If Memory Man was "tight", Words and Music is relaxed.
593750
If Memory Man was spacey, Words and Music is homey.

After many little clues he gave to what this album would be like, it came out just as promised: a selection of lungsongs from the first records in an acoustic style, a few new songs and a song by Paul Simon.

"Can't get you out of my mind" and my favorite baby ballad "Everything changed" come from the first album, Lullaby "Good goodnight" and eclectic and catchy "7 keys" from Still Life. These versions are warmer and more acoustic but not drastically different.

I finally got to listen to "When i finally get my own place" and the grand "Nothing else matters" which were b-sides. These sound very classic and kind of Beatlesy.

Still Aqualung, still Matt's soothing voice. More of the exquisite arrangements that build up and come down to a whisper and keep things interesting. In contrast to Memory Man, this one sounds Beatlesy and sometimes folky. As promised, it feels like hot cocoa and coming home.

Watch out for Arrivals, though. If you let it, sweet tears will well up in your eyes. The kind that feel good.
2122737
The music draws you in, while the lyrics connect with an inner part of you. And his voice soothes and calms...
436359
It seems as though we forget too easily just how vital Steve Winwood is. His release rate is sporadic, and as the saying goes, `out of sight, out of mind.' Nevertheless, he's been providing us with great music since the British Invasion (yeah, it's been that long) as a member of the Spencer Davis Group, then with Traffic, then Blind Faith, then the revised Traffic, and finally, as a solo artist. His music has always been relaxed and reflective, but with a strong rhythmic drive and a timeless quality that keeps his music relevant through all sorts of stylistic changes. He may not make a lot of records, but he always makes good ones, so it shouldn't surprise me to learn that "Nine Lives" is as good as it is. The surprise is that it's even better than I had any right to expect.
 "Nine Lives" sounds a lot like second-generation Traffic, with less noodling and more focus. The songs build on blues riffs, jazz, and folk-rock, all coupled with African and Latin influences. There is precision and elegance to virtually every track on this album, without a single extraneous note. It all makes perfect sense, from the nailed down rhythmic grooves to the song lengths, which linger only long enough to make you want more. "Nine Lives" hearkens back to an era when good music defined our culture, but it doesn't sound the least bit dated or forced. In the best sense, this album could have been released in 1972. With nine tracks passing by in approximately fifty minutes, it's even the right length for a classic vinyl album.
 From a topical perspective, Winwood is still relying on the imagery that has served him well in the past. There are lots of metaphors here - flying, drowning (or more specifically, not drowning), raging seas and struggling to find higher ground. He's not a lyrical genius, but the songs are so strong that his words take on a sense of import, and most importantly, he sounds like he really is trying to convey something honestly. Apparently, he still feels as though he's struggling to hang on to something (Relevance? Sanity in a world without pity?), yet the music is never less than relaxed and confident. Is "Nine Lives" as good as his previous solo albums? Definitely. It is certainly his best record since "Arc of a Diver," maybe even since "Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys." There is no filler here, just 100% vintage Steve Winwood, and that is better than good enough for me.  A  Tom Ryan
674221
My father has Dementia and it helps keeping him busy as well as assisting with his memory functions. Thank You.
3262760
The composition of the track does facilitate deep meditation.  Allows me to merge with the sound and silence the inner censor allowing deep relaxation.
2928391
See my earlier review on J.R. Richards. He is a gifted singer with an ear for music that soothes the brain activity or provides productive background music that does not distract or interrupt your thoughts.
3426190
I have used these and really like them. HE speaks very slow and quietly so it lulls you into a relaxed state.
3089384
I enjoy his type of smooth singing and of course I like his voice, but he is the go to CD when I am stressed out and need something to relax me, while this might not be what the younger people need I am glad there is still music around for us 70 year olds.
3432385
Rythem and Blues or a Soft Rock is how I categorize for this song.  I really do enjoy this one.  I do think he does say "say, whats on your mind," too many times for me.
842473
John Fischer, one of the few genuine poets in the Christian music industry, penned one of the most memorable contemporary Christian songs some 30 years ago. "The All Day Song" is a deceptively simple song, made to look all the more simple by the addition of the hand signs Fischer teaches to his audiences --- and not just to his younger audiences. Granted, as he writes, "Hand motions are a staple for camp songs, and I often joke about where old John Fischer songs go to live out their days: They go to camp." But they also go to drug and alcohol rehab centers, where tough and world-weary recovering addicts play right along and experience a joy often missing from their lives.

In this slim gift book, Fischer displays his considerable skills as a writer in six reflections that mirror the six thematic elements in the lyrics of his best-known song: morning, evening, in-between times, God's love, worry, and the circular "so" --- a word that becomes drawn out in the singing and fleshed out in the writing, "making a big deal of it on purpose," he writes. "It's what wraps the song around itself and keeps it singing all day." Throughout the book, Fischer weaves anecdotes about the writing of the song and the impact it has had, and offers thoughtful insight into how the lyrics apply to our everyday lives.

What's striking at times is the way the lyricist himself has discovered new levels of meaning in the words he wrote three decades ago. One line in the song refers to the pressure that comes in the in-between times of our day --- all that happens between the moment we wake up and the moment we settle down for the night. "I just realized recently that this is not about pressure but about pressure on the way. We're on the verge of it. It's right around the corner. It's coming...It's about the anticipation of something bad about to happen." The song continues to reveal new truth to the songwriter.

Likewise, Fischer has gained years of insight into the line about "remembering" God's love and his promise to stay --- a line he admits he had doubts about all those years ago. In the intervening years, though, he has taken notice of the many times scripture admonishes God's people to remember --- remember his love, remember his miracles, remember his faithfulness, remember his history of coming through for them. "This is not an exercise in nostalgia...When you feel pressure coming, remembering that God loves you and will be with you always is something you apply to the fear like a tourniquet," he writes. "You stop the bleeding with the truth and wait on God for further instructions."

Fischer brings it all together in a lovely and wonderfully told story about the only time his six-month-old son would meet Fischer's 89-year-old mother. That alone is worth the reading. LOVE HIM IN THE MORNING may be a little book, but there's nothing trivial in its content.
1357120
Memories of Machines is Tim Bowness and Giancarlo Erra.  Mr. Bowness is also half of the group no-man, with Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree.
I'm giving this album four stars based on the beauty of the melodies, and also some very nice work on the electric guitar, but I could have dropped half a star due to the tunes being somewhat insubstantial and relatively forgettable.  The sound is a very mellow sort of prog rock, with Bowness' hushed vocals placed against a backdrop that ranges from more basic acoustic guitars to sweeping synth-scapes and actual orchestration.  Bowness's buddy Steven Wilson performed on the album in a supporting role, and also helped with engineering.  Among the other noteworthy guests are Robert Fripp and Peter Hammill.

A possible word of warning:  this CD would not play in my older-model CD player, although it plays just fine in my Mac.
4044883
I love this man's music for relaxing.  I can relive the movies when listening to this CD.  Good listening while reading.
4294853
This CD is very relaxing. It starts with a definite melody and then becomes more and more subtle. Your mind just sort of drifts off.....highly recommended.....
620133
"Tight" is an understatement, but you do get used to it.
3806106
I use this music for relaxation after a long day of giving hard time to the universe. Musically may be correct to use in combination with your singing. Since I listening over and over for extended periods of time I noticed some tones that are a bit discordant. It may be my own pickiness. However, all is good. Summary: you will like this tune to fall asleep just by listening.
1082464
He keeps his feeling closed off.

Dad?  He knows...
325523
I am finding this CD wonderful and relaxing.  A bit of the past welcome for the future.