Soulful Terrain is a one man band named Jason Williams. His expressed desire is to cover a variety of styles, from rock to jazz to Celtic. He achieves this, with varying levels of success.
"When Dreams Unite" is a Mike Post meets Platypus composition -- it's light pop with a progressive feel. "Arabia" conveys that while combining an "Aladdin" style sound with an Irish background. "Where the Arrows Fall" reminds me of Jim Brickman with its keyboards.
"Truth & Hope" is an electric guitar-driven tune that approaches Eric Johnson's mellower moments. "Winter Tide" is a slower, acoustic, Celtic-influenced instrumental. "World Without End" is another guitar and piano number that shows Ty Tabor's influence on Williams -- it resembles Tabor's side project with The Jelly Jam, but without the edge.
"Mystery of Times" recalls Sting's "Fragile." "Road Behind Us" demonstrates the connections between Appalachian and Irish music, managing to sound like both without having either style dominate.
Williams stretches out on The Days of Truth and Hope. The only clunker here is "The Other Sound of Dreaming" -- vocally, it is a karaoke version of Sting. Musically, it could be an updated version of the old Christopher Cross song "Sailing," and it just seems out of place with the rest of this CD.
3 tocks
Similar sounding releases
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2000Spirit and the BrideSpirit and the Bride
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2004Proto-KawBefore Became After
2004AyreonThe Human Equation
2005Frank HartHuman Liturgy
