Acres Of Diamonds
Self-Released, 2020
8/10
Originally from Lubbock but now residing in Austin, Anthony Garcia is yet another Texas troubadour with a knack for timeless songwriting, as the classically trained pianist, guitarist and vocalist births a very unique brand of varied Americana here.
“Santa Rosa” starts the listen with a warm acoustic guitar paired with orchestral strings as Garcia guides a dark yet rhythmic opener that’s quite cinematic, and “Fire Song” continues the elegance with a quicker pace of shuffling percussion and lush musicianship where a fiddle from Lleana Nina makes a grand appearance.
Garcia makes the most the 9 selections, as “The Wind” flows with a breezy intimacy as intricate guitar picking mesmerizes in the ballad, while “Haunted Hotel” moves with much soul in the classical inspired atmosphere that’s electronica-friendly, too. “For Your Love”, the album highlight, then combines country, folk and orchestral ideas amid very compelling and fascinating song craft.
Garcia finishes out the listen with “Jane” and the title track, where the former resides almost in spiritual territory, and the latter sits firmly in Americana with an introspective quality to its slow burning nature.
A very eclectic effort where surprises appear within each track, Garcia and company don’t make music that’s quite so easy to classify on Acres Of Diamonds, but is absolutely easy to enjoy and resonates with much sincerity and creativity.
Travels well with: Salim Nourallah- Somewhere South Of Sane; Julian Taylor- The Ridge