Laserbeams and Dreams

Andy Friedman shows that he knows how to set a mood on Laserbeams and Dreams. The New York singer/songwriter went into the studio accompanied only by acoustic bassist Stephan Crump and guitarist David Goodrich to record this raw, rootsy batch of tunes in 24 hours, overdubbing nothing but one song's guitar track, and mixing as he went. Consequently, there's a lot of space in these cuts, and a lot of breathing room; not only is the spontaneous interaction of the three musicians captured in its pure form, both the players and the songs take their time, slowly and steadily establishing the atmosphere that intensifies as the album moves along. The organic feel of Laserbeams and Dreams is the ideal setting for these songs, which seem to represent an urbanite's yearning for a more rural, bucolic kind of existence that's always just out of reach for one reason or another. The lyrics Friedman delivers in his weathered workshirt of a voice are full of close observations illuminated by flashes of poetry, usually managing to maintain an equitable balance between everyday details and flights of literary fancy. The subjects he chooses for his songs, from the late folk musician John Herald ("Roll on, John Herald") to the lack of peace in a digital age ("Quiet Blues"), display a traditionalist's longing for things bygone, but anyone who can leap nimbly from referencing songwriter Danny O'Keefe of "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues" fame to painter Georgia O'Keeffe within a single line on "Down by the Willow" will never be lacking for a fresh perspective. ~ J. Allen, Rovi