Album Review of BEATEN PATH by Paul Nye

These days I only listen to music while I’m driving my car when I have time to really listen.  Lately I’ve put on a couple of CDs sent to me by Paul Nye who lives in a small town up north. Paul’s CD called Beaten Path has been playing over and over again for the past 2 weeks so I’ve become quite familiar with every nuance of the thirteen songs and let me be the first to tell you;  Well done! 

This CD is full of ear candy that would delight any hi-fidelity aficionado.  Once in a while I will hear an album that is so perfectly done and so lovely to listen to that I just can’t get enough of it with one listen.  Produced by Scott Malchow who has a whole slew of mixing and mastering credits to his name and who plays a variety of instruments here and peppers this album with tasty B-3 organ parts.  The clarity of these recordings are pristeen in quality mastering by Malchow and the mix is as perfect as you can get.  At first listen I was impressed by the impeccable drumming by the Greg Gaston that fit the style of each song well and having a modern feel.  Next my ears perked up at all the beautifully layered guitar parts played by Paul and Scott like ear candy in the selection of the pure guitar tones and effects that perfectly match the style of each song.  The guitar solos as good as any any Pink Floyd, Duane Allman, Eric Clapton, George Harrison sliding, and I even heard some Neil Young style shredding. For a little trivia Paul mentioned he and Scott Malchow decided to add some Eagles-sounding riffs as a sort of “musical hats-off” way to pay homage to Eagle guitarist, Don Felder, when he left the group.

The Album starts out with THE SCOTTS I KNOW a sort of humorous look at having a lot of friends by the name of Scott who leave a phone message to call back Scott and Paul trying to recognize their voice to figure which Scott it was.  The line “some of you Scotts are creators, others craft with your hands” fits some of my artist friends who happened to be named Scott.     

Paul shows us he has a great feel for playing the blues on acoustic guitar in his song DO YOU REALLY KNOW.  Blind Lemon Pledge (which is evidently Paul’s alter-ego) dished up a sizzling guitar solo while Malchow added tasty Hammond B-3 organ and stirring the pot with steady bass guitar from John Wright. 

In THIS SMALL TOWN where “everyone gets along and roots breathe deep” Paul demonstrates his ability to write a great feel good pop song.  I love the guitar tones that has sort of a Beatles feel.  I can’t tell what a joy it was to hear this song over and over again with its soaring Eric Clapton LAYLA style lap steel guitar and Beach Boys style harmonies.  How this song is not a bonified hit is beyond me.  It should at least be in a movie somewhere; hint, hint.

The next song, WISH I HAD THE FAITH OF AN ATHEIST, really takes the cake.  If you liked Pink Floyd this one’s for you with it’s machine gun style vocal delivery and a blistering guitar solo.  Oh by the way it’s a song dealing with the theory of evolution and having Faith in a Creator of whom Paul is not ashamed to write about without being overly bearing.   

As a Christian myself I catch many meaningful phrases throughout the album like the interspective “all my righteous acts are like dirty rags” “I stand naked before you” or the conviction in “he loves the Lord when it's convenient”  and “sent to be lovers, we fight with each other.”

There’s even a country blues song here in LET ME GROW with cool dobro and lap steel parts by Scott Malchow (I love this guy) and a Sonny Terry style harmonica solo played by Bruce "Creeper” Kurnow.  (only the greatest Blues harp player ever.  Did you know Hohner named a harmonica after him?) 

        The piece de resistance for me came in the final song MY PROVIDENCE a contempory Christian song with huge production worthy of any Christian radio airplay.  Over all I would recommend this album for anyone to hear for yourself.  As a novice recording artist myself this album gives me a higher level of excellence to aspire to. It’s a lesson in using the right guitar tones, tasteful keyboard playing, tight harmonies, great mixes and mastering.  It's a great lesson in how to reach perfection in your recordings and class is in session.  Listen and Buy at:  paulnye.com or iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify and other online music sources.