Lindley Creek gained a lot of momentum after the release of their debut project, Freedom, Love and the Open Road, in 2020. The family band’s sophomore effort, Whispers In The Wind, once again shows us their strong vocals and keen ability for selecting first rate material
The project kicks off with That Page Won’t Turn by Brink Brinkman. Sung by Katie Greer, this is a clever, metaphorical piece about lost love. As with the previous release, all vocals are sung by Lindley Creek, while instrumental backing is provided by studio musicians. Jim VanCleve again plays fiddle and is the producer. Along with VanCleve, the supporting cast consists of Seth Taylor on guitar, Rob Ickes on resophonic guitar, Mike Bub on bass, and Aaron Ramsey on mandolin and banjo. While I wish we could hear more of the family’s instrumental skills, you can’t argue with the consistency and high caliber of musicianship this recording has.
Every Time A Train Goes By and Too Bad You’re No Good are both drawn from the country canon. The former was recorded by Sylvia in 2016, while the latter was cut in 2000 by Trisha Yearwood. Both are rendered in a strong contemporary bluegrass fashion. Katie’s performance on the Yearwood song has a particularly emotive bluesy feel.
Breathe was written by Katie and her mother Kathie Greer. This song contains a peaceful message about staying calm in times of emotional difficulty. As someone who’s dealt with both anxiety and depression for over ten years, this track particularly resonated with me, as I’m sure it will for other listeners as well.
I’m Still Here was written by Thomm Jutz, Charley Stefl, and Jon Weisberger. Featuring the smooth lead vocals of Jase Greer, this is another positive song with a message of persevering, and being positive even in the face of struggles.
Fare Thee Well and We All Need Grace were both co written by Katie Greer and Melody Williamson Keyes. The former is about the end of a romantic relationship, but takes on an angle that most songs of this nature don’t. Rather than focusing on loss and hurt, this piece zeroes in on the wonderful things that came out of the love affair. The latter track is a gospel song which talks of our need for love and forgiveness when we fall short.
Whispers In The Wind is a wonderful recording. It’s not only chock full of originality, but most every song has something that the listener can connect with on a deep emotional level. That is the mark of true artistry.
