In Reality

The first time you hear In Reality, you think to yourself, "Great record. But maybe I just liked it so much because of the tight guitar work. I better listen again." After the second spin you muse, "Maybe I enjoyed it because it mellowed me out. But "Superman" was a killer tune, after all." The third go-around makes you reflect, "All right, the lyrics made me really think about life, so it can't just be the guitar motion. I better check it out one more time." Thus goes the cycle until you inevitably cry out "This is the best darn songwriter I've heard in a long time! It's fresh! It's clean! It's not the same three chords!" This album has staying power, the kind of crunch it takes to get you to listen over and over again and never be able to pick a favorite song. White drinks from the cup of pure life experience and pours himself into each drop of the album. In reality, the CD sweeps past the forlorn drama of "Didn't mean to break up; can we get back together?" Real lyrics push the songs further, reaching meanings personal to each listener. The inevitable theme speaks of places here and there: "Memory Lane," "Where Heaven Lies," "Journey's End," and "The Tower." A strong recommendation for anyone ready to break away for a while and see the whole forest again.