Emerald City, the newest acoustic release by Ted Murray Jones (aka Raggedy Man), is a dramatic and delightful departure from his previous albums. Performed at a much slower pace, this album brims with atmospheric supporting vocals and off-the-beaten-path instruments that include penny whistles, accordion, and snare drum. We are treated to performances by some of the best session players Nashville has to offer, and the result is something to savor. The title does not refer to the Emerald City of Oz, but to a songwriter's new found romance with Celtic music. I felt at times as if I were observing a world gone by, a simpler time when rosy-cheeked children skipped laughing down cobblestone streets and farmers paused in their fields to appreciate the land and the bounty it would provide. It has been said that the way to write powerfully is to "open a vein and let it bleed." To his credit, Ted does not shrink from the prospect of baring his soul through intimate verse and soul-touching tunes... and the listener is the beneficiary of this gift. This is music that opens the heart and is a balm to the spirit.
Roman Guard, the first cut, was inspired by a man who was convinced that he is the reincarnation of a Roman centurion during the time of Christ. When he says, "Time to lay down this sword," the ghostlike narrator seems to speak for all soldiers throughout history.
That's the World is a window to a simpler time, almost reverent in its tone. Nostalgic yet optimistic that we can live this way again... it sketches a roadmap to happiness and suggests that we accept the ups and downs, that we "hear the heaven's falling rain that keeps the mighty rivers flowing.
"If It Were My Dream appears on previous albums, but this rendition feels more powerful perhaps because of the slower pacing that highlights the very personal lyrics. "If it were my dream, I'd be the sparkle in your eye, and I'd comfort you at night, if it were my dream.
"Wish for You is as warm as a lover's embrace and perhaps the most intimate tune on the album. Fiddle takes center stage, weaving haunting harmonies around lyrics in which the singer offers his love a little song she can remember him by.
Jerusalem Light suggests that we can find what we need within our own hearts, if we harbor love and truth there. Like a well, we can go there and bring up refreshment for body, mind and spirit.
You Could Be reminds us that we make choices every day about how we spend our time. What if... when times get hard, we turn our attention toward someone in need... "you could be calling up a friend, writing them a letter, taking some time just to make 'em feel better... you could be.
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Say When is an upbeat number featuring accordion and mandolin that implores the object of the singer's affection to name the time and day when he can give her all his love... "whenever you're ready, whatever it takes... I'll be counting the days... baby, say when.
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This is an honest, fresh album much influenced by the best in Celtic music. Haunting at times, it touches emotions that may have been scarred and offers perspectives on living life in full consciousness... through the ups and downs... to arrive at a place of love and realization. |
