The smoke from the fires in California and Oregon is all around us here in Olympia. The smell of sulphur is in the air, and there is a grey monotony to the sky that seems to have forgotten there is such a thing as pretty white clouds and the color bright blue. The world is in trouble, all because of endless greed fueled by endless selfishness, which has us now strapped with a dangerous virus that is running havoc across the globe, that is already suffering from a sorely abused Mother Nature, with floods and wildfires completely out of control. In all this anguish and uncertainty, the US is a sad example right now, with a complete loss of moral and political fortitude or integrity. Art can be a wonderful medicine for what ails the heart and soul right now, and music is certainly a blessing in uncertain times. The talent and dedication of the Olympia bard Lord Baldwin has given me many hours of hope and strength and inspiration over the last 25 years, and his latest double album " When The World Opens Up Again " is no exception. The two disks of each nine songs features a quiet spirit of determination and honest introspection, of a courageous effort to combat despair and fatigue in the face of this baffling virus, this pandemic that has the whole planet under its stifling spell. It is easy to be cynical, that takes no courage, no effort, no heart or compassion. To be brave, positive, caring, hopeful, that takes work, kindness, strength. Chester Baldwin's new album takes a very positive approach, that is sincere, and does not get lost in platitudes or assumptions. His song " Crash and Burn " shows a very clear view and understanding of the troubled political and moral waters the US is in right now, it is a song of candor and also a warning, about the dangerous path the country is on, as it surrenders to a frightening crush with fascist notions and practices. His album is also noteworthy because it focuses on an effort to seek continuity amidst the chaos and unpredictable, as in his song " My Dad, Looking Back At Me ", which deals in a beautiful poem, with growing old and coming to terms with the traits we have inherited from our parents, both in looks, temperament, and to some extent, even experiences. Chester deals with the timeless experience of love and a broken heart in the touchingly candid " Baby's Getting Married Today ", a wrenching love ballad with poignant lines such as " I'm still figuring out how to go about without that " her " in me. " " Blue Heart " too, is searing in its sorrow : " For someone like you it was maybe just an exercise in how you're gonna spend your extra time but for someone like me, it was like, it was like everything I could ever want in life. " There is a sincerity, and a precision emotionally in these love songs that touches down to the marrow. Disk Two deals with the challenges of poverty, a real scar on the face of the US that claims to be a democracy and " With freedom and justice for all ", which these days seems to mean, freedom if you are well off, and justice if you are white. " Stay Home " is an honest evaluation of the challenges social distancing imposes because of the pandemic, which feels like a war, that leaves the lingering, nagging question and uncertainty of when this crisis might come to an end : " I'm somewhere between chaos and Zen. " The song " Down A Rabbit Hole " is a fresh look at how easy it is to get sidetracked in life, how hard it is to stick to commitments with discipline and dedication, and " Figuring It All Out " is an upbeat analysis of the puzzle that life is, in general, as a philosophical and social challenge, and specifically, as we try to figure out the puzzle of our heart and soul and the path we are on, in connection to the larger puzzle of the pieces around us and of the world. It is a very well written song, with a hopeful message. " Doing This For You " is the artist's evaluation of his craft, of his insight into the meaning of his talent, that reaches beyond the need for recognition : " I'm coming at this, from a direction, fresh and new, I'm laying these eight tracks down, for me and, I'm doing this for you. " This double album of Lord Baldwin is hopeful in a quiet way, and therein lies its appeal, its courage and its strength, it leaves us with a feeling of connectivity, which is what we need most right now in order to encourage us to stay hopeful, inspired and kind. The day had started out somewhat melancholic for me, but after listening to the double album carefully again, with its well thought out ballads of rhyme and melody, with its quietly inspiring lyrics and perspectives, I feel a renewed sense of purpose and energy towards my own writing and its goals and wishes for a better, gentler country and world. Chester Baldwin's musical experiences always leave a lingering, healing imprint on the soul and heart. In these uncertain times, that is a blessing, to say the least.
Trudi Ralston
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