Imagination
Omad, 2023
9/10
The legendary founder of the San Francisco outfit Moby Grape, Peter Lewis brings a lifetime of experience and skill in the area of songwriting for this eclectic listen that focuses on mortality and how we choose to deal with it.
“Just Like Sunshine” opens the listen with Lewis’ soaring electric guitar and distinct voice alongside John DeNicola’s bass, percussion and harmonium for the crisp, psychedelic rocker, and “Without You” follows with Alan Zahn’s warm piano complementing the soft singing from Lewis in the heartfelt climate.
Some doo-wop nods land in the middle, where the playful “If I Just Had You” welcomes Tommy Allen’s precise drums, while the driving pace of the melodic rocker “Path Of Least Resistance”, which could easily find a spot on the FM dial, might be the album’s best.
Approaching the end, “The Garden Song” showcases Brian Delaney’s drum skills amid Zahn’s cozy organ for the country waltz, and “Saying Goodbye” exits with a jazzy demeanor that showcases Randy Tico’s bass work and Jeff Eliot’s well timed trumpet.
Sort of gravelly at times, highly thoughtful, and balancing both cautious and firm textures, Lewis never disappoints, and this body of work is yet another glowing, mature and, of course, imaginative listen.
Travels well with: John Denicola- She Said; Peter Lewis- The Road To Zion