By Jan Sikes
I’ve known Lance Cowan for a good many years and it was a real treat to get to
listen to his new twelve track album.
The detailed storytelling in each song made a big impression on me. A fully
fleshed out tale from beginning to end. Secondly, Lance’s voice and song delivery
are reminiscent of the late great John Denver.
The title track, So Far So Good, is a feel-good song filled with hope and optimism,
something we could use a lot more of in these troubled times.
While I enjoyed each song, some tracks really stood out to me, personally.
Little Johnny Pierce is a heartbreaking story and one that is all too familiar. But
now I wish everyone would mow a peace sign in their yard. Can you imagine the
stir that would cause all across America? I say, let’s do it!
Fields of Freedom is another song that touched me. War has torn apart the world
for as long as we’ve had recorded history, but the ultimate goal from it all is
individual freedom. Poignant lyrics in this song, “It’s the flowers in the field that
no one marches over…”
The Sound of My Home is told through the point of view of a train engineer in a
time when he had to shovel coal for fuel. It’s another fantastic historical story of a
life well lived. I could almost hear the train whistle blow as I listened to the song.
Julie Lee’s vocals on The Letter are nothing short of astounding. It reminded me of
the smooth-as-silk voice of Allison Krauss, and the lyrics are touching.
The song lyrics, outstanding delivery and production are first-class. Cowan
includes a little of everything from nostalgia, to social issues, loss, love and
everything in between through the lyrics and song arrangement. It’s an exceptional
example of the songwriting prowess of Lance Cowan, a talent he deserves to be
recognized for.
Click here to listen to 30-second clips of all songs at Lance’s official website.
