Title - 'Things I Heard While in the Womb'
Artist - Tom Caufield
For those not in the know, Tom Caufield is a contemplative guitarist with an uncommonly melodic style, telling musical tales that share traits with ambient music, that leaves the listener humming melodies as if they were in a dream state long after his music has stopped playing.
Yep, Tom Caufield is just that good, ladies and gents. Blessed with an ineffable touch on the fret board, Caufield’s 6th release Things I Heard While in the Womb, may only have three (3) tracks in its listing, but look carefully and you'll clearly see that their running times are, for the most part, rather delicious.
The first cut is the longest, 'Waif Among The Reeds,' at just shy of 24 minutes in length! Listening to it, if you know anything of Caufield's early work, you'll instantly be able to tell that while his first two albums centered on the nylon string guitar, his third on keeping the guitar front and center, this latest opus tends to blur the lines between the two.
Indeed, it could even be said that Things I Heard While in the Womb is Caufield bringing to fruition the promise of his earlier albums and giving birth to something wholly unique. The next track kinda rings that bell, and although it only clocks in at a mere three minutes and 47 seconds, 'Rubies on Fallen Leaves' is the pure embodiment of longing, aching beauty, always just out of reach.
His own distinctive take on what can be done with the modern, acoustic guitar based album is rounded out by the near twelve minute 'Palace of Broken Mirrors,' a track that encompasses a spacious, atmospheric, contemplative instrumental composition quite like nothing he has ever attempted before. Caufield's aim has always been to convey emotion as directly as possible, yet leave lots space for listeners to find room for themselves inside the music. So, with that in mind, go and buy Things I Heard While in the Womb, put it on, and come on in, my friends.
www.caufieldmusic.com