Search - Cindy Kallet :: Working on Wings to Fly

A FIRST ALBUM THAT HAS GENTLE CONFIDENCE...

Larry L. Looney | Austin, Texas USA | 08/30/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Cindy Kallet has long been one of my favorite singer-songwriters - finding the cd re-releases of her first two albums here on Amazon offers me a great opportunity to extol the talents and virtues of this wonderful artist. This, her first album, instead of being a rough, naïve effort by an unconfident newcomer, comes across as a polished, secure work by a seasoned performer.From the very first bars of the opening track, `Nantucket sound', the listener is made keenly aware that there is something very special to be savored here. Kallet's voice is full and assured - there's a power and energy contained within in that is living and breathing, but always in control. Both her voice and her lyrics are capable of incredible ranges of emotion and feeling and subject matter - but one is never left with the impression of being bludgeoned. The life that Kallet has lived and seen and experienced in the northeast - on Martha's Vineyard, in Vermont and, later, on the Maine coast - comes alive in her music. Some of her songs are so lovingly steeped in the musical traditions of this part of the country that one would swear they are a hundred years old - and yet there is also a vital `newness' to them, carried over from the singer's soul.Cindy's guitar work is stellar as well - she is one of the most accomplished and tasteful finger-style players I've ever had the pleasure to hear. Like her writing and singing, her playing is confident but never `showy' - in every instance it makes the perfect accompaniment to her songs (and there's an instrumental included here as well, `Big Dark's fancy', that will make jaws drop).Besides dealing with the expected subjects - the sea and the natural beauty of the region - Cindy's songs also delve into more personal issues. Relationships - both romantic and friendships - are treated with the respect and importance they deserve, without ever drifting into the maudlin. Personal growth is another subject that holds great importance to her - several of her songs (both on this recording and others) are both reflective of her own learning experiences and encouraging to others as they walk their own roads in life. Our mistreatment and disregard for our environment concerns her deeply as well - the song `Roll to the river' here addresses the building of homes in ever-increasing numbers encroaching on the ocean shore. She has a deep respect for her fellow human beings, as well as a deep love for her family and friends - the things that hurt them hurt her as well, and the things that give them joy are her treasures.The arrangements here are simple - very much like hearing Cindy play in person. She is joined on vocal harmonies on some of the tracks by her sister Lisa and another long-time friend and collaborator, Ellen Epstein (Cindy has worked with Ellen and Michael Cicone in a vocal trio, releasing two great recordings, ANGELS IN DARING and HUMANS, over the years). The strength that carries the tunes on this album lies in Cindy's songwriting, her expressive voice and her tasteful guitar playing. This album was originally released on vinyl in 1981 on the small (but vital) label Folk-Legacy, lovingly operated for many fruitful years by Sandy and Caroline Paton - their devotion to music has benefited artists and listeners alike, and the release of this recording on cd is further example of their dedication and hard work.Cindy has additional recordings available -- CINDY KALLET 2, a fine follow-up to WORKING ON WINGS TO FLY, is available through Amazon; her 1989 release DREAMING DOWN A QUIET LINE is a masterpiece (I know Cindy is modest, but I can think of no other apt description for this disc); a duet recording with famed Maine singer-songwriter Gordon Bok, appropriately entitled NEIGHBORS; another solo album, THIS WAY HOME, released in 2000; and an album for `parents and kids growing up', LEAVE THE CAKE IN THE MAILBOX.Cindy Kallet is an artist who, throughout her career, has continually produced thoughtful, beautiful and relevant music. It's a blessing to her fans (both long-time and newly joined) that she has found a way to turn her concerns, her loves and her fears, through her wonderful creativity, into music that speaks to us, that moves us as much today as when it was recorded - her art and her subjects are timeless ones."

One of my most favorite albums

a reader | San Francisco, CA | 08/06/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first heard Cindy more than 22 years ago (ulp!) and have owned this recording on cassette, LP, and now CD -- and now it also lives on my iPod. I still listen to songs from this album at least once a week.Quietly brilliant guitar playing and excellent lyrics. I only wish she toured to California more often!"