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Steelspring: Better Living

By Keith Hannaleck

Artist: Steelspring
Title: Better Living
Genre: Alternative-Rock-Fold
Label: Independent
Website: www.steelspring.net
Myspace: www.myspace.com/steelspring

William Nash is Steelspring and Better Living is an eight-track album spilling over with emotion and character that comes from the tip of his toes. Nash offers those that enjoy bands like REM, Chris Issak,, and Jeff Buckley, a joyous musical ride on the backcountry road of life.

I asked Nash for the musician’s credits and he told me that he played all the instruments and added the drum programming and orchestration. I was beside myself because I thought otherwise. It is getting harder to distinguish between real instruments and programs these days, unless of course you are a professional musician with a trained ear to hear the difference immediately.

Although Steelspring’s music is primarily rock and folk, aspects of country, blues, and Americana come seeping through the nooks and crannies. You will also hear some finely crafted guitar work featuring some incredibly good slide playing. Al Stewart came to mind more than once as this CD played but then as I enjoyed “Crickets,” Nash’s soft vocal style and sense of melody reminded me of Eddie Rabbitt.

When “All Through The Night” started on the first spin of this album I was not too sure about Nash’s voice, I knew it was different, not your typical vocal style that you could ease right into quickly. As I took in all this music, I found that the musicianship was top notch. Collectively the entire scope of this work hit me on the third listen. I found myself captured by Nash’s voice, the melodic sensibility of it all, and again, the striking musical content.

It is interesting how you start off with a CD then learn to love it once you give it a fair shot, however a certain element and quality must be present before you do give it that opportunity. All of that was there and more on this stand up group of songs. Better Living through good music- what a great idea!

Reviewed - May 14, 2007

Tracks:

1. All Through The Night (3:51)
2. We Can Rule The World (4:47)
3. Honeymoon (4:08)
4. Fleur Delis (5:27)
5. Crickets (3:41)
6. Hilinger And Thirst (3:52)
7. Just Friends (3:29)
8. Better Living (4:23)

About the Author:

Keith Hannaleck, known as “MuzikMan” is a Journalist specializing in independent and major music reviews and the promotion of artists via the various media outlets flourishing online. He has worked closely with artists, management, publicity directors, and webmasters to provide some of the best and far-reaching coverage an artist could have. Focusing primarily on the internet as a medium for his work, Keith has been a pioneer in the industry changing the way a reviewer with his various talents are used by many artists, PR folks, and labels. He has provided strong and valuable work to labels, artists, and publicity people, writing reviews, press releases, and biographies and much more over the years, giving the people he works with the maximum amount of exposure through several top-notch websites that post his content on their sites.

Hannaleck built and maintained his own website in 1998 while networking and building his reputation through thousands of reviews and interviews, creating a special niche for himself. Through many years of dedication and hard work, he has reached a respected level of competence and knowledge that is frequently sought by the music industry today. Known for his speaking from the heart interpretations of music and being able to put it in layman’s terms for music fans, his work is found everywhere in cyberspace and in traditional print media, from press kits to quotes from reviews in magazine advertisements.