Reviewed by Ian Hayter

Carol Lee's story can be read in Cross Rhythms' article about her collaboration with guitar great Gordon Giltrap, but this CD showcases her articulate and heartfelt lyrics and her voice, which is at times strong and at times fragile and vulnerable. With the help of producer Dave Draper, her husband Gareth and contributions from Paul Miro on slide guitar, Hugh Thomas on sax and the aforementioned Mr Giltrap himself, the musical arrangements and performances provide an unobtrusive but immensely skilful backdrop to Carol's vocals. The songs are full of feeling, from the opening "Breathe New Life" through the country-tinged story of "Rosaleen" and guitar-driven "Seeing You" to the spiritual relief of "Swept Away", and they are all delivered with real conviction. It's an album that is powerful in every sense of the word and well worth a listen.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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