The craftsman David Berkeley converts pure feeling into a beautiful quilt without missing a stitch. I have tried, but I feel there is no way for you to truly experience this recording through words alone. David’s third studio album, Strange Light will touch your soul differently each time you listen. I can honestly say that it touched me deeply.
The first cut, “Hurricane” has a sensitive, touching beginning which brings you into a warm story with crying lyrics. The arrangement and subtle accents really drive this tune forward and beyond. With a nice build and dynamic stability, it stands as a wonderful love song of commitment and strength. “Willis Avenue Bridge” paints a gorgeous picture filled with memories and visions of winter. This is a sad and touching story of the spirit of one’s life moving forward but with the memory of sadness and regret. Definitely one of my favorites, this tune brings you into a tragic, fractured moment brilliantly.
“Sweet Auburn” takes you waltzing through a story of longing and love for someone sweet but distant. Berkeley draws a wonderful sketch of the heart in a state of falling. You can clearly picture the nervous butterflies in his words. The next track, “Oh Lord Come Down” shows the beautiful vocal companionship between Berkeley and Sara Watkins of the band Nickel Creek. A nice spiritually flavored song with broad strokes of hope and faith; it is executed gracefully with sensitivity and grace. In “Halloween Parade” you can feel the cold air, see the dark sky, and smell the hazy smoke standing below the fall sky. It is a very visually touching piece mixed with powerful but tasteful additions from the other musicians. His delivery is simple, intelligent and full of depth. “Scraps of You” is another touching track featuring soft, subtle guitar and vocals, which float over a pleasant wave of tasteful musicianship. The builds and layers are smart and spread nicely by his musical partners. Todd Sickafoose gives us a wonderful gift through his upright bass solo and punctuates the feelings with each note simply.
A straight up shuffle, “Milwaukee Road” would make any old Nashville session player shiver with goose bumps. This tune could easily have risen from the grooves of an old 45-RPM record through the voice of Haggard, Cash or Williams. It is an instant classic. “Glory” drifts through the air like a falling maple leaf with its color bouncing off rays of afternoon sun. The harmonies and mandolin plucks stroke the heartstrings with angelic care. “Measure of a Man” flows and builds nicely as it progresses. It is a search for answers, which is delivered with sensitivity and mystery. Towards its conclusion, it rises like a threatening wave but crashes nicely on the shore. “High Heels and All” is an example of fine songwriting and arrangement. Simply said, parts of this song will bring your heart to joy and tears to your eyes. It is a perfect mixture of instrumentation and emotion.
“The Only Broken Man” pleads with a desperate call for rescue. With sadness and darkness, he could break the strongest heart into a million pieces. “Angelina” ends the album with another beautiful rendering of a relationship’s growth. He paints her face and spirit so clearly; you can see her smile as they talk that day in Harvard Square. It makes you crave the need to meet the girl who could inspire such a beautiful song. Berkeley has truly created a piece of art with this recording. Words cannot shine its light as much as the tones of his music. Buy and Listen.
"Strange Light" is on sale May 26, 2009 from Straw Man.
