Reviewed by Phil Thomson

Jadon Lavik's voice has that rare, haunting quality which lingers on long after the final track has faded. And it carries with it the cry of his heart in an album of real insight and integrity. The songs are mainly mid-tempo and perhaps a little bit easy on the ear, yet he springs the occasional surprise due to the kind of players he has around him: the hint of a slide guitar or 12 string, identifiable cello seeping through silky, well-positioned harmonies and a particularly consistent performance throughout from David J Carpenter on bass. The whole outing is clean and well crafted and quietly asks awkward questions: "What are you living for today?" "What if I ignore the hand that fed me?" "I went chasing the wind but I found no lasting joy..." - in every lyric there is plenty to think about; you can see where he is coming from. There is perhaps a degree of whimsy in the sentiment, yet all the time, the music gently points you to the answer - beautifully encapsulated in the stripped-down final track "Nothing But The Blood". Lavik proves himself to be a very mature songwriter - with the memorable "Searching" way out front - and is aided only once or twice by producers Adam Watts and Andy Dodds. There is an innocence and infectious enthusiasm in the way Lavik has put this together. Not surprising then, to find Phil Keaggy showing up to add gravitas to this last, reflective rendering of the Robert Lowry hymn in a co-production with Tony Guerrero, reminding us of the kind of company Jadon keeps. He deserves the attention.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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