River Of Stars
Self-Released, 2020
8/10
Formerly of the ‘80s funk outfit Judy’s Tiny Head, these days Forrest Hill is holding down the show on his own, and bringing folk, pop and alt-rock ideas into his varied and accomplished form of indie-rock song craft. On this 3rd solo outing, Hill takes nods to the legends that inspired him- Dylan, The Beatles, Cohen, and Simon, among others, and meshes it with his many decades of experience for a very well executed listen.
“Million Miles” starts the listen with plenty of rhythm as the horn friendly landscape suits the soulful delivery and harmonic backing vocals, and “New Horizon” follows with a snappy presence of modern folk-rock where a slew of melodies are on hand.
Elsewhere, the timeless rock spirt of “Nomad In Love” recruits a breezy folk-like quality that’s not short on grooves, while “Floats Away”makes great use of a cello in its sophisticated, dreamy landscape. “Guardian Angel”, a late album highlight, then recruits some rootsy ideas amid its sunny melodies and spirited guitar work.
Near the end, “Kiss Goodnight” displays all the classic characteristics of rock’n’roll in its meticulous nature, and “River Of Stars” finishes out the listen with precise acoustic picking and sublime intimacy with an orchestral backdrop that leaves an indelible mark.
Hill carves out a unique spot for himself in today’s independent rock scene here, where he embraces the spirit of Motown, but is still very much in tune with the current indie sensibilities, making his formula very appealing to fans of Talking Heads as well as Mumford & Sons, and just about everywhere in between, too.
Travels well with: Ronny Morris- Sweet Silence; Lowray- Friends And The Fakers