HOURGLASS

With a 7 year gap in major releases inadequately bridged by a couple of albeit alluring singles, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/prog crackerjack CARY HEUCHERT finally returned in 2021 with "Hourglass".

Lyrically devoted to, indeed obsessed with, everlasting love for that one special someone and the shift it signals in one's view of the incessant march of hours, the spacey mostly acoustic arrangements and Heuchert's balmy voice remain the preeminent aspects of his signature. And that is a good thing, as they mostly compensate for the almost unbroken string of earnest platitudes that form the basis of most of the vocal sections. The opener, "This is the Time", and closer "Fortune Smiles", are more mystical to my ears, while "Together" whisks in a relatively more aggressive arrangement including a fine lead guitar solo, making these three my picks for the long haul. Tony Pagliuca of LE ORME offers up luxuriant guest piano on "You are the World to me". The tepid old rock of "I Don't Want to Say Goodnight to You" certainly introduces contrast but the end result is more discord than diversity.

"Hourglass" shouldn't disappoint those familiar with Heuchert and, while I might recommend his "Nocturne" album first to prog listeners, your time would be well spent right here.