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The Sounding Board by R J Lannan |
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RJ Lannan is the reviewer for The Sounding Board. |
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| Watching For Rain |
| By Anne Trenning |
| Label: Shadetree Records |
| Released 2/3/2009 |
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| Watching For Rain tracks |
1. The Ash Grove
2. Silent Night II
3. Eden Hall
4. A Prayer for the World
5. The Welcome Song
6. You and Me
7. Days of Pie
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8. Carolina Moon
9. And I'll fly Away
10. I Want to be Ready
11. H.I.A.T.W.
12. Real Love
13. When You Say Nothing at All
14. Dancing With You
15. Benediction
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Raindrops on Roses |
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Under the category, "These are a few of my favorite things" is Watching For Rain, which just happens to be the title of Anne Trenning's newest release. For me rain is a cathartic, a cleansing of the earth that has a profound effect on the soul. Anne's music has taken rise and given me music that makes the experience that much more enchanting. Her dulcet piano and warm ensemble accompaniment offers several layers of tranquility along with thought provoking melodies. Her friends on the album are Rick Dior on percussion, David Floyd on keyboards, Mira Frisch on cello, Jennifer Dior on flute, Van Sax on guitar, and Janet Hart Brendle on violin.
Sounding like an old, familiar English folk song, The Ash Grove opens the album. There are plucked strings and gentle piano, but the melody sounds fairly modern, almost cinematic, making it a song for all audiences. The music is fresh and airy with a lot of bright sunshine. It is music that celebrates the beauty found (sometimes hidden) in every new day. More about that later.
You And Me is about the discovery of the heart, plain and simple. In this frantic world of the "me" generation it is sometimes difficult to find someone to love. That where the "you" part comes in. To me Trenning's music says if we just slow down the heartbeat, take a long look and open our minds and hearts, love will certainly fill the available space.
I think that Days of Pie is a bit of a celebration. And why not celebrate the ordinary? Fried chicken on a Tuesday night, the baby's first tooth or even your mom dating again after thirty-five years. Sometimes life gives us very little to be happy about, so take even the smallest of things, be thankful and celebrate. Pass that pie!
In the song H. I. A. T. W. Anne does an amazing instrumental of Tim Hughes' Contemporary Christian hymn Here I Am To Worship. A very strong, deferential melody transforms into a prayer, perhaps a surrender to faith. Anne's beautiful solo piano rendition has its own kind of gentleness, one that is more than appropriate.
When You Say Nothing At All has been one of my favorites forever. I have to admit that I am used to Allison Krauss' baby soft voice doing the lyrics, but finally with Anne's instrumental version I can sing it to my heart's content. The words and music say that with love comes trust and in time even the words are unnecessary. What's left is Anne's performance with just the music.
Anne Trenning's music is everyday music. It is the sound of the sun shining, the heart beating and the spirit growing. Anne takes the familiar and the comfortable and musically makes it more so. She also discovers the new that we have been waiting for. If you are like me, you’ll play it all the time. And pray for rain. |
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Rating: Very Good  |
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- reviewed by RJ Lannan on 7/30/2009 |
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