Melody Guy Train to Dreamland
Melody Guy has a newly released album this year of 15 piercing songs with a whole cast of talent in her backing band in Train to Dreamland. This record is a resolute pursuit of honesty and self-scrutiny in undertaking to clear the path to the ultimate “dreamland.” Along the way there’s letting go, loving the wrong person in a variety of different ways, accepting the past, realizing that we’ve grown a bit older with the passage of time, and re-embracing hopes for traveling and pursuing our dreams, even if they’ve changed a little along the way, too.
“Invisible” starts things off with slide guitar and musically sketches out a wish “to live the way I want to, without judgement… if I was invisible.” A relatable idea. “Ore-Gone” turns down the lights a little bit for a wistful song about leaving your home behind when you’re bound for other horizons, with superlative and prominently thoughtful pedal steel.
“Train to Dreamland” takes a step off the rootsy path into a dreamlike reflection, which is fitting for both the title and the ideas on this one. As it’s the title track, this song sets us to envision what’s good and what we would most love, rather than wallowing in our sorrows and licking our wounds: “I’ve got worries, I’ve got troubles, but I must push them aside / If I catch that train to dreamland I could fix them all in time.”
In “I Forgive Me” the more subdued vibe continues as we follow Melody through the idea of overcoming a lot of punishing negativity – an admirable feat – and arriving at the place where you can forgive yourself for being in something abusive: “I forgive me for caring too much /For thinking that I was the one out of touch / For not running like hell when things got too rough … forgive me.”
“Our Garage” honors old memories in a song of grieving and the passage of time. The style is a touch of folk: Old memories boxes of things I haven’t opened in years / I can tell you whats in ’em right down to the linens /And the way they felt when you were here.”
“Travelin’ On” celebrates the benefits of traveling until you finally find your home: “Til I finally ind where I truly belong, I’ll be traveling on. The road whispers my name, he’s a hollow heart friend /Told me Lies that the love of the road never ends. I’m still learning, wheels keep turning
I’ll be traveling on / Someday I’ll find me a place to call home.”
Later in the album there’s an emotionally open “The Night I Met You,” with optimism on the horizon, and more.
Ultimately, everything will be all right.
This album is about new beginnings when you’re not necessarily a young person anymore. It winds its way through closing some doors, mourning some losses, but in the end remaining willing to notice new windows opening and head toward them. It’s thoughtful and mature with a whole range of talent in the band to back the sentiments.
More details are available on her website here: https://melodyguy.com/
The album features musicians from Nashville to Muscle Shoals, including: Chas Williams (Nanci Griffith, Wynona) on guitar and dobro; Mark Narmore on keys, organ, Wurlitzer and Rhodes; Jay Tooke (Cody Jinks, Wyatt Flores) on drums; William Ellis (Montgomery Gentry) on drums; Mike Daly (Hank Williams Jr.) on pedal steel; Mike Ivey (Blue Feather Studios, Florence Academy of Fine Arts Florence AL) on bass; Tony Carr on electric guitar; Delaney Smith (Melody’s daughter; lead singer for Sit Pretty) on vocals; Raquel Cole (The Woods) on vocals Track 4; Mark Elliot on duet vocals, harmonies and guitars; Ronnie Guilbeau (Cimarron 615) on harmony vocals; Paco Shipp (Jamie Hartford Band, Bobby Bradford Band, Cimarron 615) on harmonica; and Tim Lorsch (Americana strings; The Suitcase, Buddy Mondlock) on cello and violin; and E.W. Forbess on bagpipes; Grant Walden on percussion. And Melody Guy, songwriter, on vocals, background vocals, and guitar.
The album was produced by Melody Guy, and mixed and mastered by Pat Lassiter at Riverfront Studio in Madison, TN.
Thank you Elise so much !!!