Review of Allan Byer's New CD, "Your Voice" by Tanya
Ignacio, The Source.
Allan Byer
Your Voice
Mirror Time Productions
Allan Byer is a positive guy. This is never more evident than in his
latest album, Your Voice. The Central Oregon singer-songwriter’s second
album is an upbeat, heartfelt amalgamation of folk, folk-rock, and blues
songs. Byer’s lyrics express his general sense of appreciation for the
world
around him and the path he is on. In “Storm,” he sings “You might think
that I might panic as I watch the storm in silence/but inside my heart
beats stronger./In the storm, I hear a song/...Let it rain. Let it
storm.” The last song on the album perhaps alludes to the source of his
optimism. “The Bottle and Me” is a wry reminiscence of a battle with
alcoholism and how trust in a higher power helped overcome dependence.
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Byer is helped on this album by the talents of several local musicians.
Matt Engle plays lead and rhythm guitar, harmonica, and bass; Kevin
Lewis plays drums and percussion; Dr. Marc Sackman plays flute and sax;
Steve Kulin chants, as well as playing piano, synth, and percussion;
Ethan Allan King plays penny whistle, electric guitar, and provides
support with harmony vocals; Christen Hawkins also sings harmony vocals.
Byer normally plays solo or with his band, which includes Dr. Marc
Sackman and Hal Worcester. The variety of instrumentation that appears
on the album rounds out his normally pared down sound.
Your Voice is a great second effort for one of Central Oregon’s hardest
working musicians.
(Tanya Ignacio, The Source, February 2004)
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