| Musical Style: Acoustic Rock | Produced By: Tommy Wales |
| Record Label: Spun Records | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2025 | Artist Website: Tommy Wales |
| Tracks: 18 | Rating: No Quote |
| Running Time: 54:57 |
Tommy Wales throws all his acoustic rock know how at his 18 song 2025 Spun Records compilation album Ache Beautiful. The Rochester, New York based vocalist and guitarist is better known for his work in Wales Road, with whom he recorded the previous thirty years 17 studio albums, 1 rock praise album, 3 live albums and 1 DVD. Playing what is self-describes as ‘blue based metal with Christian frosting’, Wales Road represents a musically diverse act not afraid to also branch out into ‘acoustic and classic rock, new wave, praise and worship and even progressive rock’ (quoting my 85% review of its very fine 2002 release Rock ‘N’ Roll Dizzy Man).
Ache Beautiful, on the other hand, gives prominence to a lighter side to the artists songwriting skills, drawing its material from the six acoustic EPs he released in 2021 and 2022 (listed alphabetically): 50,000 Tears, Acoustic Shadows, All Is Fair In Love + War, Beauty From Ashes, Candleburn and Warrior Poet. According to Wales, the Ache Beautiful title draws inspiration from the song of the same name by 77s vocalist and guitarist Michael Roe, as found on his 2012 solo album Safe As Milk (Uncurdled Version). Roe also plays an influencing role vocally in terms of Wales’ smooth and classic tenor side to his voice, while that baritone and rumbling attributes to Johnny Cash.
Close listen to Ache Beautiful and the accompanying acoustic EPs reveals an underlining common theme or potential concept based upon a broken relationship and/or lost love. To the artist’s credit he does not use catch phrases or speaks in platitudes but rather employs stark honesty and transparency - Wales literally pours his heart out lyrically - to paint a picture of forgiveness, healing and ultimately Gods grace.
Ache Beautiful opens to first of four songs from Warrior Poet, “Fire Of Sorrow”. What we have is my favorite of the 18 with its reveling in equal parts somber blues and swarthy melody while lyrically touching upon the heart of the Psalmist:
Everyone I love says goodbye, my forecast is clouds, zero chance of why
Song realizes the artist’s goal to compose ‘emotional torment ballads’ akin to those from Amy Lee (Evanescence).
Second “What Would I Do?” impresses as a basic but not simplistic decelerated drifter, while third “Onward + Upward” picks up both tempo and tone:
I’m looking upward from within, God are you listening, hear my loving cry
Final Warrior Poet cut “Forever In Heaven” presents as airy and delicate with an extended acoustic instrumental breakdown and moving side to Wales’s vocal delivery.
Second song of the compiling is the All Is Fair In Love + War title track. It bases upon acoustic blues - I’m at the end of day, lonely by myself, crying tears away - but also exhorts the listener to: walk a mile sister in my worn out shoes, you’d sing the blues like I do
Two other songs present from All Is Fair In Love + War in “Burning Down The Woodland”, a minute and half melancholic lament, and “That Was Then (This Is Now)”, also mournful but allowing Wales to exhibit a lower register aspect to his voice.
Although not making the final cut, I think highly of “Sweetheart Of The Radio” with its smoothly pensive but catchy AOR distinctiveness and “Take It Up With Jesus” as artists sings at his gravelly best and asks the listener ‘are you gonna take it up with Jesus, tell Him all your care?’
Moving forward in the track listing is lone song from Acoustic Shadows, “Ocean’s Floor”. I identify with its as two crisp minutes of ballad like resonance that touches upon a folk-like grace- straightforward and direct but highly effective.
I would like to put in a good word for several other Acoustic Shadows tracks, including “Trinity” and “Mercenary Of Deceit” in light of their catchy groove like guitar lines (in my opinion each would translate well if re-imagined in a heavier format) and the Dylan like harmonies driven “Dust to Dust”.
