Search - Rob Laufer :: Wonderwood

A classic unknown disc

Will Brennan | Salem, MA | 03/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a truely great undiscovered CD, chock full of smart, melodic, jangly guitar driven pop/rock songs. Laufer is known primarily as a songwriter and producer (Melissa Ferrick, Fiona), which is evident in the the production on this, by Laufer and Michael James. It's sparkling and perfect, guitars crunch when it time for them to and when strings are orchestrated in, it's always just the right amount, never overblown. The songs themselves are hook-luscious, with smart, sometimes clever lyrics, ripe with heartache and yearning and a dollop of visionary wonder. (It is called Wonderwood...) Do You Fly in Your Dreams made it onto the radio for about ten minutes when the CD came out. I was lucky enough to catch it and hear his name. I ran right over to Newbury Comics that day, found it, the only one in the store, bought it and have been listening to it regularly for the last 8 or nine years. It never goes stale or disappoints me, and it never fails to uplift me, with its equal measure of hurt and hope. I know he's played out in 2003, and that he's done other production work, but as far as I know there's no new music from him. If anybody out there knows different, please feel free to email me. wrouthier@aol.com Search this one out."