Dave Patten has a great folk-rock release with his sophomore effort, Fly Away. This singer/songwriter tends to sing a lot from his throat, but after hearing this CD, you realize there is some range when this baritone chooses to use it. Even without his voice, Dave's guitar playing is notable. Some of the acoustic guitar solos on the CD are the hooks that will make you the hit the repeat button to hear certain tracks again and again.

There are three songs on this CD that I am particularly fond of -- although all the tracks are good, to be honest with you. The first is "Everyday." Dave sings about a girl he sees every day, but doesn't have the courage to talk to. He imagines a perfect relationship with her. "Everyday, I walk the same exact way. Everyday, I see the same pretty face pass me by. One day I'll gather the courage and wave. ... You are everything I could ever need. You are my angel wings so I can fly away. I will sail my way in to your heart." During the chorus, Dave hits a falsetto as a counter to the oft-gravelly continence of his vocals. I think that is what makes this piece.

"I Will" wins me over because of a(n almost) guitar solo in the middle. It has a low-key hint of a flamenco flair. The tempo of the song is very slow. I'm not quite sure I would call it a ballad, but it leans in that direction. The chorus demonstrates the sense of loyalty Dave has towards the person to whom he is singing: "If you're lost, I will come and find you. If I'm gone, you can count on me. If you crash, I would come and save you. Because I would want the same thing done for me."

"I Don't Need You" explains some frustration Dave has had with the recording industry. While I am sure the song was written in all seriousness, it actually makes me chuckle -- especially the following part: "I went to Louisville the other week. To meet the guys who run it all. It is kind of weird that 50-year-old men are the voice of high schoolers back home." Personally, I think whatever label he is referencing made a mistake not taking him too seriously. Fortunately, Dave has the mindset that he will succeed on his own.

Dave wrote seven of the 12 tracks on Fly Away by himself. The other five tracks were co-written with C. Thomson Hohl. As polished as Dave is with his singing, songwriting and acoustic guitar playing, he had help making this CD. You will hear Brian Boyle on the piano (the piano moments on the CD are quite good), Josh Druhan playing electric guitars, Chris Baglivo on bass and John Whitely on drums.

I have really enjoyed listening to Fly Away. I am surprised at the amount of talent this kid has -- and I call him a kid because I don't think he can even legally drink alcohol yet. If you look at his pictures (liner notes or website), he looks like a teenager, but if you hear his voice, he sounds quite mature for his young age. I would not be surprised one day to find out that Dave has gone mainstream and become a recording star in his own right. Fly Away is easily within the top few CDs I have reviewed for Rambles.NET lately.

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