Wayfarer is Dan Raza's third album and the first one since he took a sabbatical from living locally in Kilburn, so I haven't seen him eating locally for a while, but he left after his relationship broke up and he wasn't happy living in broken down Brexit Britain. Since hitting the trail he has spent time in Tennessee, Mexico and central Europe. Recorded during and after the pandemic lockdown Dan recorded Wayfarer with help from Josh Goforth, Geraint Watkins, Adam Phillips, Luke Bullen, Frank Mead and Steve Simpson.
The album opens with Behold The Night a folk song for winter nights, looking forward to a bright new spring, the acoustic guitar, strings and piano slowly build, shimmering like streetlights on a lake.
Wasn't That Enough For Me was the only answer, heading on further down the road, in search of whatever the next town may bring, a fragility in the dissolving of another relationship, another journey begun with laid back country blues backing.
Water Reflects What It's Shown asks questions of all of us, in accepting the truth of what we are told and shown, in this modern world of smoke and mirrors, lush laid-back playing, accentuating the questioning lyrics and the subtle sophistication of the production, the strings bloom.
In My Old Time Is a spirited song about being prepared to take a tough choice or three, go and live your dreams, rather than getting caught up in mind numbing mundanities life can throw your way, this is a country hoedown fiddle led tune.
Me And My Lady is a simple evocation of his deep love for that certain someone, perfect for getting up close, sharing a glass of wine and feeling your connection, making you want to have adventures together.
Nothing Like a Woman has a down-home country charm, to this song of love, sometimes the pain it leads to, what that pain will drive you to do, this is both affectionate and pained at the parting of the ways.
Only A Stones Throw Away from the other side of the border, the safety and dreams of a better life across that small strip, things have got a lot harder since this song was written, while Dan was on the Mexican side of the border, watching people sacrificing everything for that chance to cross to the alleged promised land, a gentle organ adds emphasis to how hard it is to make that transition, even before the new regime arrived. The hushed tones of the vocal only adds power to the message.
The Truth Will Heal You is for a woman who is healing after the breakdown of a painful relationship, where the best healing comes from accepting the truth, late night sipping your blues away.
Newborn Man is a hard knocks tale of a man seeking a new life and new adventures with a flute part that leads us deep into the waters, the need to cleanse and find yourself reborn once more, this isn't as born-again Christian as that might suggests, while Tom Tuchman's (?) tale unfurls.
Like Strangers Again winds back the clock to the soft rock 70's when this could have been a hit for Michael McDonald or Peter Sarstedt, the lovers have parted and they are now just Strangers Again no matter how close they once were, everyone moves on sometimes.
We Have To Dream Alone of a better world where you can go back home feeling safe happy and loved as the strings help create that perfect dream state.
The album closes appropriately with Still Got A Song To Sing that is slow and reflective for the need to still be singing among the wreckage of life, the war zones the heartbreaks, finding love among the ruins and rebuilding faith in the joy of life, this almost feels like a slow Carpenters ballad.
Find out more at https://valve-records.com/produkt/wayfarer/???http://www.danraza.com/ https://danraza.bandcamp.com/album/wayfarer
