Afraid of the Dark

A Gem

     

This album has been occupying the bulk of my music-listening hours for the past few weeks. It's a perfect springtime album, the lost arts of melody & songcraft are well displayed here. The album begins with the bright, jangly "Time Waits For No One", which would have been a big hit single in a much better world. On the album's title track, Peter's trippy vocals create a spooky-beautiful ambiance not unlike that of Sando's legendary 60's band, Gandalf. The title itself even seems to harken back to Gandalf's masterpiece, "Can You Travel In The Dark Alone". Elsewhere, the clever pop of "Let's Get Serious" and "House For Sale" almost seem to bookend each other with a before-and-after scenario, or so I imagine. "Let Me Be The One" is a sweet country love song, while "Sally Hemmings" and "The Ghost Of Robert Erskine" are fine examples of Sando's ability to mix great storytelling with great melodies. This is a beautiful album in which every track is worthy of becoming your favorite song.