Eyes Closed, Dreaming
Black Hen, 2023
9/10
Listen to Eyes Closed, Dreaming
A Canada native who now calls Nashville home, Steve Dawson brings us his 3rd installment of pandemic fueled songs, where help from Ben Plotnik, Kaitlyn Raitz, Gary Craig and many others make for a very sincere and eloquent, rootsy listen.
“A Long Time To Get Old” starts the listen with a very cozy, soulful version of Americana in the Ian Tyson classic, and “A Gift”, an original, follows with much attention to mood amid the meticulous guitar picking and mysterious climate.
In the middle, “Small Town Talk” interprets the Bobby Charles original with well timed backing vocals and a breezy, textured display, while “The Owl”, also an original, is full of vivid storytelling and a charming ambience that’s even a bit ominous.
Near to the end, “Singin’ The Blues” emits powerful guitar playing in the indeed bluesy climate that benefits much from absorbing piano playing, and “Let Him Go On Mama” exits the listen with just Dawson’s bright imagery and flowing acoustic guitar that carries a timeless folk spirit.
An artist who wears many hats, Dawson is also a session player, sideman, and acclaimed producer, and this very diverse body of work brings in horns, is often busy, but can also retreat to calm. It might also be one of the best albums of the year, which, if you’re looking at his past work, isn’t so surprising.
Travels well with: Steve Hill- Dear Illusion; Eric Demmer- So Fine