A Review of the CD
"Time Forgets"
by David Elias
"Time Forgets"
by David Elias
copyright 1997 David Elias
P.O. Box 4793
Burlingame, CA 94011
http://www.DavidElias.com
mailto:david@DavidElias.com
This review is written by Kevin McCarthy, 10/98
"Kevin and Maxine’s Celtic & Folk Music CD Reviews"
http://www.icogitate.com/~celticfolkmusic/index.html
mailto:celticfolkmusic@icogitate.com
At times whispery, at other times jolting with his voice, music, and
imagery, David Elias has compiled 14 songs here, loaded with complex and
intricate impressions. Not one to lyrically move straight from point A
to point B, he often takes the long road around, or sometimes even creates
a pathway heretofore unseen. He writes as a poet whose reader must work
at understanding the tapestry being woven.
After opening with the pretty guitar instrumental "Intro to Straw Dream,"
he launches into "Time Forgets," the title track, a philosophical musing
on the interplay of time, healing and forgetting. Elias states in his liner
notes, "There are some popular notions about what happens over time--I'm
not sure I agree with them. Anyway, time is not always a sequence of events.
Sometimes, it's a state of being or a state of nothing." He sings:
"...The sun's in June
On a summer afternoon
And part of me
Is watching you are part of me
And time forgets
It doesn't heal it just forgets
And I forget
Part of you are watching me..."
"Afraid of Change" synthesizes excellent guitar (electric, acoustic and
classical) and percussion work in creating a spooky, ominous effect that
drives the lyrics forward. To quote the song opening:
"I'm not afraid of change
And even less to stay the same
Both find you in the same amount of time..."
An uptempo road song/life analogy, "Freedom on the Freeway," combines effective
harmonica, percussion and acoustic guitar work by Elias. He sings:
"...Hey who's that there on my tail
Another fugitive for freedom or from jail
I'm like a postcard in the mail
Self addressed to who knows best
Go on read me what the hell..."
In "Christmas Blue," featuring nice electric guitar licks at the end by
ex-Utopia member Roger Powell, Elias cryptically writes:
"...Christmas blue
How do you do
Late curfew, aw please the man
Father Nick and old man Wong
Bang the table, gong the gong
Clean the chimney, dust to dust
Ashes turn into bread crusts
Gondolas north of the pole
Ride them round the holy grail..."
"Vision Of Her," with Elias on acoustic guitar and bass, and Marcia Blackstock
on triangle, is a two stanza poem set to charming background music:
"Sitting at the edge of your world
Holding on your legs where they curl
Looking for the vision of her
The vision of her
Staring down the year inside out
Making do within and without
Never finding reasons to doubt
The vision of her."
Humbly dedicated to the memory of Townes Van Zandt, Elias finishes with
"Waiting For W." He sings:
"...You were a teacher hero to me
Someone I never met yet wanted to be
And losing you is like losing time
Fast asleep on some cheap summer wine...
...You twisted words with your twisted mind
Practicing Zen in the most unlikely of times
And losing you is like losing time
Fast asleep on some red summer wine."
He has a serviceable voice, one others have appropriately compared to John
Prine. This is not a CD offering pleasant melodies--it takes repeated listenings
to grow attached to and to appreciate fully. Many cuts could seemingly
stand alone as poetry but Elias has entwined his music with a multitude
of instrumental backing including acoustic guitar, classical guitar, electric
guitar, bass, dobro, harmonica, percussion, piano, and synth. All are very
professionally performed.
There are three live cuts on this CD: "Field of Wood," "Christmas Blue,"
"Take Me Down The Road," one rock and roll song, "Along The Highway," and
one cut performed by Elias' late friend, Biff Schlossman, "Changing Circles."
Track List:
-
Straw Dream Intro (1:27)
-
Time Forgets (3:19)
-
Field of Wood (3:55)
-
Afraid of Change (5:25)
-
So Go I (3:17)
-
Changing Circles (3:03)
-
Along The Highway (3:11)
-
Freedom on the Freeway (3:26)
-
Christmas Blue (5:06)
-
Take Me Down the Road (4:57)
-
Sunday's Daughter (4:57)
-
Vision of Her (5:02)
-
It's All Out West (3:40)
-
Waiting for W. (4:42)
All songs written by David Elias except for "Changing Circles", written
by Biff Schlossman.
Copyright © 1998-2008 Kevin & Maxine’s Celtic & Folk Music CD Reviews. All rights reserved.
Ownership, copyright and title of this folk music CD review belongs
to
me, Kevin
McCarthy. Ownership, copyright and title are not transferable or assignable
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