I should have had this review written so long ago. The fact I didn't is testament to its brilliance. It was too damn good to take out of the car, where its collection of finely crafted gems kept me going as I drove to and from the horror of eight and a half hours of pointless time wasting in Corporate America.
Jangly, bluesy, acoustic and always uplifting, it is fourteen tracks of pure entertainment that should have lifted Reed McGregor Foehl, and his bandmates, to the attention of any music fan who appreciates good songs. It didn't and at the time of writing the band is on 'permanent hiatus'. Sad, even though Mr. Foehl is performing solo across the country, I would love to see the band get back together. The insipidly boring music scene of 2001 needs every single good band it can find.
The story of 'Acoustic Junction' is a long one stretching back way over a decade. They have changed personnel and name, starting as and returning to 'Acoustic Junction'. They have shared stage space with the likes of 'Blues Traveler' and Dave Matthews. I have a feeling they were a tough act to follow.
Graham Nash even pops up to provide backing vocals on the exquisite 'Dancin' For You', where his voice meshes with Foehl's earthy yet tuneful vocals to perfection. The story behind the collaboration is wonderful. Foehl was singing the song outside the Sweetwater club in Mill Valley, California. He had written it the night before for his unborn son. He opened his eyes and there was his childhood hero standing in front of him. Two years later when it was time to record it, Nash, not only remembered the meeting and song, he jumped at the chance to contribute.
That is not the only celebrity contribution. Track two is the awesome 'Melt', a tune strangely different from the rest of the album. It is quite frankly just about the most perfect potential 'love song from a movie' that I have ever heard. So it should be, considering a certain Nicolas Cage co-wrote it. Forget movie stardom, Nic, keep producing tunes of this quality and Indie Monkey may interview you. 'Melt' is the only track without a writing credit for Foehl, it has a slightly different vibe from the rest of the album, but when it is as excellent as it is, who cares.
I would normally start going through the stand out tracks at this point in the review, but frankly every track is excellent. From opener 'Every Heart', with its heavy country influence, through the aforementioned 'Melt' with its wonderful off-kilter romanticism to the title track 'Strange Days' which belts along like an indie rock classic. Three tracks in and we have beaten the song writing capacity of many a bands entire career.
You want more? Try the folk rock of 'Goodbye World' or the early Stones' feel of 'Green. 'Oh Me, Oh My' sounds like a left over from 'Blood on the Tracks'. The already mentioned 'Dancin' for You' breaks your heart and mends it in three minutes and fourteen seconds.
This is quite frankly one of the finest albums we have ever reviewed on Indie Monkey. If you ever wanted to support independent music, yet you are worried about wasting money because your tastes are pretty musically conservative then take a risk on this album. If you don’t fall in love with it I will refund your money.

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