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Review: 'LEDFORD, BRIAN'
'TRUTH & LOVE'   

-  Label: 'Sound 2 Records'
-  Genre: 'Rock' -  Release Date: '19th June 2009'-  Catalogue No: 'S2R05'

Our Rating:
Seattle based singer-songwriter Brian Ledford has a soulful, lived in voice that at times reminded me of Steve Winwood.

From being metaphorically 'Marooned' at the outset to watching the 'Sun Down' at the end, he weighs in with a solid set of ten songs with a polished production from Matt Brown of Trespassers William. Brown also plays electric guitar, keyboards on bass, part of an accomplished backing band that flesh out the sound very efficiently.

Hammond organ and pedal steel gives several of the songs a countrified feel, particularly on the reflective travelling song 'Borderline'. Other tracks feature sophisticated sax and trumpet to add to the 'tunes for mature lovers' feel.

The predominantly glossy surface and lack of raw edges are the album's key drawbacks. The wistful balladry of 'Stones on the Bottom of the Sea' only begins to get interesting when it loosens up and kicks in with a more electric sound toward the end. To my ears too much emphasis is centred on perfecting a clean and tasteful sound for a band that are clearly capable of something much more dynamic .

A striking contrast, and an indication that another album was possible, comes with the strident blues-rock of 'Judging from a Safe Distance' where the band crank up the volume and Ledford sounds genuinely impassioned - "The times are becoming dangerous" he sings at one point and I wish he and his production team had held onto this idea a little longer. This track fades out before the four minute mark just as the band were hitting their stride, I'd have been happy if it had lasted twice as long.

A poignant little acoustic song - Sensible - follows to chart us back into calmer waters.

The quality of musicianship here is evident and Ledford is a singer-songwriter you want to believe in - I just wish he'd cast a little more caution to the wind and set a course for some stormier waters.   
   
10 tracks - Playing time - 35.48 mins

Website: www.brianledfordmusic.com
    
  author: Martin Raybould

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LEDFORD, BRIAN - TRUTH & LOVE