Rick Swanger's second time out as Seahorse is another fine ramble. He never quite settles into a particular songwriting groove, preferring to mosey around. This is all pure "singer-songwriter," but he mixes things up as well as anyone.

Seahorse The Fire's Heart (Ravens Flight)

So there are a few intimate moments, some roots rockers, a couple of indie rock sorts and then some. Swanger generally comes at his songs from a folk perspective, but he builds on that most impressively.

The generally quiet nature of this album is sneaky; before I knew it, I was hitting repeat. And realizing how much I'd missed while I was just listening "for fun."

That's one of the "problems" of being a critic: It's important to know why one thinks something is good (or bad). Seahorse sounds like it put together with no effort. That easy feel contributes to the mellow smiles this album induces. Of course, that "easy" sound takes a huge amount of effort. It's the disguising of that effort that elevates this album.

A simple joy. Swanger is on to something with Seahorse. This album is built for pleasure.

Jon Worley