A good friend of mine is a local bard of impressive caliber, his name is Chester Baldwin, and he goes by the artist name of Lord Baldwin. A double album of 2011, "Addicted To The Machine", caught me by surprise. I thought I could never like an album better than his double delight, " A Flash Of Brilliance". I was proven wrong. I make tapestries in metallic threads of brilliant colours and they often impress upon me their complexity. This is how this double album is, very rich in emotions and lyrical complexity, both personally and intellectually. " Addicted To The Machine "is a deeply introspective achievement, through which runs a noticeable vein of concern and melancholy, in the tradition of the best bards this country has produced, like Bob Dylan and Neil Young, to just name two bright stars that come to mind when listening to Chester Baldwin's music. This 2011 gift is so rich in mood and the way the artist is able to canvas these moods to the colours of his voice and instruments, from the piano to the harmonica to the guitar, the tambourine, the drum. His music becomes this way a visual experience as well, as were it a painting unfolding in our minds, one we can see with our inner eye and heart. The colours he creates are warm and varied, and reveal a wise and seasoned soul, that knows the challenges and conundrums life brings us along the way, amid the mystery of personal destiny tied to the larger dimensions of power and its often dubious role in our lives as they are marked by political and societal patterns and edicts.
The opening song of Disk 01, as Lord Baldwin numbered them, the title song, "Addicted To The Machine" has a light hearted tune that masks and at the same time emphasizes the dire situation of our addiction to technology and the hypnotic control the media has over our psyches , politically as well as socially as a result of its permeating every fibre of our existence and daily habits.
" Fool That You Are " is a candid song about getting older and realizing our limitations and the concern of staying relevant. " The Taken " is a highly insightful and very effective song about the eternal conflict between the meek and the aggressive, putting a clever spin on the wisdom of dignity in the face of greed and selfishness. " Get Up, And Do It Again ", is a resolute take on being a working man providing for his family, and enduring the drudgery of unsatisfying jobs for their sake. It is a song of great energy and determination , with a wink to Neil Young in the clever instrumentation.
" The Angel By My Side" is a beautifully polished song dedicated to his wife Diane, a deeply wise and humble person and the profound presence her love is to the bard's heart and soul.
" World Of To - Morro " is a stunning instrumental piece. It is rare to hear an instrumental song so strong it seems to speak its own language, beyond the need for words. Powerful !
" I Am There For You " is the story of a concerned father giving encouragement to one of his adult children, it is warm and sincere in its message.
" Escape " is a very effective song encouraging someone who is trapped in a dead end life to get away and follow their dreams while they still can.
The last song on the first disc, " The Doomsday Prophet " is a surprisingly upbeat song with a tambourine and a drum mixed in with the already varied instruments, about the uncertainty of our stressful times.
" Addicted To The Machine " is - and this is just the first part - an album that requires multiple listening, that inspires both introspection and resolve, in a masterful blend that is a delight for the heart, mind and ear. Chester reveals himself more fully in this work, more candidly and completely, on a personal level and as a concerned artist , bringing a voice that expresses both hope and concern for humanity at this crucial bend in the road of our collective destinies.
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