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by Rick Pandorf Published: July 26, 2005
The music world is packed with artists who pick up an acoustic guitar and make intimate, heartfelt music. While this is a very crowded genre, true talent will always stand out and shine. Denison Witmer does just that on his newly released album, Are You A Dreamer? A gifted singer/songwriter, Denison Witmer delivers music that is as genuine as the lyrical content to match it. The album is properly titled, as it deals with every facet of dreams -- from things you aspire to do, to dream interpretation, or periods of time where you do not remember your dreams. On the opening track "Little Flowers" you immediately hear this natural grace to Witmer's voice. Not only does he have a fantastic voice, but it matches the music with incredible precision. After a very strong opening track, "Everything But Sleep" continues right where it left off, with tremendous guitar work and shimmering vocals. "Ringing Of The Bell Tower" is kicked off with a very nice drum line that continues into the rest of the song. At this point, it is very obvious that Witmer has achieved a peaceful sound on this album. While some may find this very pleasant and reflective, others may find it boring. Regardless which way you look at it, the beauty cannot be denied. The title track "Are You A Dreamer?" is easily one of the strongest on the album. It starts off with a very gorgeous guitar melody that is soon accompanied by Witmer's vocals. The real thing that brings it all together is the near-ambient drum work, which James McAlister deserves a lot of credit for. The type of sound that Witmer has is not easily matched with drum work, but he makes a beautiful, harmonious sound just that much better. On the following track "East From West" we just get more of the same from Witmer. The guitar work is always beautiful, and his voice is always right on par. Musical consistency across an album is not easily achieved, but he manages to stay steady and never let up. I found "California Brown And Blue" to be more upbeat than most tracks on this album, but it still maintains the same base sound. The electric guitar work was also very nicely done. A lengthy track clocking in at just over five minutes, but I felt it provided a nice change of pace from the standard set by the previous tracks. "Castle And Cathedral" slows it back down, and it is a very beautiful song. At the risk of pun, this track has a very dreamy feel to it all together. More about finding out what dreams mean, thoughtful lyrics are complimented by more excellent guitar and vocal work from Witmer. "Worry All The Time" gives us more fine guitar melodies and vocals. Not a standout track, but a nice song indeed. "Grandma Mary" I found to be one of the better tracks. It features very thick, rich guitar chords to match the typical melody. This is a sound I wish he had achieved a little bit more across this album. It's not as subdued as some of the other tracks. The drum work is quite intense towards the end to bring a very climatic feel. A great song that I really feel provided some needed variety on the recording. The album closes with "Finding Your Feet Again" which is a nice send-off. With more vibrant guitar work and quality vocals to match, this seems like a song that will be a sing-along hit at Witmer's live show. It's very obvious that this recording will not be a hit with everyone, as Denison Witmer does not have the most accessible sound in the world. If this sound does strike a chord with you, you will find ten incredibly beautiful songs here that will likely be the soundtrack to your very dreams. A quality album in every sense of the word. Denison Witmer deserves all accolades that are sure to come his way..  Recommendation: If you're a fan of this sound, I can't recommend it enough. Even if you aren't, It's worth looking into. Genre: Folk Overall Grade: B |
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