Keola Beamer & Raiatea

Keola Beamer has been at the forefront of the slack key guitar tradition for decades. Raiatea Helm has been around for a much shorter time, but has made an impression with her radiant vocals. Together, they explore the interplay between modern Hawaiian balladry and more traditional slack key with exceptional outcomes. The album opens with a Hawaiian rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine," which incorporates traditional chanting, gorgeous lilting vocals from Raiatea, and a casual, quiet guitar. This is actually something of the course for much of the album — Raiatea providing flowering vocals over the top of a quiet, exploring guitar. "Where I Hold You" lets her showcase an incredible clarity in the high registers. Keola takes a turn singing lead in "Our Time for Letting Go," a sadder piece that continues to use the guitar as an emotional backdrop. There's a bit of a lackluster number in "You Somebody," but the musicality picks up again in "Hilo Hanakahi," combining the vocals of the two stars in a more traditional slack key setting. The ultimate result of all of the collaboration on this album is an incredible sonic landscape. The balladry isn't all new in concept, but in execution it soars on Raiatea's vocals. The guitar work is almost standard fare for a master like Beamer, but that doesn't make the work of such a master any less listenable. It's a gorgeous outing, entirely worth hearing.