Blink of an Eye

Review By HOMA WOODRUM

In the age of buying songs piecemeal, there’s still something satisfying about listening to an album all the way though. I was lucky to receive an advance review copy CD of Frances England’s “Blink of an Eye” a while ago but only now am able to sit down and write a review because the CD went into our car’s stereo and didn’t make it back inside for a long while. We’ve been enjoying the songs, by turns mellow (“Day You Were Born”) and upbeat (“Move Like Saturday Night”), though I had to be careful when I played the CD or else my son would does off to the more restful tunes. While “Mind of My Own” from 2010 (reviewed on Vegbooks here) was more of a family dance party selection, “Blink of an Eye” is a relax-while-coloring choice.

The CD progresses like a summer afternoon – going from a song about observing baby birds going from eggs to flying (the title track, “Blink of an Eye”) and the way kids run as fast as they can all at once (“Little Wings”) to heading “Home” and the end of the day:

Mama says that same light is in me
the one that I thought belonged to the trees
it’s in my bones, runs through me
that flickering light
she says listen to it
when it speaks

– Look How the Light Dances With Trees

Veg families will continue to appreciate the peaceful and age appropriate themes like being outside and exploring the world. Also, I am two for two with Frances England albums making me tear up, the song “Tell Me it All” did the trick this time:

Sometimes people say things they don’t mean
Act unkind and soon regret it
But I know its hard to take and forget it
Sometimes you just need a friend to sit down beside you
Who won’t talk, who won’t ask
Who’ll just wait for you
I’ll wait for you
To tell me it all, tell me it all
You can tell me it all

This is beautiful, sensitive acoustic music. I’d say get “Mind of My Own” for the start of a roadtrip and “Blink of an Eye” for the quieter moments in the car. Another fantastic album from Frances England for all ages.

You can check out the album trailer on YouTube.