Songs from the Crystal Cave

Songs from the Crystal Cave is the debut album from actor, musician, and martial artist Steven Seagal, released in 2005 on Nonsolo Blues and Warner Strategic Marketing. Seagal is credited with "Lead Vocals, Rhythm and Lead Guitar" and appears on the cover and throughout the liner notes emotively playing and posing with a guitar. The style can be described[clarification needed] as "outsider country-meets-world music-meets-Aikido." Many of the songs reflect Seagal's esoteric Buddhist and spiritualist stance while also incorporating standard song tropes about relationships and other themes.

Songs from the Crystal Cave
Studio album by
Released2005
StudioMetalworks (Mississauga, Ontario)
Genre
Length61:24
Label
  • Nonsolo Blues
  • WSM
Producer
  • Al Anderson
  • Tyrone Downie
  • Shaun Fisher
  • Steven Seagal
  • Ric Wake
  • Chris Wonzer
Steven Seagal chronology
Songs from the Crystal Cave
(2005)
Mojo Priest
(2006)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

The album features a mix of musical genres, including rock, reggae, and country music.[1] Musicians collaborating on this album include Stevie Wonder and Lady Saw.

Seagal has sometimes provided soundtrack music for some of his movies. The track "Don't You Cry", among others was featured in the film Into the Sun.

Reviews and responses edit

Allmusic published a mixed review, highlighting the album's mixture of styles and emotional tones from song to song for criticism as being slipshod and haphazard. However, the review also credited the album for being "endearing in its own way" and presenting the listener with a "good-vibes experience".[1]

Track listing edit

  1. "Girl It's Alright" – 3:52 (Steven Seagal, Greg Barnhill)
  2. "Don't You Cry" – 4:59 (Seagal, Barnhill)
  3. "Music" – 4:15 (Seagal, Patrick George Barrett)
  4. "Better Man" – 4:29 (Seagal, Barnhill)
  5. "Route 23" – 4:32 (Seagal)
  6. "My God" – 3:59 (Seagal)
  7. "Lollipop" – 4:36 (Cover of "My Boy Lollipop." Writing credited to Seagal & Shaun Fisher)
  8. "Not for Sale" – 4:58 (Seagal, Fisher)
  9. "Dance" – 3:34 (Seagal, Fisher)
  10. "Jealousy" – 4:22 (Seagal, Marion Hall)
  11. "War" – 3:47 (Seagal, Cleve Laing)
  12. "Strut" – 3:06 (Seagal, Hall, Saw)
  13. "Goree" – 6:00 (Seagal)
  14. "The Light" – 4:55 (Seagal)

Personnel edit

  • Steven Seagal: Vocals, Rhythm & Lead Guitar, Drums, Percussion, Clay Pot
  • Greg Barnhill: Acoustic Guitars
  • Al Anderson: Rhythm Guitar
  • Tommy K.: Acoustic, Rhythm & Wah-Wah Guitars
  • Russ DeSalvo: Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Synthesizers
  • Stevie Wonder: Harmonica
  • Marty Grebb: Keyboards, Organ
  • Veit Renn: Keyboards
  • Patrick Carroll: Bass, Drum & Percussion Programming
  • Habib Faye: Bass, Keyboards, Drum & Percussion Programming
  • Shaun Fisher: Keyboards, Bass, Drums, Percussion
  • Rhonda Smith: Bass
  • Frank Valardi: Drums
  • Babakar: African Drums
  • T.H. Subash Chandran: Ethnic Percussion, Bowls, Tabla, Jew's Harp
  • Remi Kabaka: Talking Drum
  • Mani Subramaniam: Violin
  • Lady Saw, "Lieutenant Stitchie": DJ
  • Tony Rebel: Rap
  • Rose Banks, Sharon Bryant, Dana Calitri, Ripley Fairchild, Lisa Frazier, Curtis King, Michael Okri, Janice Brocking-Renn: Vocal Backing

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Jurek, Thom. Songs from the Crystal Cave review allmusic.com. Retrieved on November 20, 2011.