The opening song to The Spirit Ranch Sessions is “Walk”, the song opens up to a wicked harmonica intro. The intro sucks you right into the song and to the album. The harmonica has a Bob Dylan and a Neil Young influential sound and also to me the harmonica pretty much drones out the acoustic guitar until the drums kick in. In addition to the wicked harmonica I really like how the song is simple there isn’t any added sounds or the song has not been tinkered with for hours in the mastering stage. The song has a simple and a back to basics sound, this is what also draws to me the song and to most of the album because of the simplicity of it all. The electric guitar that kicks in to the song when the song is about three quarters done has a major impact to the song, the guitar takes away the need for vocals, the electric guitar almost overplays the rest of the instruments. 

What I like the most out of this album is the fact that songs represent what people are about. These are actual real life songs, not the so called “songs” that we are lead to believe that are real but we all know that there is a good chance nothing in the songs is ever going to happen to most of us. A case in point song would be the song “Sober (Is Too Hard To Stay)”. Now here is real lyrical song, have a listen to the song a couple of times and you will see exactly what I am talking about. This is why me and the guys at work have favoured this album over most songs that are playing right now on the radio( We Can Relate). Here is a sample of the lyrics that open the song

Well I like to drink
And I like to fight
And I like to smoke them big fat cigars outside those honky tonks and bars.
pay check is coming and I’m going to drink my pay cheque away

Just like the first two songs on the album the song has stuck to the basics, the guitar intro at the start was a good addition to the hook of the song but the lyrics took the glory. About three quarters of the way through the song, backup vocals start up after each line which adds a little bit extra to the song, The backup vocals are strong enough that you really take notice.

“Lucinda” is a fine mixture of a couple of genres that come together. There is a rock element, a Country Sound and mixed with a little blues. The vocals have the Rock and blues edge to them but mostly rock because of the heaviness of the vocals. The Country touch in “Lucinda” comes from the acoustic guitar. The slide guitar and the riff along with the vocals gives the song that little blues feel. The Rock edge of the song comes from the heavier vocals, the electric guitar and the overall sound of the song. What I like the most out of the song is the how the vocals follow along with the guitars in the song. The placement of “Lucinda” was a good idea because the song still leaves you wanting more after ninth song.

You can pick up your copy of the album at www.DianaCatherine.com.

Matt Hartwick
m.hartwick@partyinkingston.com