There may have only been a handful of players on this album, but the inspirational and innovative drive by Anthony Garcia to grow an epic from small acorns has reaped dividends. From a Texas base and a well travelled background, Garcia delved deep into his back catalogue to deliver a record rich in film score sentiment and one meticulously put together to take an enthralled listener on an imaginatively fuelled journey. Classical influences and poetic rock are entwined creating an element of cinematic Americana, where the nuances of intrinsic sound and poignant song melt into a bubbling pot. ACRES OF DIAMONDS will freely lead any open minded music listener on an expansive journey and heap huge rewards on the experience.
From prominent violin in the scene setting opener ‘Santa Rosa’ through to the sedate title track in the closing position, an undulating pace fills the airwaves mixing heavy guitars, dream-laden sequences and even an infectious dose of early 80s electronica. ‘My Hands are My Eyes’ is the track housing the latter sound and is definitely up there with the most memorable pieces on the record.
What keeps a listener engrossed in the forty-minute canvas Garcia has afforded his musical art is the state of perpetual motion and rarely standing still in a solitary groove. The seven minute epic status of ‘Apparitions’ sees the velocity ramped up the most with some big style rocking out, in contrast to the calmer waters and temperate undertones of ‘The Wind’ and ‘Jane’. A rock ballad dressing covers ‘For Your Love’, while the galloping beat to ‘Fire Song’ literally ignites the album into life after the aforementioned scene setter.
Every scenic journey needs an intriguing stopping off point and where better on this record than its cornerstone track ‘Haunted Hotels’ complete with a concoction of sound evoking the mystery of the title including sending shivers down the spine with the repeated line ‘to pianos playing themselves in haunted hotels’.
ACRES OF DIAMONDS is a wonderful album to hook up with and occupies an exclusive space where the unique intricacies lead rather than follow a formulaic path. If one aim of making this record was to expand a listener horizon, Anthony Garcia already has one notch on the board, Expect many more to follow when this album seeps into the inner listening sanctum of the acute ear.