CONSTANT THINGS

Featuring twittering synths, psychedelic guitars and celestial vocals Cary Grace appears in a reliable manner again with her unique cosmic singer-songwriter approach. 'Constant Things' sounds like a retrospective view in some way. This time presented with an instrumental outfit, at least the song Vanishing saw the light of day some years ago already. So overall I would not be surprised if all the tracks are leftovers deriving from previous recording sessions.

Well, taking my personal taste as a starting point I would like to mention the jamming parts of the album, to name the extended instrumental Nightfall first and foremost, the band acts in best space rock tradition, the album's highlight if you ask me. And now it's time to point to something new, besides the cool synths Cary also cares for some smooth keyboard adds here, sounding close to Rhodes piano .. ahhh ... and two guest guitarists are helping to provide a lush sound.

The opener Pilot and The Twilight Sea both attract attention due to her ethereal voice - chirping birds and sparkling water are additions to Mountain Song - this one is evidently close to a typical singer-songwriter appeal. Finnish artist Eetu Pellonpää has provided some nice psychedelic artwork for the album - reduced on the black and white contrast with intent, I'm sure, and especially corresponding to this song.

All in all 'Constant Things' can't knock my socks off like it happened when listening to the album 'Perpetual Motion' or the fantastic 'Green Carot Jam' which are heavier on improvisation. However, comprising one gem at least this is a fine production nevertheless, You should know ... Cary Grace has way more to offer than acoustic guitar and some chords. I warmly recommend to check out her music ... and bet you won't regret!

Following on from 2010's, 'Monday Machines', Cary returned in 2011 with her sixth release, 'Constant Things'. She provides vocals, guitars, keyboards, synths, production & mixing while Andy Budge (bass) and David Payne (drums) return, as well as two guests who assist on a track each, David Bartley (guitar) and Mark Griffin (drums). As with her other albums, Cary again is musically incredibly diverse and is determined to make life hard for people like me who want to convince others to discover this music for their own. Take "Mountain Song" for example, here both in a final version and as a demo. They are the last two songs on the album, and are based around linked acoustic guitars, a resonant bass, a few keyboards, and emotional heartfelt vocals cracking and poignant.

Compare that to an instrumental such as "Vanishing" which feels more like Ozrics working with classic space rock, and it is hard to imagine that it is the same artist, let alone appearing on the same album. Cary is a musician with multiple personalities, and while classic psychedelia appears in all, she can happily co-exist alongside a space rock/krautrock/hardened synth player improvising and taking us into unusual worlds or a delicate singer songwriter. It takes a special person to be in charge of so many differing styles, and the result is up to us to interpret and discover for ourselves. I can imagine there will be people who enjoy one of Cary's many persona, but not others. Me? I love the way she goes from place to place, never settling for too long (the longest song on this album is just ten minutes) yet taking bits and pieces and bringing them back to the nest where they are curated.

Part of me is always frustrated when I come across a musician who has been around for years as I am annoyed with myself for not knowing them earlier, yet another part of me is pleased as I can hear a great deal of material at once without having to wait a long time until the next album! Cary Grace is a real talent who will be appreciated by those who enjoy psychedelic progressive rock and is never afraid to push into other musical areas. With Cary, her music is like that proverbial box of chocolates, "You never know what you're gonna get, " but it's all delicious.