Subsequent to “Ocean’s Floor” are the first of two cuts of four from 50,000 Tears in ”Black Ravens”, two and half minutes of disconsolate and ethereal sauntering, and “Whisper Sweet Nothing”, another favorite with a reticent and demure distinguishing that gives rise to an incorporeal melody. I also think highly of third “Don’t Pay Her No Mind”, a barbed baritone vocal rocker that provides a strongly worded discourse on moving forward in face of a broken relationship:
She’s done breaking my heart, I don’t pay her no mind…
- but in the end strategically draws upon the Book of Proverbs:
I’m guarding my heart, for out of it are the wellsprings of life
Final of the 50,000 Tears tracks “Autumn Prayer” is a minute of narration coming across in form of a Psalm like plea: how I long for God’s love to heal my heart complete
While not included on Ache Beautiful, play on words song “Polite Tender Sweet Dreams (P.T.S.D.)” stands out with its commercial melody, while “I Cry (Because I’m Human)” also impresses from its opening seconds featuring flowing medieval style guitar akin to Resurrection Band’s “Concert For A Queen” (off Rainbow’s End from 1979).
Candleburn presents with three tracks beginning with “Stolen Memories”, two and half minutes of decelerated but reflective ambience of a calmly solicitous form. Second “Betrayed Kisses” is more animated with its assertive disposition (if reworked as a hard rocker it would be a perfect fit for Wales Road) and third “Over ‘N’ Over” returns to an easygoing style with gravelly vocals and lyrics reinforcing the healing and moving on from a broken relationship themes:
You wanna leave
I’ll help you pack
Don’t let the door hit you in the back
Now she’s crying, begging to come back
My hearts secure, nothing I lack
Final of the six EPs Beauty From Ashes also presents with three songs. My favorite is “This Empty Frame”, a chill and taciturn five minutes with a deep sense of reflection: I found it in a box of photographs, memories I’ve been through / You fill this empty frame, write in your Book of Life my name
Harmonic cleverly covers the instrumental moments.
Of the remaining two “Crawlin’” does that with a straight from the swamp bluesy aesthetic and fittingly course vocals, while “Everybody Else” takes a similar disconsolate heading in mirroring an acoustic doom like temper.
Not making the Ache Beautiful track listing, but “Cure, Cure, Cure” impresses with a guitar line subtly reminiscent to that on classic Rez Band tune “Three Seconds” (off Silence Screams from 1988). Also, according to the artists“(With Land in Sight) Will I Drawn?” draws inspiration of its title from 1994 fifth 77s album Drowning With Land in Sight.
Ache Beautiful is a classy acoustic rock compilation drawing its 18-song track listing from six equally classy acoustic rock EPs. Well thought out selection of songs that flow together to form a unique whole, with upshot the feel of a singular group of songs recorded for a specific album and not chosen from over a half dozen recorded over several years. Give credit to the artist not just for the thoughtful songwriting but skilled work on acoustic guitar and harmonica in addition to varied from classic tenor to lower register vocals. I also find the starkly honest but grace filled message relevant and meaningful to anyone experiencing a broken relationship and/or lost love. In my opinion, closing Warrior Poet track “Parting Words” best sums things up:
When I feel afraid, alone, burnt out, cheated, confused, depressed, distressed, guilty, hateful, impatient, insecure… when I want acceptance, answers, confidence, courage, fellowship, forgiveness, friendship, godliness, guidance… I turn Christ Jesus my Lord & Savior, Amen & Amen.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “Fire Of Sorrow” (3:02), “All Is Fair In Love + War” (2:26), “Burning Down The Woodland” (1:34), “Ocean’s Floor” (2:11), “Black Ravens” (2:20), “Whisper Sweet Nothing” (3:27), “Stolen Memories” (2:16), “Onward + Upward” (1:50), “Autumn Prayer” (:57), “Don’t Pay Her No Mind” (3:12), “Over ‘N’ Over” (3:45), “Betrayed Kisses” (3:42), “Crawlin’” (3:09), “This Empty Frame” (5:20), “Everybody Else” (4:34), “What Would I Do?” (3:02), “Forever In Heaven” (3:23), “That Was Then (This Is Now)” (4:02)
Musicians
Tommy Wales - Lead Vocals, Acoustic & Slide Guitar and Harmonica
