wacky world of professional entertainment.

Average customer rating:

Present Tense
Bobby Watson
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Advance
Midwest Shuffle
Tailor Made
Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall

ASIN: B000008CJK
Release Date: 1992-04-14

Tracks:

Present Tense
Beam Me Up
Monk He See, Monk He Do
I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
Mystery of Ebop
Hey Now
Minority
Bush Song
Love Remains
Dex Mex
At the Crossroads
Epilogue 1

Average customer rating:

Solsonics....where are you?
An Eclectic Mix
Good acid-jazz-funk
Excellant music, highly recommended
Ultra excelent!

Jazz in the Present Tense
The Solsonics
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1

ASIN: B000003JCJ
Release Date: 1994-01-25

Tracks:

Jazz In The Present Tense
Keep The Rhythm Strong
Montuno Funk
Blood Brother
Daddy Love
Ascension
Red Clay
So Much More Together
Now This Is How We Do It
Inside Is A Stride
Morning After Paradise
Mountain Man

Customer Reviews:

Solsonics....where are you?.......2005-02-26

I was lucky enough to discover the wonderful sounds of solsonics about 10 years ago on a date where I saw them perform at the Black Cat in Washington, DC in 1994. I'd never heard anything quite like them before. I was just in awe. Some have compared sols to Brand New Heavies and I would agree to a certain extent except that sols include the reggae feeling and texture that is unique. If you think you'd like the fusion btwn reggae, jazz and just plain old peace, love and soul music - you should buy this CD while supplies last. I have been listening to this CD for about 10 years and have been hoping, without success, to find something new from this group. Solsonics....where are you?

An Eclectic Mix.......2004-05-25

Take a smooth groovy trip through the world of the Solsonics. I don't know where they are now but this trip is incredible. They are a down home riff based, jazz and funk fused band (ala Brand New Heavies) that put the groove into groovy. There's reggae, jazz mixed with funk and soul. Do yourself a favor and find this CD. Although out of print, I'm sure it's available used on this site. Take a ride with the Solsonics and you won't be dissapointed.

Good acid-jazz-funk.......2003-04-11

This is very tight, acid-jazz-funk. I am writing this review as I listen to this cd. I have had it for a few years, just happened to run across it one day and took a chance without having heard this cd and I had no idea who the Solsonics were. The chance paid off. This is good music which is similar to the Brand New Heavies and Incognito. I see that this cd is now out of print but is available used on this website. It is worth buying anyway you can get it. I have brought used cd's through this site and the cd's are in good condition. Take a chance on this cd, you won't be sorry. Where are the Solsonics now?? I wish they would record another cd.

Excellant music, highly recommended.......1999-08-04

I would like to replace my copy of this CD. It was stolen and now I find it is out of print. If anyone has a lead as to where I can find it. Many thanks

Ultra excelent!.......1999-07-07

My first Acid-Jazz CD and still one of my favorites. It is beautiful and deep. Because of it's age (for acid-jazz) it is now nostalgic as well. I wish that they would get back together and record some more please!

Average customer rating:

One of the very best albums!

Present Tense
Lenny White
Manufacturer: Hip Bop Essence
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Venusian Summer

ASIN: B000001BI4
Release Date: 1995-04-18

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East St. Louis
Who Do You Love
Door #3
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Tea In The Sahara
Dark
And Then You'll Know
By Any Means Necessary
Two Weeks In Another Town
The Shadow Of Lo
Caprice

Customer Reviews:

One of the very best albums!.......2001-02-08

That Cd is incredible! Fine drumming, wonderful music, great guest artists ( like Kenny Garrett, Chaka Chan, Vic Bailey, Michael Urbaniak, Marcus Miller) and the song "Who do you love?" feat. Chaka Chan is an OUTSTAND!!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for everybody who likes good music!

