Spirit Trail

This review has clearly gone unchecked as it is non professional, biased, sophomoric and petulant in nature. One read and this is clear. Hopefully this person has moved on from any sort of music reviewing career. Its embarrassing for you. For the benefit of music lovers everywhere you should make sure of that. Oh and as someone who’s followed Bruce's career for a long time and hey I’m not into all of it, this album contains some of his finest work.

I am stunned that iTunes would post this sophomoric, self important, uninformed, un-objective drivel of an album review. Of all of the reviews I have read on iTunes, nearly all have offered an objective overview of a records relative merits. This hyper critical, tone-def review does not serve the potential buyer or iTunes. This record is an extraordinary tapestry of musical styles. Bruce and his band display extraordinary musicianship and virtuosity. The melodies are rich and beautifully constructed and the lyrics paint an evocative portrait of the southern landscape. I do agree that the album is overlong and could have been tightened up into a brilliant single disc but it remains one of the most rewarding and deep records in my collection. Recommended

The iTunes critic must be the same person who complained about his HERE COME THE NOISEMAKERS since Hornsby's virtuosity somehow generates the most complaints. This critic seems to be very "pop" oriented in his/her tastes, and Hornsby stopped caring about "pop tastes" some time ago. I certainly disagree with the criticism that you don't what he's singing about - all you have to do is listen. I do think that he tends to recycle themes about racial injustice in ways that are very obvious ("See The Same Way" is particularly preachy in that regard). But those are minor complaints toward an artist who is one of the more imaginative and idiosyncratic musical storytellers out there.

would you people just do a review-good or bad-and not give your Life's story?

I've been a huge Bruce Hornsby fan since I was a teenager. I taught myself to play piano...because of him!! I actually had the pleasure of meeting him during my years as a stagehand in NJ; a defining moment in my life. He's one of the most genuine people you'll ever meet and very approachable. As I read the review written by the person from I-Tunes, it 1) made me think, "really? that bad? 2) listen to the previews. After doing so, my mouth dropped open!! This CD is AMAZING!! I downloaded pretty much the entire album. There are so many different flavors in this album that it's very refreshing compared to most of the "computer aided" music found today. If this was a tactic to get me to listen to the previews, thank you...it totally worked!!

Spirit Trail is a musical tour de force. The music is brilliantly conceived and written and beautifully performed and produced. It is inventive, plaintive, soaring, inspirational, lyrical and most of the songs are even down right dance-able. Quite clearly Hornsby's masterpiece. We took the whole album with us on our family's cross country summer trip and all fell in love with it. 12 years later, I still listen to it totally cranked at home and on road trips and I am still discovering new nuances. Incredibly, the music gets better and ages like a fine scotch. I will grant ITunes misguided and tin-eared reviewer one concession; occasionally it is difficult to comprehend some of the lyrics in Bruce's singing, but the music is so d*** good, who cares?

Though the iTunes review is a bit scathing, I agree the album is boring and does not reflect this man's talent. The songs really blend together, and don't have really memorable moments. The progressions are canned / only slight variations of each other, quite indistinguishable. It's enjoyable enough music, but I agree it's a loungy straddling of an identity crisis between jazz and new age. I appreciate iTunes' integrity by publishing a review that is not exactly geared toward selling these tracks. (Though I think the first line about self-indulgence is a bit over the top!)

I could not disagree with the album review more. Bruce is the most talented artist I have ever encountered and such biting comments of his lyrics are tactless. Each song he has written has an incredibly elaborate backstory so "stream-lining" the lyrics is hardly logical or fair. Enjoy this music because we are surrounded by a weakening band of musicians.

I went on line to find this album... somehow one of the CD's got (re-located) lost. And then went on to read the review that is on the first page... the review is, so Wrong, as the songs are so Right! Just listen and love the music.

Unchecked self-indulgence, overly busy arrangements, go on to long.............WHO IS THIS CRITIC? Come on man I hope iTunes isn't paying you to write reviews like that....I'm sitting here typing and I really don't know what to say other than your review shows me you're not very musical. No I'm serious dude........Hey, this album is incredible, and I still am stunned you wrote this review. Listen I have a dusty garage that needs sweeping up and I could keep you employed picking weeds and taking out my garbage and stuff, because you need to get another job.