CD Review

It’s safe to say that virtuoso violinist Boyd Tinsley has been a key ingredient in igniting the Dave Matthews Band into perhaps the world’s most successful touring and recording act. As an innovator of the bow and strings, Tinsley’s prowess has even caught fans to play "air violin" during DMB performances. Gasp!

With his debut solo album, True Reflections, Tinsley brings forth ten songs that bounce around sunny themes of tranquility, love and peace of mind. Yes, how cliché. Even with an all-star cast of supporting musicians that include: Dave Matthews , Doyle Bramhall II, Corey Harris, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, the recording still fails to pick up any serious steam.

The opener, "It’s Alright," is undeniably the strongest number on the recording. It sticks immediately with its tight instrumentation, exuberant guitar twinges, and a bright violin solo, that shows why Tinsley sets the pace for any or all rock violinists. The next cut, "Show Me" displays splendid back up harmonizing vocals, but is weakened by Tinsley’s shaky vocals that fail to play a convincing "lead" as does many of the remaining tracks. The majority of the album is buried in overdone lyrical moments that plead for originality and energy. A cover of Neil Young’s, "Cinnamon Girl" is a refreshing break that works well with Tinsley’s earnest voice and features another splendid mid-song violin solo. The albums closer, "True Reflections" builds upon the strength of the opener, with the addition of Dave Matthews and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, in a daring composition that holds promise in the future of Tinsley’s solo recording career. Die-hard Dave Matthews Band fans will find this recording to be an admirable way of learning more about this maestro of the violin, while most others may be better off waiting for Dave Matthew’s first solo album to arrive later this summer.