Best Of
Compass Rose, 2025
9/10
A veteran artist with 14 albums under his belt, Steve Gillette was overdue for a ‘Best Of’ album, and the 12 tracks assembled here sure do fill that void.
“Grapes On The Vine” leads with Gillette’s friendly voice amid the warm guitar and quick drumming, and “Down Where The River Meets The Road” follows with a sweet love story that’s elegant and crisp in its folk-rock mood.
Further along, the nostalgic “Home By Dark” looks back at his younger days with melodic and cozy songwriting, while “Spots On The Dice” lands in blues territory and isn’t short on grooves or timelessness.
Close to the end, the romantic “When The First Leaves Fall” tugs on the heartstrings via the emotive singing and sophisticated keys, and “The Old Trail” exits with a mid-tempo delivery and nature-esque appeal.
Gillette’s work has been sung by plenty of household names (i.e. John Denver, Garth Brooks, Kenny Rogers, etc.), and it’s easy to see why. He’s got a knack for folk and country-pop sounds that are lyrically relatable and often uplifting.
Travels well with: Ron Sowell- Dance Till The Music Stops; Rees Shad- Porcelain Angel