Simpson hits core of heartfelt singer/songwriter material
Ron Simpson | Provo, UT USA | 02/02/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Admittedly, the magic of "Midnight Apparitions" comes in sitting 5 feet from Kim Simpson in a coffee house as he performs. But lucky for us-lucky for every listener who relentlessly searches for and clings to the raw, honest sounds of soulful, introspective acoustic music-Kim Simpson knows how to make the believable, effective transition from mesmerizing live performance to stunning album. He knows how to make the listener feel like he's sitting in their living room, telling them these somewhat ominous, mysterious stories in person when they pop in his disc. And that's all we really want, anyway, isn't it?The haunting song "Midnight Apparitions" goes to the very core of heartfelt singer-songwriter material. It's everything that's comfortable and familiar about folk/pop music. And this tune has every element of a great story-song that absolutely pulls us in as Kim sings of the experiences all of us have had and none of us have had. He pulls at our universal heartstrings and nearly makes us forget about the song's subject-the son of a preacher who deals with his father's dark superstitions and paranoid suspicion after the town's church burns down-because his flawless,tasty guitar and his amazing voice kill us. Kim conveys the song's story through his honest,believable vocals, and with a simple, yet unforgettable guitar riff he takes us there to listen and watch and feel and think and be moved. The greatness of this song-a gripping opening cut to an album packed with similar hits-is overshadowed only by the calm, powerful delivery of the vocal.The song is wrapped with understated production that puts it gently and effectively smack in the pocket of an unforgettable song-one you'll have to listen to over and over again. Light, almost indecipherable percussion and a little bass join in to give this acoustic guitar-driven piece a comfortable, yet haunting sound that will leave you dying to get to the next cut on the album... and the next and the next. Don't look for trendy cliches in the lyrics and don't dig too deep in an attempt to overanalyze the production approach. Furthermore, in an age of vocals that are edited to death with Pro-Tools and other digital recording formats, you'll find none of that here. Kim stays true to himself, his songs, and his style with his honest, straight-ahead approach to his music. "Midnight Apparition" is stunning singer-songwriter Kim Simpson and his guitar, sitting in your living room, simply telling you a story with a voice and a melody you won't forget. In an age and genre of music where even singer-songwriters seem to think more is more, less is still really more. And Kim Simpson knows it.Other recommended cuts: "Phantom Lover," "Simon St. Claire," & "Now The Girl Turns Thirteen." Tyler Castleton, songwriter, Starstruck Writers' Group, Nashville, ("The Love Of A Woman," Martina McBride)"
Pretty Darn Good!
paulharchitect | Brainerd, MN United States | 01/21/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"When I first got Midnight Apparitions, I couldn't stop listening to it.The tunes are thoughful, the guitar playing is great.If you're into modern folk music, this is a must have...Kim has really developed since his first CD - Destination (which is really pretty good, too)."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1