Say What You Will - With the opening track feel like I am staring at my feet walking through the world, and with the unfolding of this song I feel the sun shining on the dark corners of my mind. Hope does an excellent job of writing songs that tell great stories that you can relate to. To be honest there is nothing fancy to her voice. You will not find her vocally ripping through scales or breaking glass. That being said, her voice has the ability to soar with the angels or croon like the masters of the Blues. You can tell that this woman is singing from her heart and has truly lived life. Each melody that rolls from her lips is as sweet as wildflowers on a summer day. Quickly shifting gears from the typical solo female act her duet on “Subtle Riddles” has a swagger that frames a cat and mouse narrative. Guitar phrasing evolves over the 6 tracks on the album and is just as multifaceted as her vocal abilities. Accompanying instruments are kept in check. Some artists try to put everything and the kitchen sink on an album. Hope creates soundscapes that are full, beautiful but not overdone. Violin work shines rather bright on “A Fishermans’s Life”. Winding around the guitar and Hopes vocal melody the instrument wraps this song with a beautiful ribbon and frames it rather well. Percussion work is just as tasteful. The brush work on the snare make you feel like you are skidding you feet through the warm sand on the beach. Another bright moment on this album is the vocal work during the refrain on “Dry Land”. You can tell that Hope is a seasoned talent well in command of her craft. These tracks will steal your heart and free your mind. While all the tracks on Hopes release have a mid-tempo to laid back vibe her song, “Singin’ Sad Blues” has some real sting from the electric guitar and whaling harmonica. She can definitely throw down some blues groove. Rounding out this set is the track, “Feels Like Home”. With her patented sound she brings you back and lets you know that everything is going to be okay. Hope has a voice that calms and entertains and strums the strings with a passion that inspires. I would recommend this album to anyone that likes Pop, Folk, Country, Blues, and Adult Contemporary genres. Say What You Will, Hope is a shining star breaking through the cloudy night.
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