"Arrow Creek" from singer/songwriter Steve Madewell (http://www.madewellmusic.com) finds strength in its quietness; this is an album of soothing, spare unplugged arrangements but with words that carry substantial weight. It's not an introspective, depressing effort like other recent examples in this genre. Rather, Madewell is a throwback to the glory days of James Taylor and Gordon Lightfoot, folk lyricists who had a knack for punchy, page-turning narratives.
"Who Will Weep for Me" details the life and death of Chief Logan of the Mingo American Indian tribe, whose family was murdered by frontiersmen in 1774. With its slow, dreamy guitars, "Who Will Weep for Me" sucks you right into its historical scope; the addition of a female vocalist, Caroline Quine, gives it added warmth. "Is This What We Have Become" is another sad tale; however, it's one that hits closer to home as Madewell laments the eroding values in American society and perhaps in himself, too.
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There is plenty of beautiful music on this CD, enough to fill a couple of records, actually. The title cut offers a lush nighttime landscape and "Wrapped Inside Your Love" is as warm as a fireplace. Madewell leans toward to country territory but doesn't completely give in until "Wound Too Tight," which recalls vintage Willie Nelson. This is an outstanding acoustic folk album, packed with emotion and soul.
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