Reviewed by Paul Kerslake

This is the second release from US singer/songwriter Caylor. His first, 'Okay', received rave reviews and produced the Cross Rhythms radio turntable hit "Pain Is A Megaphone". Still remaining unsigned and independent, Jeff made the unusual decision to relocate to Hong Kong while developing his second album. 'What Birds Dream' is an eclectic mix of acoustic soul, straight ahead pop and rock. The piano-based opening track, "Prayer 743", talks about prayer and how we can sometimes get far too muddled in saying the right words, rather than just praying simply what we really mean. Lyrically the album continues in a similar vein, Jeff giving heartfelt and honest perspectives of life and faith, but with an artistic flair. There are some up tempo moments, but generally the album is medium paced which is fitting to the content of the songs. The title track speaks to all of us who struggle with life sometimes, with the great tagline "Take a look at the birds, they don't get worried/All day flying in the trees/When I dream of flying I try to imagine what I might learn from what birds dream." This segues straight into the closing track, "Take A Breath" and the two songs join together seamlessly both musically and lyrically. This is an intelligent and honest album that raises the spirit and talks directly to where a lot of us are at. And for those who enjoy the album but want a bit more pace, there is a remix version which has been newly released and sounds good too.

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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