Reason & Rhyme

Kathy Kallick has a natural, non-pretentious quality that goes a long way in acoustic music circles, and this approach holds true for 2004's Reason and Rhyme. Unlike a number of artists who attempt to impress listeners with their honest qualities, Kallick just gets down to business, offering off-the-cuff versions of a big handful of folk songs. She opens with "I Once Loved," a self-penned song with an evocative chord progression, and follows with a nice version of Kate Wolf's "Trumpet Vine." There's a slight country quality to Kallick's vocals, but what really puts the lyrics across is the emotion she instills into them. It doesn't hurt that the production of Reason and Rhyme is so clean, highlighted by full, though uncluttered, arrangements. The musicians, including Herb Pedersen, Laurie Lewis, and Nina Gerber, vary quite a bit from song to song, but the similar acoustic instruments — fiddle, guitar, and mandolin — and small settings keep the proceedings uniform. Vocal accompaniment — by Tom Rozum, Lewis, and others — on the choruses of "The Words You Don't Say" and "You Took Me Away" also fills out the sound. The only small complaint is that none of the songs on Reason and Rhyme quite match the originality of the opening cut, and it's easy for the listener to sink into the doldrums of the singer/songwriter lyrics halfway through the album. Kallick's fans and fans of acoustic music will appreciate this clean, well-recorded album. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., Rovi