Music Street Journal - Music News & Reviews

Non-Prog CD Reviews

Kelly Augustine Light in the Lowlands Review by Gary Hill There is an interesting blend of sounds on this set. The opener comes in with a smoking hot country groove. From there we get all kinds of things, with a frequent focus on folk music. Although stylistically this is wide ranging, everything works well together. It's also all high quality and effective. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) in Music Street Journal: 2019 Volume 6. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2019.

Track by Track Review

Debbie A rocking country groove brings this into being. It's a bouncy number that has a lot of old-school twang built into both the musical and vocal performance. This is poignant song about addiction.

Second Chances Drums bring this into being. The cut works out from there to a rather jazzy kind of dreamy number. This is much more of a pop tune.

Hurt Too Big Folk music is the order of business here. This is a poignant and evocative number.

Love Letter Another folk cut, this works really well, too.

Can't Get Enough A gentle, folk based song, this is poignant and very pretty.

Thunder on the Mountain We're into more of a Southern rock zone with this cool tune. It has plenty of energy and some great electric guitar bringing more the rock edge. Banjo and more bring some bluegrass to the mix, too.

You Don't Know How to Love Me Piano and voice are the driving points of the early parts this cut. In fact, for a while those are the only things present. Eventually it shifts to a slow moving rock ballad style to carry it forward.

Kindred Heart We're into more mainstream pop rock zones. This has some good energy and hooks. It really is a tasty tune and shows a different side of Augustine's sound. There are some hints of jazz in the mix, too.

Seeds of Hope This has a lot more country and bluegrass in the mix. It's all class, too.

Leaving You Intimate and gentle, acoustic guitar and voice are the main elements here. While in general I don't think ending an album with a particularly mellow cut is a good idea, it works on this one, and seems to really ground the set.

More CD Reviews

Metal/Prog Metal

Non-Prog

Progressive Rock

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
© 2025 Music Street Journal Site design and programming by Studio Fyra, Inc./Beetcafe.com