With more music from wine country’s passionate wordsmith Patrick Ames, it becomes more apparent that his flow of rich music and meaningful words is generous. ‘I Was Thinking’ showcases a different facet of Ames, one that is environmentally aware, and in inquiry over all of our wrongdoings to the planet.
California-based singer and songwriter is a veteran of more than one creative career. Indeed, having worked as a book publisher for more than two decades, responsible for how books look in their finished guises, ready for consumption, and having written his earliest songs some whopping 50 years ago, it is not a strange thing to see that his wealth of musical ideas and lyrics is astounding. But it is in soul and panache that Ames excels. His heartfelt and freeform vocal deliveries, and his vulnerable textures always lend a sheen of accessibility to his songs, and ‘I Was Thinking’ is no different.
The brooding acoustic blues cut comes loaded with a dangerous sounding riff, a fantastic, twisting bass line, and an unerring rhythmic flow that gives the song a sense of dynamism that never stands still. His lyrics about all the plight that we have brought on to the planet as humans is delivered in a rightfully scathing manner.
‘I Was Thinking’ is an enjoyable cut of blues with a touching message in the heart of it, and one that should resonate with every one of us listeners, and its delivery in such a cool, compelling manner makes it all the more impactful.