Past Imperfect, Present Tense
Average customer rating:

File Under Amazing

nice depressing tunes

Past Imperfect, Present Tense
Erik Sanko
Manufacturer: Jet Set Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Fantastic Spikes Through Balloon

Obtainium

ASIN: B00005NZYY
Release Date: 2001-09-04

Tracks:

While You Were Out
Overboard
That Train
The Perfect Flaw
Blow Wind, Blow
Finger String
Easy To Remember
I'll Wake Up
I Get Along Fine
The Ghost Of A Snake
Du Skal Nok Klare Den

Amazon.com

Erik Sanko's paid his team-player dues twice: as the bassist for John Lurie's post-punk jazz outfit the Lounge Lizards and then in the "junk pop" band Skeleton Key. With the release of his first solo album, Past Perfect, Present Tense, though, Sanko comes off as truly alone, exposing the broken pieces of his heart with delicate hands. Every song tells of some kind of loss, with Sanko's voice breaking in places under the weight of his words. Most of the relationship blows he recounts are blunt. "While You Were Out" is a grave Dear John letter from someone who's fallen out of love: "'While you were out, a few things have changed / the furniture has been rearranged / I moved my books from all the shelves / and I fell in love with somebody else / because I'm not dead,' she said." While putting a breakup to music is nothing new, it's poetic lines like these that make Past Perfect such an emotional album. The music sounds just as fragile as the lyrics, like plucked guitar strings or simple keyboard melodies are all the strength Sanko can muster in his crumpled state. For fans of the artful way bands like Sparklehorse and Smog deliver depression, Erik Sanko is a weepy heart's dream. --Jennifer Maerz

Customer Reviews:

File Under Amazing.......2002-03-01

I don't know if you would call this folk, or alt-country, or rock, so I just call it awesome. This album is timeless. Simple guitar parts and ghostly keyboards. Sanko chooses his words carefully and hits you where it hurts. Every time I listen to it I get chills. I especially like songs like "That Train" and "Finger String" which remind me of the Who.

nice depressing tunes.......2002-01-05

I first became interested in Erik Sanko after reading's his very dark and bitingly irreverent responses to the Onion's "Justify Your Existence" column. A) This guy was very clever b) he was jaded and dark, and c) best of all, he was practically never heard of, so all these factors led directly to my downloading of the album off of audiogalaxy. I found it to be exquisitely depressing. This is the perfect nostalgic music to softly insinuate in the background as one is pining over a sloppy, unreconciled breakup, which, incidentally, is the vehicle for this entire album. The aforementioned information makes the album a bit tiresome, especially the referential "you's" used over and over. Yet, some of the guitar riffs are so beautifully haunting that it is easy to forget that every song is inspired by an ordinary, boring breakup. Most songs have no percussion and rather are driven purely by one or two acoustic instruments. The acoustics coupled with Sanko's whispering, sorrowful voice give the album a terrific feeling of isolation and despair.

Average customer rating:

warmth too real
OH MY GOD!!! THIS IS SO GOOD, MY EARS ARE EXPLODING!!!!!
Stochastic musical inflection !!!
Amazing

Under The Pretense of Present Tense
Engine Down
Manufacturer: Lovitt Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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To Bury Within the Sound
Demure
Enginedown
10,000 Days

ASIN: B00000IFIY
Release Date: 1999-02-15

Tracks:

Castalia
Slingshot
Deadletter
Brushes
Colorado
The Offer of Something
Nearsighted
Daredevil

Album Description

Imagine it: the Mediterranean circa 1500 B.C., when Crete flourished in culture and life. The famous bull-jumpers performed their dangerous sport in utter bliss with no worries of death as the town square bustled with daily activity. At that time, it seemed like a utopia. And as this image floats by, Engine Down's music is the perfect soundtrack. This is music that transcends the toils of everyday life in our modern age, travelling through time and touching the rawest of human emotions. Explosive bursts of energy, lush guitars along with vibraphone and cello make this release stand alone as a formal digitally encrypted introduction to the innovative musical force known as Engine Down.

Customer Reviews:

warmth too real.......2004-06-17

this is one of the best records ive bought in a while. i saw this band play live and they did not dissapoint even a little bit, this record id say is more aggressive in the vocal department than some of their others. the last track, "daredevil" is probably my favorite, it is a very mellow song in contrast to the rest of the album and has one of the prettiest endings ive ever heard. if you enjoy good music youll have a good chance of enjoying this. also check out the originators of this art, Sleepytime Trio, one of the greatest bands of all time.

OH MY GOD!!! THIS IS SO GOOD, MY EARS ARE EXPLODING!!!!!.......1999-04-15

This CD is, simply put, an acoustic masterpiece. Carefully positioned, driven guitars alternate with intricate harmonies to produce a sound quite unlike many of today's post-hardcore releases. The polyrhythmic drums and meandering bass serve as a foundation to dual guitars. However, Engine Down seeks to expand their musical parameters by incorporating various elements of the vibraphone and the cello. All in all, a stunning debut.

