Part two of Chester Baldwin's latest double music album showcases a series of 16 reflective ballads, continuing with a well polished voice the bard from Olympia impressed me with in the first part of the album. After listening to the entire double album, it struck me as quite unique how these two parts, part one with 17 songs, and part two with 16 songs, are so separately distinct in their mood, philosophically and musically. It makes for an intriguing whole, and makes me realize the title has a double meaning : Chester showcases as a musician his own alter egos and secret identities musically and intellectually, and the album's themes too, have elusive alter egos and their hidden, secret identities that seek our attention. The layers in this double album reveal this way not only the complexities of our confusing times, but also the complexities of the artist's soul, as he confronts life's contradictions and challenges with unshirking optimism and courage.
The first song of this second part, " Lonely Too Long " has a nostalgic 1930's feel, a fitting overture considering the economic unease of our times, with a great old - time piano tune that brings to mind the silent movies of the pre - WWII era. " So Close and Yet " is a song in which Chester harmonizes with himself, it is an effective bittersweet ballad about the elusiveness of friendship as time and challenges take hold. " Tomorrow Morning I Will " with its clever chorus " I Couldn't Face This Yesterday, But Tomorrow I Will " is a very insightful song about the traps of pro - crastination , that delights with its light hearted tune, in which Chester also does a harmony with his own voice.
" I Wanna Be That Guy " has a voice and mood that brings to mind Bob Dylan, and deals with the longing to want to be perfect, the kind of person who is there for everyone.
" Sometime Tomorrow " is a beautifully wrought song, with very nice vocals and harmonica, a melancholy ballad about the challenges of keeping our soul alive in the humdrum of daily challenges.
" They Don't Know How " deals with the treacherous terrain of trying to get back to the emotional safe place after a destructive argument, it is about the damage harsh words can do to relationships. It is a very subtle and nuanced song about a subject both elusive and difficult to define and describe effectively.
" Nothing But Trouble " is a wonderfully delightful song about a bad boy lover, set to an enchanting Caribbean melody and rhythm, a charming surprise and departure in theme and mood from Chester's repertoire. It is one of my very favorites in this surprisingly complex double album.
" Fear of Failure " is a melancholy reflection, very candid, about the difficulty of getting beyond the reluctance to take chances. There is a beautiful synchronicity between the melancholy of the song's theme and the melody. It bears repeating that Chester Baldwin does all the writing, singing, and instrumentation on all his albums, it is quite impressive. When I think back on the delightful song " Nothing But Trouble ", I spent some time in the Caribbean, and the mood and music of this clever song feels very authentic.
" Without You " features a beautiful love song, with great piano, a song he wrote for his devoted and steadfast wife of more than 45 years now, Diane, a wise, gentle and strong presence in the bard's life.
" Living On The Edge Of Tomorrow " deals with the uncertainty economically of our times, with a lot of the working classes living from paycheck to paycheck, and dealing with the added frustration of indifferent and corrupt politicians.
" Right Now I' m Having A Hard Time " is a very accessible, honest song about the healing process of a heart ache.
" Let Her Sleep " is a very tender and touching love song for his wife Diane, it is full of emotionally delicate poetry in both thought and melody.
" Their Unknown " is a very honest song about the conflicting emotions the sight of homeless people brings to mind : the suspicion, the guilt, the fear, the doubt. The song speaks very frankly about how we rationalize our rejection of the homeless, our basic indifference and even contempt. The song's difficult theme is underlined by a weeping, haunting electric guitar.
" Can't We All Just Get Along " deals with the troubling resurgence worldwide as well as here in the US, of intolerance and racism, and with it the looming spectre of a possible third world war.
" It's Classified " , with its poignant chorus " ... Confidentiality has its price, from eugenics to genocide ... " deals in no uncertain terms with the danger of a government that wants to have unlimited surveillance of all its citizens all the time, and foreshadows the frightening possibility of totalitarian regimes worldwide, of police and military states, as is already evidenced in the sinister deportations of illegal immigrants in this country as well as abroad, bringing back the haunting images of mass deportations under the Nazis reign of death and during the bloody Stalinist purges, making us all hope the horrors of the twentieth century will not repeat themselves.
Chester Baldwin's latest double album is very rewarding, it is rich with both a gentle wisdom and optimism for his own story and life, and a concerned passion for the future of mankind. It has the courage to step beyond the disappearing door, that is, it does not let the challenges of a complex future for mankind cloud his determination to share his talents and convictions to lighten the burden of his fellow man. Chester's voice is magnificent, it bears repeating, in this highly effective double album. It is a voice that captures in its warmth, maturity, nuance and clarity, all the complexity of the concerns this both highly personal and highly universal double album bring to mind and heart.
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