David Pack - The Secret of Movin On

Wednesday, 17 August 2005 14:05

Wow! I must admit that I had not heard of David Pack by name before getting a copy of his new CD, "The Secret of Movin' On". As it turns out, he not only spent years as the lead vocalist & guitarist of the late 70s/early 80s pop powerhouse Ambrosia (writing number 1 hits like "Biggest Part of Me" and "How Much I Feel", plus top charters like "You're the Only Woman" and more), but he has made a huge name as a Grammy winning producer, smash hit writer with dozens of top 10 & number 1 songs, and special events co-ordinator (including both of President Clinton's inauguration ceremonies) - not to mention hired gun (guitarist, keyboardist, & vocalist) for what reads like a Who's Who of the entire music industry for the past 30 years. But a huge & impressive resume doesn't make for a great solo album. Neither does an impressive list of friends making guest appearances (Journey's Steve Perry, Heart's Ann Wilson, Timothy B. Schmidt of the Eagles, jazz/classical/pop legend David Benoit, & more), or artwork by the legendary lyricist Bernie Taupin and drum god Vinnie Colaiuta stopping in to record 10 of 11 songs. So I slotted the disc in the player and sat back to take a listen.

Did I say "Wow!" yet?

The CD opens with a bang: "The Secret of Moving On (Traveling Light)" features a vocal duet with David and Ann Wilson, subtle & tasty R&B-inflected guitar work, ever-cool modulations, and a gorgeous chorus section. This track is followed by a host of incredible songs that all feature fantastic lyrics, musical arrangements, & production, and absolutely stellar instrumental & vocal performances.

Some come across as mildly jazzy ("Vertical Disbelief", "Think of U") and some as classic pop ("Biggest Part of Me", "Brand New Start") and you even get a taste of earthy blues with "Tell Her Goodbye", which features a super cool acoustic guitar with lush vocal harmonies.

9 of the eleven songs are brand new, and 2 of the trax, "Biggest Part of Me" and "You're the Only Woman", are vibrant remakes of the Ambrosia classic hits.

The final two songs on the disc, "Think Of U (Song for Kaitlyn)" and "Elizabeth", are for his daughters Kaitlyn & Elizabeth. Both trax feature the same wonderful vocal harmonies and splendid performances featured on the entire CD, though "Elizabeth" is an instrumental and sees David stretching out a bit on guitar with his fabulous lyrical style of playing.

Overall, this is a treat for the ears from start to finish, rating a 10 on the "Must Have" meter for all fans of adult contemporary pop music.

Vist David on-line HERE.

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