Customer Reviews

All That Is

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Okay, so, I'm a fan. Maybe even a rabid one.

I first saw Garnet Rogers (mumbledy-mumble) years ago, with his brother (do the math, kids, I'm an old lady). He had more hair then (so did I), but he was still a hell of a musician and a sweet guy, and remains both to this day. I've loved his music since I first heard his solo recordings on a local folk show here in the area and saw him play shortly thereafter. I go to see him whenever he's in town, and recommend that you do the same. I was delighted to see that he had released this compilation to be distributed in the United States. It contains many of his best songs, though certainly not all of my favorites.

The musicianship is impeccable. Rogers' voice resembles nothing so much as dark buckwheat honey; his accompaniments are lovely and thoughtful, and he's an accomplished guitarist. He also plays the flute and other strings. His lyrics sometimes touch the heart to tears, but often sparkle with humor. Listen to "Under the Summer Moonlight", which is about his aunt and uncle -- who still love to dance together after 50+ years.

That being said, Rogers is a man of deep convictions, and it's easy to understand that from the words and the music you hear. From the first acoustic notes of "Next Turn of the Wheel" -- about spending summers in his grandparents' home and seeing the whole Maritime way of life die -- to the last Rickenbacker feedback echoes of "Seeds of Hope", which has (deservedly) made its way into a few hymnals, the songs all have a message of triumph over the sometimes harsh and bitter lives of the characters who inhabit them. I always root for the old mare in "Small Victory", even though I've heard the song more times than I can count. I always have tears when I hear his powerful memorial to his brother Stan, "Night Drive", as I hear the raucous chords of his Telecaster, the digital delay making the sound of the heartbeat that unites us all, wishing that we'd told a lost loved one we loved them more often, and "shown (them) better".

Rogers has called his variety of music "loud folk", and if you're in the market for flailing acoustic depressive navel-gazing you've definitely come to the wrong place. What you have here is a man who has grown into the grace and courage to say "Love is all that is, and all that ever was" -- and make it the title of this compilation of some of his best. Buy it. You won't be disappointed. If you like this, get to one of his concerts and then buy the rest of his albums. You will become addicted.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

I was familiar with Stan Rogers' work, and fell upon this by hitting a link for Garnet on the page with Stan's CDs. I listened on-line a little, bought, and am just amazed at how good this is.

Songs like "Small Victory" tell stories of triumph of will. "Night Drive" catches the the mood of a long night drive and missing someone perfectly. "Frankie and Johnny" is a hearfelt song about the angst and jealosy between brothers, and only through the death of one does the other get to know the brother and himself better.

This is a great CD from an artist that is long neglected on this side of the Canadian border. Rogers is also a fine guitarist.

I'm enjoying this cd as much as his brother's music, which is saying a lot. I had no idea Garnet had such a good voice. I particularly like "next turn of the wheel" and "night drive", both long songs that go by too quickly. They are poems with excellent singing and accompanying music. I'll be trying to buy the various albums these songs come from, and I highly recommend this album to anyone who likes this sort of music enough to end up reading this review.

This CD is an excellent introduction to Garnet's music. I have all of the CDs that these songs come from. I too was quite familar with Garnet's brother, Stan. I have taken the liberty of copying this from the FolkWeb website as it aptly describes his music: "Garnet has established himself as 'One of the major talents of our time'. Hailed by the Boston Globe as a 'charismatic performer and singer'. With his 'smooth, dark baritone' (Washington Post) his incredible range, and thoughtful, dramatic phrasing, Garnet is widely considered by fans and critics alike to be one of the finest singers anywhere. His music, like the man himself, is literate, passionate, highly sensitive, and deeply purposeful. Cinematic in detail, his songs 'give expression to the unspoken vocabulary of the heart' (Kitchener Waterloo Record). An optimist at heart, Garnet sings extraordinary songs about people who are not obvious heroes and of the small victories of the everyday."

They reflect the struggles and hopes of everyday people from all lifestyles; whether homeless, an alcoholic, a loss of innocence (first love), etc. His soulful violin playing draws you into the songs. He has the great ability of capturing the moods of the songs through the musical accompaniment and his singing. It's almost as if you are the person he writes and sings about. You feel their pain/struggles. He wrote "Golden Fields" & "Night Drive" in remembrance of touring with his brother, Stan. That was the turning point in his life, and helped him to finally deal with his anger/loneliness after Stan's tragic plane death.

If you like Stan Rogers, you'll be impressed with Garnet.

I was recently turned on to the music of Garnet Rogers. Bought this CD first and ended up buying nearly all of his. Not only a great voice and guitar, but some very heart felt stories. I also had the pleasure of seeing him in Harvard Square and found he also had a great sense of humor. Worth listening to..even better live.

Pulling together some of Garnet Rogers' best work, no question about it. I have heard him perform much of this material as a solo artist and the pieces lose none of their power, showing the clear solid bones of great writing, original composition and first-class performance work. If you are looking for an introduction to Rogers' considerable body of work, start here.

I had never even heard of this artist before I heard his music on a public radio program called Sounds Eclectic. He is amazing. I've never really been a country or folk music fan, but his music just soothes the soul. I definitely recommend this album to anyone looking for a great alternative to today's barrage of pop and rap!

About 6 months ago, shortly after I had just 'discovered' the music of Stan Rogers by stumbling across "Home in Halifax' and being utterly stunned by its beauty and power, someone said "Have you ever listened to anything by Garnet Rogers?" Well, I had to buy and listen to all of Stan Rogers CD's thoroughly before I was ready to move on. But, this CD is amazing - the songs and Garnet's voice burrow their way into your heart and become integral to everything that matters. Summer Lightning and Seeds of Hope are 2 of the very best songs I have ever known, and Frankie and Johnny tears at your heart and puts so much into healthy perspective. How can you listen to Night Drive and not feel inside the flashing by of nighttime road lights, the dotted pavement lines, passing cars, the deep pounding heartbeat and the stark alone-ness of the dark and of loss? All I can say is, if Garnet Rogers ever reads these reviews, thank you very much for your time, your talent, your poetry and insight - I really needed this CD and its music at this point in my life.

Garnet Rogers has one of the most pleasant voices that I've ever heard. If all he did was recite names from the phone book, I'd listen to him. But he doesn't do that. He sings beautiful songs and plays instruments superbly. The instrumental opening to "Night Drive" is a true delight.

Rogers is a thoughtful songwriter with an excellent ear for the English language. He's more personal and introspective than most songwriters but doesn't hit you with cliches.

This is the first Garnet Rogers CD I've bought. It won't be the last

I haven't actually bought this CD, but am familar with most of the songs on here. I too was quite familar with Garnet's brother, Stan. I was curious so see if there was any music of his as I knew he played (flute & violin) and recorded/toured with his brother. So, I did an internet search to see if there was any music by Garnet, and was surprised to see quite a few recordings of his on the "Folkweb" website. I started out with his first recording and became hooked. "But writing Golden Feilds and Night Drive addressed clearly and in a direct way my own personal sense of loss and the passage of time since the loss of my brother and my best friend. And the recording of the song, Night Drive, as well as playing it every night was a kind of cleansing or catharsis." While I like the lyrics, and understand what its about, it's too electric for my tastes. His songs range from simple love songs to angry songs about overdevelopment and political assinations of Martin Luther King, and the Kennedy's. He has the ability to capture the mood of the song as in "Under The Summer Moonlight". A great upbeat song.