Roots and Wings [Import]

Neal Casal | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 17, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: 101 DISTRIBUTION
• ASIN: B001KVW5AG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #321,979 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Losing End Again

2. Back to Haunt You

3. Signals Fading

4. Traveling lighter

5. Tomorrow s Sky

6. Hereby The Sea

7. So Far Astray

8. The Cold & The Darkness

9. A Year & A Day

10. Cold Waves

11. Turn for The Worse

12. Superhighway

13. Keep The Peace

14. Don t Mind The Black Clouds

15. Pray me Home

16. Chasing Her Ghost

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One Man Singing His Own Beautiful Songs Beautifully, July 12, 2011

By 

Andrew H. Lee "Constant Listener" (Snohomish, WA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Roots and Wings (Audio CD)

You may know him as the lead guitarist for Ryan Adams and The Cardinals but Neal Casal is actually one of the most underappreciated singer-songwriters living in the U.S. today. For sixteen years now he has been releasing high-quality albums that have been esteemed by an international audience while going largely unnoticed by our fellow Americans. Casal has often been described as hailing from a 1970's Southern California singer-songwriter/country rock tradition and has been compared to the likes of Gram Parsons, Neil Young, and The Eagles.

Roots & Wings is Neal Casal's eleventh full-length solo release and he describes it as his best work to date. I concur. The album moves through its seventeen tracks as smoothly as hot summer days move into cool summer nights and back again. This is one of those albums where every song is listenable. No need to touch the skip button on this one.

Opening track "The Losing End Again" is a bouncy, mid-tempo number that kicks things off with the kind of acoustic guitar, pedal steel, and organ that has become essential to the signature Casal sound. "Tomorrow's Sky" has a powerfully moody, foreboding quality and is a one-man showcase with the singer accompanying himself on guitar. "So Far Astray" turns into a kind of poppy, big-production 1960's gem with Neal vaulting into high-lonesome Roy Orbison territory when he sings the memorable chorus. Other standout tracks include "Hereby the Sea," "The Cold and the Darkness," and "Cold Waves" - which, taken together seem to point toward the dark, cold ocean as metaphor for the lonesome-longing heart that beats all the way through this remarkably lovely album. One man singing his own beautiful songs beautifully. I love it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Beautiful Roots + Wings by Neal Casal, October 30, 2011

By 

Ryan in Boston - See all my reviews

This review is from: Roots and Wings (Audio CD)

Much of Roots & Wings stands over the line between Country and Americana folk - taking its place amongst the best I have heard.... The rest of the songs and the spirit that runs through all the tracks takes us on a journey that winds between the tall pines that have grown from Casal's Cardinals work and leaves us at the feet of George Harrsion. Here we hear early echoes of the Beatle's accomplished career. Very very enjoyable! This is such feel good music that you almost miss the underlying lyrics. It's hard not to appreciate what unfolds.

I will be honest with you... I knew I would like Roots & Wings, but didn't expect to love Casal's new work as much as I do. There are just so many things going on on this record - each done so well, that it's impossible not to enjoy. (Who would have thought an indie rock kid like me would fall so hard for a record built on folk and country fundamentals?!) The reason, I am sure, is the spot-on production, great musicianship and songcraft. Casal is a musical genius. Highly Recommended.