Wowee! Thanks to Dick Metcalf of Contemporary Fusion Reviews for a beautiful review of Wandering Soul. Here are some little snippets:
“Rachel LaFond – WANDERING SOUL: Rachel’s May 2017 debut solo piano album is truly among the most captivating listens you will have this year!”
“..her strident and straightforward playing style and deeply creative energy sets her performance apart from all the other players I listen to on a daily basis…”
“I give Rachel a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.99 for this sonic adventure.”
Below is the full text of Dick’s review, or you can view it on Contemporary Fusion Reviews here.
Rachel LaFond captivating solo piano debut Rachel LaFond – WANDERING SOUL: Rachel’s May 2017 debut solo piano album is truly among the most captivating listens you will have this year! As I listen to “Finding Home“, it’s clear that she knows how to use the keyboard to wrap you into her vision; any good pianist is able to do that, of course, but her strident and straightforward playing style and deeply creative energy sets her performance apart from all the other players I listen to on a daily basis… a totally unique view into her heart and soul.
I believe one of the best ways to get acquainted with an artist these days is to watch them… that’s how I do it, usually via YouTube… I would strongly recommend that you watch Rachel talk about how her album came to realization in the video below…
As you heard in Rachel’s discussion about the album, her travels had much to do with creating her compositions, and I think one of the most intriguing songs she spoke about from those travels is the 4:34 “Mystery of the Moor“… the echoes of the Moor are woven right into the beginning of the piece, but it evolves into a rich and full-chord approach that allows you to see all the beauty and glory there… I love this song!
Since her home was originally in the Great Northwest, her playing on “Ember Warmth – Twin Peaks” truly hits home for me, easily bringing to mind images of my own extensive travels around the beautiful North Bend area and the whole of Washington state (another story, too long to tell here)… I just loved the beautiful overtones she achieves on this scintillating performance.
As soon as I heard “Why We Wander“, though, I knew it would be my personal favorite of the eleven wonderful and inspiring songs Rachel included on the album… I spent many years wandering ’round the globe myself, and the imagery Rachel evokes is absolutely critical to understanding both the urge to move on and the loveliness of coming home. I give Rachel a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.99 for this sonic adventure. Get more information at the Rachel LaFond website. Rotcod Zzaj
Have a listen on Spotify and give yourself a refresher 