"ONWARD THROUGH IT ALL"
RCA RECORDS
Acclaimed Nashville songwriter, Jim Lauderdale, enlists a stalwart cast of collaborators to release a mellow-spirited compilation of 16 tunes. Penning half the songs by himself and half with the help of a cast of the likes of Grateful Dead lyricist, Robert Hunter, Emily Erwin of the Dixie Chicks and other Nashville greats, Lauderdale has molded a group of tunes that float above it all. With a twinge of southern blues and a dash of gospel, this mix of tunes that makes want to take a drive through the bluegrass fields. With the backing of a strong core group of musicians and the help of several other outstanding players, such as the late great Jerry Garcia-partner, David Grisman, Lauderdale weaves some complex sounds into a subtle, yet energizing CD.Songs like the opening tune, "You Just Know," suspend you in the clouds of a spiritual tune. The song gives support for the idea that one needn’t be told when they’re struck by a higher power—‘you just know.’ The fifth track, "Trust," co-written by Robert Hunter, carries on the idea of trusting in the unknown. With a refreshing burst of colorful music, the words of "Trust" tell us how we have the sun, the mountains, the roads, the animals, and human’s themselves to trust in times of trouble. With the sounds of some of Neil Young’s best country efforts of the early 1970’s, the title track, "Onward Through It All" presents an anti-Young positive and glorious spin to the mood of the track "Understanding Everything" is peaceful rendition of a journey’s end. Once one gets to that journey’s end, whether it’s finding that true love, spiritual awakening, or the answer to a problem, you begin to have a feeling that the truth has been unlocked, like……"I’m understanding everything.
Within the realm of a peaceful, subtle, country setting, Lauderdale melds a mix of blues, bluegrass, gospel, grand ‘ole opry, and even some southern rock. The CD brings you above it all into an aesthetically pleasing and cool scene. It just makes you want to sit back, feel the breeze, and appreciate what we have.
-Dave Geller
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