Idaho - The Lone Gunman(CD, Idaho Music, Moody soft pop)

The Lone Gunman is the tenth album from Jeff Martin's long running project Idaho. Because he is known mainly for his guitar playing, some may be surprised to learn that this time around Martin took a break from his guitar. Gunman is a keyboard album. But longtime fans won't be disappointed, because these tunes feature the same personal, absorbing music that Martin has been making for years. They are just delivered in a manner that is slightly different. Jeff is not your typical musician...and he doesn't seem the least bit interested in playing games in the music business. Instead, Martin remains focused on his craft...making music that is universally applauded by critics and adored by a small but continually growing fan base. The Lone Gunman is a bit more subtle and ambient than previous Idaho albums...but the same moody threads run through the music. The few sparse vocals that appear are extremely understated and are secondary to the instruments. Sixteen beautifully flowing tracks here including "The Orange Cliffs," "You Flew," "Grown in California," and "Where the Canyon Meets the Stars." Interestingly, Martin has been chosen as the composer for the 2005 television show Inconceivable...which just may give his career an extra boost. Always intriguing and absorbing, Idaho continues to entertain and mesmerize.
Highly recommended. (Rating: 5+++)

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and is available here for archival purposes only