This review is written by Kevin McCarthy, 12/98
"Kevin and Maxine’s Celtic & Folk Music CD Reviews"
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Terry Kitchen's fourth release is a eclectic collection of both expressions and tributes to loved ones living and gone, plus the sometimes serendipitous, sometimes baffling, sometimes ruinous occurrences experienced by humankind as we make our way through the cosmos.
He starts out with "Kid Who Looks Like Me," leaving the listener wondering early on what he can do differently with this well worn scenario of a casual, boredom-induced fling resulting in pregnancy? His first chorus offers a clue:
"I Can't Remember Life Before I Got Here," a stark but still subtle scenario of prison life, contains clever writing and a nod to "Easy Rider." Kitchen sings:
The quirky, bittersweet and apparently true story of inventor John Childs utilizing self-devised wings to fly from the roof of Boston's Old North Church in 1754 is captured in "Three If By Air." Utilizing the snare drum and penny whistle evokes that time period as the listener can visualize Paul Revere riding off to warn of the approaching British.
Kitchen then turns to songs about his family. "Love Is Possible" is a sweet presentation about those unplanned moments and events that have the potential to bring light and love to our lives but only if we are open to such possibilities. In this case, his widowed mother moves into a new relationship with a man who bought her cake at a church sale. As Kitchen sings:
In "Michael," he conveys wistful concern about both the health and future of his gay brother, who is apparently losing weight at an alarmingly swift rate.
Expressing his anger and morbidity over both his and his mother's inability to move on with life in "Rachel Won't You Come," he calls upon his deceased sister:
"Lightning Strikes" is a spoken word piece about the sometimes undecipherable, sometimes deleterious acts of kismet we seemingly have little or no control over in our lives. This is a intriguing piece about the unexplainable and inexplicable rhyme and reason of events that take place every day.
Kitchen has a sensitive, easy-to-digest voice. Singly, his compositions aren't laden with a powerful wallop but collectively, his works build incremental effectiveness.The sheer honesty and human feeling offered throughout this release is remarkable.
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