Regular Columnists

Artist: Dave Downs
Album: Wail, Wind, Wail
Genre: Folk
Best Songs: Nighttime Descending, Whistle Me This
CD Review:

The advent and explosive growth of home recording has made it possible for many artists to reach the market that might never have been able to otherwise. Digital recording and the introduction of DAW's, digital audio workstations, have become a viable low-cost option for those interested in recording music.

Wail, Winds, Wail is a new release from Dave Downs, a Connecticut songwriter who recorded his original folk tunes at home. With a hand lettered CD insert and liner notes and hand lettering on the CD itself, this is truly a homemade work.

The CD consists of eleven tunes; four instrumentals written by Downs and the rest are traditional folk songs or public domain works. Downs plays guitar and provides lead vocals as well as rich harmonies, harmonica, and some basic percussion effects. His tenor vocal and smooth guitar work complement the songs and provide a relaxed acoustic sound.

Downs manages to breathe new life into some old chestnuts such as Colorado Trail and Red River Valley. His original tunes are full-on productions with lush, rich harmonies and interesting guitar work that provide the perfect backdrop for any activity. Nighttime Descending, one of my favorites, is an evocative, layered tune that makes good use of Downs' guitars and a variety of percussive effects from finger snaps to hand claps to beating on the table.

Wail, Winds, Wail is the kind of quiet little CD that might never have seen the light of day without digital home recording. But thanks to home recording and the internet, anyone around the world can buy a copy at CD Baby. If you a fan of folk music and soft acoustic sounds, Wail, Winds, Wail might be what you're looking for.