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Time Stands Still
Customer Reviews
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Time Stands Still review
It has been a long winter’s day at work and you open the door to be greeted by candles everywhere you walk. To your surprise your spouse has drawn a deep hot bath that is bathed in the silhouettes of scented candles allowing you to soak your aching muscles and worries away for another day. Now that’s being smooth and romantic and to make it complete, without a doubt the soundtrack for this tender moment in your life would be Mike Howe’s superb and silky Time Stands Still. Born in Wales, which is attached to the west side of England surrounded by the Irish and Atlantic Sea, Howe’s country has a topography that is so inspiring. From its highest point courtesy of Mount Snowden in the north to the sweeping beaches of Rhossili Beach in the Glamorgan southern county and everything in between, Wales has a rich landscape to draw inspiration from. And for just over 55 minutes that is exactly what Howe does. Howe’s impressive debut focuses on the melody not the performance with the majority of his music contemplated on his acoustic guitar that has a deep rich resonance to it. His music is supplemented by his bass, keyboards and non intrusive percussion every now and then that gives his music a little variety though never veering away from the pastoral theme. This is best heard on the mid tempo ballad “For Claire” and the more enthusiastic “Musselwick”, a perfect recording for a gentle car ride in the countryside away from the commotion of the city. Otherwise, Howe sends you to the land of relaxation luxury courtesy of the peaceful “Heading West”, “The River May Rise” and the gorgeous “Run Deep” among too many others to mention. That said, there is no filler here, leaving you with the only expectation of wanting to know when and how Howe will manage to follow up this incredible debut. The beauty of Mike Howe’s music does not come from an exhilarating execution that will take your breath away. Frankly, his music is precise and simple focusing on ultra smooth melodies that will allow you to take the deep breath of life and forget about the worries that each and every day brings. Enjoy the relaxing 55 minutes of Time Stands Still and live in the moment … live for today.
Time Stands Still review
Time Stands Still is Welsh guitarist Mike Howe’s debut album and contains just under an hour of some of the most soothing acoustic guitar music I’ve heard. An ecologist in a Welsh national park, Howe’s music is inspired by the natural world where he lives and works as well as the people and places he has known. A relatively late-starter to the creative end of music, this self-taught artist doesn’t play with a lot of fancy fingerwork, but the depth of emotion and sincerity in his music more than compensate. His easy rapport with his guitar and the gentle background sounds on bass, keyboards, and percussion (also played by Howe) combine to make this a very impressive first album. As is always true with Real Music releases, the production quality is stellar. It is difficult to classify Howe’s music, but his simple, straightforward songs reflect folk traditions with a contemporary sensibility. More than anything, this music is humble, heartfelt, and strikingly beautiful. The warmth and serenity felt in the fifteen quiet melodies are very personal yet easily accessible. The CD maintains a calming mood from start to finish, but the individual pieces are distinctive and unique. Sure to ease away the stresses of the day and create an enchanting atmosphere, Time Stands Still is a must for anyone who enjoys acoustic guitar music. Recommended!
Time Stands Still review
I like this one a lot but I'm not sure how to put it into words. Howe plays sensitive, pensive and serene acoustic guitar melodies, it’s very relaxing and new-agey, just the kind of thing if you need to chill out or have some quiet driving music. My fave track on here is “Jumping the Stream” that has a nice beat & energy to it, some light percussion and a “perpetual motion” backup figure… Track 13 "For Claire" (his partner) is pretty cool too, with a catchy 4-note descending figure running through the song. Time Stands Still is a good title for this, it’s a good CD to take you out of “time” and all the hassle going on around you, that’s more or less the mission of the Real Music Label. Actually throughout the entire CD there’s really nothing to complain about. Howe lives in Wales, speaks fluent Welsh, and now age 43 in 2009, began composing relatively recently. He has a masters in ecology and spent a many years working in nature and wildlife conservation, which inspired a lot of his composition. He’s a self-taught guitarist who grew up in Liverpool and was inspired by a lot of the music scene there. No, it doesn’t “break new ground,” but it doesn’t have to. More so, it’s instantly familiar, but he just does a good job of it. It’s nice stuff. Cool promo pic, too!
Time Stands Still comment
Gets a resounding OMG must have!
Time Stands Still comment
Have worn it out playing over and over again…
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