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Country Music International—Winter 2000
Darryl Purpose, a smooth-singing troubadour with a rangy baritone, assembles an appealing parcel of bittersweet romantic parables set to ear-catching arrangements that smartly blend pop, jazz and country musical ingredients.
A prime example is the opening yarn of Mr. Schwinn, in which the narrator - the sensitive, nurturing boy-now-turned-adult caring about the old and friendly bike repairer - suddenly realises that he is the one who has so much to be thankful for. Another powerful story unfolds in Child Of Hearts, in which a wayward father comes face-to-face with his hardly-ever-seen toddler daughter. The lyric is filled with the wisdom the father shares with his daughter, and Purpose turns in a strong performance.
Throughout this compelling album, he is joined by sympathetic singers and players including David Miner on an assortment of stringed instruments and keyboards, percussionist Walter Rodriguez and Bob Malone on Hammond.
It is Lucy Kaplansky who is to be heard dueting on Ring On My Hand; a positive song about a true love relationship. Darryl Purpose has delivered a warm-sounding disc reminiscent of some of the great singer-songwriter records of the 70s.
For Americana fans, a must have. If this gem grabs your attention, use it as an excuse to investigate the previous and woefully under-appreciated and ignored Same River Twice. —Alan Cackett |
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