So Many Times Before is a cool effort, linking together Lynyrd Skynyrd-quality guitar riffs with a tremendously introspective and emotive set of vocals. For those that would doubt that this style would work, the honky-tonk strut of Right in Front of Me will convert. The style created by Hornyak on Marigold is something that is striking, in that it takes hints of Tom Petty, Hank Williams Jr., The Wallflowers and Bright Eyes and combines the influences with a contemporary country style. While bands are attempting to look back at the folk of the sixties, Rick Hornyak is creating a modern folk that never ceases to innovate. Door to Your Heart is one of those tracks; the lyrics of the song resound with listeners long after the disc has ceased. These lyrics are highlighted nicely through the masterful guitar that weaves its way through the track, connecting the effort to the final efforts on Marigold.
The last three tracks of this album – Far From Home, The Monkey Song, and Moving On (Without You) show Hornyak as continually striving to create the best possible music. Far From Home and Moving On build a thread of being lost amongst a sea of humanity. The sheer amount of agony and heartache that is expressed by Hornyak here provide catharsis; listeners and Hornyak are created anew as the disc ceases to spin.
Check out Rick Hornyak’s website for information about his tour dates, buy items from his webstore, and even book Hornyak directly. Here’s to hoping that Hornyak is able to continue to impress with subsequent recordings; Marigold will be a hard album to top.
Top Tracks: So Many Times Before, Door to Your Heart
Rating: 8.0/10
Rick Hornyak Marigold CD Review / 2013 Self / 11 Tracks / http://www.rickhornyak.com/