Recorded in '76, Robert Lester Folsom's Music and Dreams is straight outta the mellow gold school of '70s folk rock ala CS&N, Todd Rundgren, America, and Steve Miller, yet the defining element is a tinge of mystery (in the vein of Merrell Fankhauser). It ain't avant/savant rock by any means, it's simply a great record that is "outside" simply by default...and that's just fine with us.

Recorded in '76, this private press LP came to be after Robert Lester Folsom went into a studio in Atlanta to record a demo for one song. The producer was so impressed with Folsom's tune that he encouraged him to come back and record more tracks, which resulted in Music and Dreams. Stylistically, it's straight outta the mellow gold school of '70s folk rock. CS&N, Todd Rundgren and Steve Miller are all good references, but there's also a mysterious vibe to the tunes (a la Merrell Fankhauser) and a healthy dose of yacht rock thrown in as well. Highlights include the lovely title track and the earnest ballad "Please Don't Forget Me." There's a lot of stylistic variety here, including a couple of jazzy instrumentals and a full on blast of Tom Petty-esque power pop ("Blues Stay Away"). All in all, Music and Dreams is a pretty solid and lovely album that'll appeal to fans of the aforementioned. It ain't avant/savant rock by any means, it's simply a great record that is "outside" simply by default...and that's just fine with us.

-Duane Harriott (August 15, 2008)