THE TRUTH OF ALL LOVE (WITH SIMON CHARLTON)

First, a disclaimer: Ben Rusch sent this album with a request for a review on this site. I appreciate the free music, but I will not let that sway my opinion.

This album is my first exposure to Rusch's music. While it is not really a style I tend to gravitate towards, it does have it's merits. The album is mostly folky music, with some prog as well. Rusch has a fine singing voice, with a deep soothing tone. But it's his musicianship that gives the album it's value. His acoustic guitar playing is superb, often reminding me of John Renbourn. His piano work is often quite nice as well.

The standout songs are I Will Love You for a Long Time Because You're Holy, which, despite a cheesy title, has a sound reminiscent of Justin Heyward (of The Moody Blues), and the more energetic pieces, like The Ghost of You Is the Heart of Me and In Loneliness and Wine.

While this album often ventures a little too far into New Age territory for my tastes, I can picture it as a pleasant disk to play on the porch during a warm summer night.

Hard working, UK-based composer and multi-instrumentalist Ben RUSCH' has a staggering 25 titles to his name as of March 2011, and "The Truth of All Love" is the 23rd entry on that particular list. Unlike most of his previous and future endeavours this isn't a strict solo effort however, as one Simon Charlton have cooperated in this creation catering for most aspects of the lyrics department. And while a fine wordsmith skilled at crafting descriptions of various kinds and states of love, which this disc is dedicated to, Rusch wry humour is something of a missing element for those familiar with his other efforts.

The topic of love isn't one extensively explored in the progressively inclined universe. And while Rusch has had a few forays into the art pop section of this genre on previous occasions "The Truth of All Love" is something of a different entity. There are still sophisticated features to be found, especially some nice and fluent piano passages probably a lot more challenging to perform than what superficial hearing by a non-musician reveals, but by and large this production is one better described as singer/songwriter in general style. More sophisticated than the average explorer of this musical realm, but not enough to easily warrant an art pop tag as I see it.

My main challenge with material of this kind is that while most compositions of that ilk are pleasant and likeable efforts, it takes a lot for any of them to make an impact beyond being just that. Rusch does manage to do so on a few occasions here, I Will Love You for a Long Time Because You're Holy is a fine example of an initially sparsely instrumented, fragile effort with a nifty, layered and mood-rich chorus part. The dreamladen She Comes to Me in My Hour of Weakness is another song on my list of songs I'll listen to on regular occasions, an enchanting swirling piano motif in the verse parts and a chorus part that again features added touched of sophistication by way of rhythms and guitars adding depth and duality to the proceedings in a nice manner. Promised Land and The Ghost of You Is the Heart of Me are other tracks that in my view showcase the most interesting aspects of Rusch' work on this disc.

With a few cases of pieces that doesn't work out too well to take into consideration, my impression is that "The Truth of All Love" is a pleasant experience overall, with a few highs and a few lows averaging out to be a good but not remarkable effort. If you're fond of love songs with good quality lyrics or have a general soft sport for singer/songwriter material crafted with an eye for sophisticated details this CD should appeal, it is a well made specimen of that kind. Art rock aficionados better look elsewhere for their entertainment however, as only a token few compositions might be described as examples of that style on this particular disc.