Stochastic musical inflection !!!.......1999-04-07

"under the pretense of present tense" is the musical equivilent of a leg hold trap. You damn well better be prepared to knaw your emotional baggage off to escape this one. If you don't have any bone spurs on your hinge joints from stage diving, ENGINE DOWN ain't for you.

Amazing.......1999-03-03

I just got this CD and I only have one word, amazing

Average customer rating:

Very strong and sensitive music

Tense Present

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Brazilian & Latin Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | Latin Music | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000GUX6
Release Date: 1996-07-01

Tracks:

Love is the power
Hoosier Boy in Texas
Simple Life
Piece of a dream
How love can be
Love is real
Ordinary Man
Since I fell for you
In your eyes
Living without you
El poder del amor
Quiero dormir cansado
Movin through the night
Tropic mountain evening

Album Description

Mixture of folk, pop, blues and latin jazz in Spanish and English.

Customer Reviews:

Very strong and sensitive music.......1999-05-20

Tense Present DEVILLEZ & MOTIVO World Media Artists Music 2205 Meadowwalk Circle Corpus Christi, TX 78414

This CD is made up of 14 songs, most written by Jeff DeVillez. This singer/songwriter is backed up by solid players who can play a variety of subtle styles. Jeffry DeVillez (JD) gives us his original songs and one great cover you may recognize. The album opens with "Love Is The Power" a which is a pretty tune, light pop of sorts. Next comes "Hoosier Boy in Texas" a pretty county/folk number. May be autobiographical. A nice dobro and harmonica as well as violin add much support. The main players throughout the CD are Marvin Dykhuis, Paul Pearcy, David Heath, and Floyd Domino. "Simple Life" a song that must be autobiographical. The beat is Latin, with a keen tropical sense. The trumpet enriches the performance. A trombone and sax along with violin are part of the next cut, "Piece of A Dream." The lyrics are almost like poetry. JD's singing is sound, smooth, and generally solid. This ballad has much to offer. "How Can Love Be (This Morning)" is the fifth track, and it is one of the best as it flows and displays sophistication and a good arrangement. The sax and trombone solos and beautiful Spanish guitar part give the selection depth and body. Again an exotic sense pervades this classy creation. One of my favorites here. The song "Love is Real" seems like a song that could have been written for SADE. The tune exudes class and that aura found in many of that artists great hits. Another fine work. "Ordinary Man" features a cool organ. A song that shows me a lot of talent from JD and band. Next we get a Buddy Johnson composition, "Since I Fell For You." Many have covered it before and you will recall this great number. DeVillez's rendition is excellent in my mind. The song just comes together with great playing from piano and a neat trombone which infuses an emotive melancholy sense. It may be the best thing on the album. Great vocal delivery. "In Your Eyes" is a change of pace with nice layerings of instruments. Musically it sounds like a hit, the intonations, backgrounds, and overall performance make this song have a big feel to it. Guest saxophonist ELIAS HASLANGER plays a fine tenor. An enjoyable creation that has a hot lead guitar as it winds down. Then comes "Living Without You" which is a softer effort. It doesn't come across as well as the other songs and may be the weakest track on the album in my opinion. Cut #11 is "El Poder Del Amor" [The Power of Love]. It is a very simple yet pretty work sung in Spanish. A slow, nuanced selection. Next is only the 2nd song on the CD that wasn't written by J.D. "Quiero Dormir Cansado" (M. Alejandro-A. Magdalena) [roughly--'I Want to Sleep Tired'] is a sad yet beautiful romantic song in Spanish. The emotion is clear and the overall effort is lovely. This makes me mention the production values. The music is well-mixed, balanced, and production tight and clean. No fancy tricks or frills, just a solid workmanlike display. A song "Movin' Through the Night" has a slight reggae or calypso feel. Clearly exotic, tropical the cut has nice forward movement, good rhythm and appeal. The album closes with "Tropic Mountain Evening." I don't know why but the song made me think of JIMMY BUFFETT. Well that island sense and instrumentation is reminiscent. A relaxing song, an appropriate track for ending. This is a very strong creation from an artist I had never heard of before. The album liner notes in the 'libretto' show attention to detail and the many pages include all the lyrics and credits for each song. An impressive project! Check him out, I look forward with anticipation to his next album.