Follow The River Home.
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley June 30, 2016
Artist – Jeff Pearce
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www.jeffpearcemusic.com
If you have ever stood and simply watched the progression of a river or creek as it flows steadily along its chosen course, it reaches out with a mystique that is as relevant in that moment as it was in times long gone; that relevance is one that remains constant, that will always, when heard, or felt, remind you of that time, that special moment when you were one with the river, with the awe, the majesty the magnificence.
With this latest, much anticipated release from guitarist Jeff Pearce, he has managed to capture the essence of the river moving timelessly on its way to its final destination, its home, a place that could be far away or close. That this has been created with his craftsmanship and mastery of the electric guitar in itself is consistent with the reputation he has earned over the past 20 years or more of being able to create absolute magic from his instrument.
In Follow the River Home, this is more than ably demonstrated as he has captured the dancing, almost non-directional flow of the water as it starts out from its birthplace, “Under Summer Stars’, gathering strength, assurance as it begins the long journey to the sea; moving across varying landscapes, gathering, perhaps with other water sources, in the Outpost, transcending differing weather conditions, in Snowfall. Moving on Downstream once again, until it takes the time to slow down, to spread out and begin Gathering Stars.
Gathering Stars is of particular note, not just for the length of the piece, but also as it is the combination of two different recordings created at vastly different times and for different purposes. This piece alone is suitable for some serious meditation and reflection.
The final and intriguing piece is the wonderful, reflective culmination of the journey home, seeking the destination now found and can be metaphorically suited to the singular journey of life, one we must undertake with varying degrees of creativity and challenge, until we finally reach our destination.
The best way to listen to this recording is simply to take it out of the jacket, place it on the player, sit back in a comfortable chair, clear your mind of any preconceived ideas and immerse yourself in the life-giving richness that is ‘the river’.