Transit of Mars 

Now, I’m not one to recommend a steady diet of 1 AM listening, but some players just naturally fit into that time slot. The lights are low, and there’s that quiet that only happens when the city finally sleeps. You don’t want music with words—you’ve been bombarded by words all day. Just something simple and clean to help wash away the bad and celebrate the good of the day past. 

It really doesn’t matter if you’re an established William Ellwood fan or new to his music. When you take the time to dig out one of his seminal albums and put it on, you’re rewarded. His music is at once comforting and thought-provoking. As you’re enjoying the big hug it provides, you can’t help but wonder just how he achieved that vibrato, how he stretched his fingers to create that last chord. 

And if you’re one of the many of his fans from the ‘80s and ‘90s who have also wondered if he’d record again, well here’s your answer. Transit of Mars. A dozen tracks that will recall the complexities of Ellwood’s earlier recordings, but also illuminate the way of this and future albums. 

OK, so what’s different? This album is an oxymoron: less complex than much of the older stuff, but…and this is the kicker…it’s richer. Simpler, but richer. New listeners will have to take my word on this. Older ones will smile and nod on their first listening. The compositions represent over 20 years of thought and planning. William’s writing chops are among the most recognizable in the genre; a few bars into a song and you know that it’s one of his. What’s different though is the stripped-down nature of the composition—he gets to the essence of a song quicker and cleaner. 

There’s a freshness and purpose with this album. William has something to say musically and he does so with grace and spirit. The opening track, “Stingray Blues,” invites you back into the Ellwood fold, with a wistful and catchy melody. Title track, “Transit of Mars” is so captivating that it warrants two versions. 

One of my favorites is “Freedom in a Minor Key,” which immediately conjures up images of travel and movement. It’s a song that will get you from A to B in style. And “Magna Carta Blues” is hallmarked by a spare, clean electric guitar (William is mostly associated with acoustic). 

To flesh out the majority of the offerings, he’s brought back bassist Ron MacDonald, whose accompaniment is equally spare and perfectly complementary. 

So, if you’re still up in the early hours and need a soundtrack to process the day, put on Transit of Mars. (It works at most other times too.) 

Tony Lieb 2019 

William Ellwood 2019 All Rights Reserved