Great Big World
is
Pierce Pettis
' third recording for
Compass Records
, an album that once again delivers what fans have come to expect from this literate
singer/songwriter
: solid material, tasteful accompaniment, and a fine presentation. The album cover itself, a brightly hand-painted picture of a sailor in a small sailboat, seems to promise good things. As always,
Pettis
offers thoughtful material like
"Leonardo,"
a reflection on the Renaissance's most well-known painter, and
"Black Sheep Boy,"
a meditation on the allure of a misbehaving soul. Although
is perhaps best known for his own compositions, he does a great job handling material by other writers, including
Mark Heard
's
"Another Day in Limbo."
There's also a fine version of the
traditional
"Shady Grove."
' interpretations of his and others' work reveals him as a sensitive singer, and the low-key accompaniment provides solid, discerning support. While
singer/songwriters
have the rep of penning depressing pieces about love and life,
ends
on an upbeat note with the hopeful
"Love Will Find You Again"
and the quiet
"Song of Songs."
Fans of
' former work, and fans of
in general, will welcome the release of
. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.