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The River Flows is a striking blend of acoustic and electric guitars, lyrical melodies, and electronic technology. Many of the compositions feature Ken playing the nylon string guitar against a rich backdrop of unique synthesized and sampled sounds.
The uptempo "Roughhouse" displays Ken's virtuosity on the nylon string guitar, especially in it's exciting fade, while "Try Again" shows him at his most lyrical. A lightness of touch on the guitar and a shimmering quality in the synthesizers introduce "Thinking of You".
"Children Need a World" and "In Your Arms" show Ken at his most gentle. The naturalness of the acoustic guitar set against the warm glow of the synthesizers is graceful and sophisticated, yet still young and fresh. The burst of energy that begins the roller coaster ride "Reach Out" kicks off one of the album's more pop oriented compositions. The title song, "The River Flows", is the album's centerpiece.
Ken's extraordinary gift for melody and composition come together in a metaphor for the constantly changing nature of life. In "Tiananmen" there is a sense of inevitable, unstoppable progress: a slow, steady march that gradually builds into the electric guitar's ultimate flight.
Finally, there is the celebration that is "Born Yesterday". Written the day after his son, Eric, was born, Ken uses the electric guitar to create a sense of spring and new life. The song ends with an emotional, heartfelt climax. |
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