The Road To Zion
Omad, 2019
8/10
Though the name Peter Lewis may not ring a bell, most of us will have heard of his band Moby Grape, who have been active in every decade since the ‘60s. Taking plenty of nods from his seminal band, on this solo effort Lewis has his spirit firmly planted in the ‘60s, but injects plenty of modern ideas as well.
The title track gets the album started with acoustic guitars and soft vocals from Lewis that seem familiar and comforting, and “Down By The Water” follows with a dusty country influence in the memorable tune.
Further along, “When I Think Of Me” brings in a warbly Americana feeling to an introspective moment, while “In This Place”, which is one of the record’s best, offers a bright, jangly moment of pop influence.
Deeper in the listen we get “A Song For Kris (This Memory)”, a folk influenced moment of graceful beauty, the highly rhythmic “When I’m Gone”, and the harmonica and key friendly “Only A Fool”. “For The Gypsy” ends the listen calm and agile, as Lewis gets intimate and wise.
Sure, it’s only his 3rd solo album, but Lewis has been behind so much inspiring music and his vast experience helps make The Road To Zion on par with the greatness of anything he’s done, both on his own or with Moby Grape.
Travels well with: Buffalo Springfield- Last Time Around; The Byrds- Farther Along