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A proper artist struggles to influence life's signal to noise ratio. Under the right kind of concentration, the static grows quiet. The extraneous and the superficial are pared away. And precious human qualities are held still, carefully turned over and inspected for illuminating details. In Robby Hecht s case, this effort emerges as music that invites and even induces the listener to a similar place of serenity, clarity and patience. When I m writing by myself something can take three years until I get past my own self-editing phase, says Hecht about his meticulous approach. Everything I write I m trying to capture some kind of truth that I haven t heard anyone say in that way before. And that s what we hear on Hecht s third album, a self-titled collection of twelve lovely and insightful songs. Those who give it time will be seduced by a quality that fellow songwriter Steve Poltz once compared to a warm blanket that wraps itself around you. And Poltz is but one of many peers in the folk music community who ve testified to the magnitude of Hecht s talents. Catie Curtis, Anais Mitchell, Julie Lee and others have gushed about the natural beauty of Hecht s tone, the honey in his voice and his authentic gifts as a lyricist. Prizes from songwriting contests at Kerrville and Telluride have further confirmed Hecht s stature as a musician s musician. Now, with several circuits of the nation under his belt and a widening base of support in the songwriter world, Hecht is worthy of wider recognition by fans of observant, immersive music. Some songs here feel chiefly the product of craft, while others the product of heart. Among the former is the allegorical song of impossible love called The Sea & The Shore, a co-write with Nashville writer Amy Speace. Working under self-imposed rules about symbolism and rhetoric to maintain a consistent voice, they worked over several sessions and many weeks to compose this finely honed masterpiece. Another craft song is Soon I Was Sleeping which has the shape and cunning of Hank Thompson or Harlan Howard and the melancholy honesty of Townes Van Zandt. Steel guitar comes out from the background here to give the record a country ease and sway. The heart songs include Feeling It Now, a deceptively simple profile of that evanescent mood when you re heading out for a night among friends and all is clicking. It s a celebration of life and more personally a retrospective of the manic experience. And then there s Cars And Bars, a bittersweet postcard from an encounter that promised romance but which became a mere one-off memory. There are many moments like that on Robby Hecht moments that provoke recognition and memories of our own. It s not a debut album per se, and yet for many, it will introduce an important artist who s hit his stride and learned a lot about teasing out meaning in a noisy world. Craig Havighurst Nashville TN
Condition:NEW. Marked upc
TRACK LISTINGS
1. I Don't Believe It
2. New York City
3. Feeling It Now
4. Soon I Was Sleeping
5. The Sea and The Shore
6. The Light is Gone
7. Papa's Down the Road Dead
8. Hard Times
9. Barrio Moon
10. Cars and Bars
11. Stars
12. When I'm With You Now
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