Satellite Sky

This final release of new music by Mark Heard remains one of his greatest. The entire album features an electric steel mandolin, which provides a high-pitched chime-y melody to every track. There are great lyrics all the way through. The passionate "Tip of My Tongue" bursts with an aggressive energy about the inability to express one's self. "Orphans of God" is a gentle track with subdued vocals — a heartfelt expression of the human condition. Things take a darker turn on "We Know Too Much," with a myth-like mysticism resonating with the Garden of Eden story, complemented by ominous instrumentation. The only shortcomings to this recording are its length and its lack of a follow-up. There is a lot of music here, and it's difficult to get through in just one sitting. The electric mandolin is nice, but 70 minutes worth is a little like eating too much candy. This record is best listened to in smaller doses. One can only wonder what other masterpieces might have lain in wait had Heard's life not been cut so short. ~ Mark W.B. Allender, Rovi