The Escapist
Red Raft, 2024
9/10
The fingerstyle guitarist and singer-songwriter David Harland cut his teeth in the Minneapolis rock band scene, but these days he’s playing calmer music, as evidenced by these 10 instrumental and intimate tracks.
The intricate mood of “Ascension” begins the listen with warmth and melody, and the title track follows with calming waves of grace from Harland’s meticulous fingers.
The middle belongs to “Sól Seeker”, and lends itself to introspection that even welcomes soft cello from Cierra Alise Hill, while “South Hill Climb” pairs the upbeat guitar patterns with stirring violin from Hill.
Close to the end, “Descension” has Harland playing a bit more firm and with strong attention to atmosphere, and “Sleeping Buddha” exits with Matt Patrick’s ambient guitar adding a hint of mystery to the mesmering finish.
A peaceful outing that’s also heartfelt and expressive, reference points include Nick Drake or Michael Hedges for this really serene and enlightening effort.
Travels well with: Chris Murphy- The Red Road; George Marinelli- Except Always