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review by Bill Binkelman When an album has an unusually beautiful cover, I worry if the music can possibly live up to the expectations put forth by the visuals. In the case of acoustic guitarist Ken Verheecke's a place called home (featuring a cover photo of a setting sun framed by sentinel trees on each side), my worries were unfounded. Verheecke's gentle and heartfelt music perfectly matches the image of the approaching peaceful evening, evoking feelings of peace, contentment, and genuine friendliness. Sometimes multi-tracking two guitars (to excellent effect, I might add) and sometimes going completely solo, Verheecke displays both expert technique and an artist's vision and inspiration. It's hard to not be touched by the opening "Dawn's Embrace" which manages to be both affirming and laid-back at the same time, or the gentle minimalism of the closing title track, which "feels" like walking up the lane to your house after a long day and catching sight of loved ones through a window, secure in the knowledge that a warm hearth, delicious meal, and good company await you inside. In between those two numbers, you'll be treated to nine more pieces, all of them on the subdued side yet never sounding too much alike so that the album holds up well to repeated playings. "Cool Mornings" features two guitars, one slightly amplified to impart some "sparkle" and the other one straight-up acoustic in a slow tempo duet that, despite its title, exudes warmth and cheeriness. "Forever" is one of the few tracks that have synthesizer textures added underneath the guitar, but they are barely there and might only be recognizable when the guitar stops playing now and then (on headphones, the keyboards are more readily apparent). Verheecke knew just how much was the right amount to add, by the way. The extra touch never intrudes on the guitar melodicism, only enhances it. As I stated before, the pace of the entire album is mellow, so that even a song with a playful title "Madamoiselle Freckles," while somewhat uptempo by comparison, is not what I expected but never strays far from the CD's previous mood. In some ways, a place called home is an acoustic ambient album, in that it works very well in the background to color a room with shades of peace, calm, and reflection. You could also enjoy it by direct listening too, of course. Ideally, as far as I'm concerned, this CD is well-suited for playing while driving through rural landscapes in the late evening (as the cover picture illustrates). It strikes me as the perfect soundtrack for just such a trip. If all you have available for travel, though, is your sofa or armchair, then you can at least visualize a winding country two-lane while letting Verheecke's music "do the rest." Either way, I certainly recommend the album. |
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