The music of The Blackbird is deeply rooted in earlier times and long traditions. Part bluesman, part social critic, part oral historian, part hippie ontologist, it's hard to know he will say or play next. If he wrestles within himself over whether his inspiration is of the light side or of the dark side of things, it is only we who profit. One can hear the light side in songs like Me & You, and You're Beautiful When You're Free , but he may just as well cast himself in the role of monster, or cynic (Never Say Never, Joker). The songs draw from many musical and lyrical traditions. In this compilation he tips his leather hat to the greats lyricists Woodie Guthrie, Bob Dylan, the great bluesmen Johnny Lee Hooker and Robert Johnson. The long form classic electric guitar solos invoke Hendrix or Clapton (Weather, Keep Movin'), and he opens the collection by mixing traditional solo jazz guitar into an experimental composition (jazz guitar floating, japanese summer silk screen, how deep do we hear). "jazz guitar floating, japanese summer silk screen, how deep do we hear" is an experimental jazz work featuring jazz guitar by the Blackbird and sound designs by Tom Lynn. "Never Say Never" is a blues sung by a monster to the girlfriend who wants to leave him, but cannot find the strength to go. "Halfway There" is another of the monster theme, but is a bit more autobiographic and self-critical. The song suggests that arrivals may be mere illusion, and that there is always further to go. The acoustic "Me & You" is an oral history of the non-violent activism of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr, sung in the tradition of Woodie Guthrie. It goes on to discuss the principle of Satyagraha and the philosophy of non-violence. "You're Beautiful When You're Free" is a feel good party tune. Tipping of the hat to classic party song masters James Brown, Marvin Gaye and Prince. "Long A** Tale" carries Robert Johnson's Crossroads myth into the cynical present. The Blackbird seems to be saying that you there are so many lies in the world that you can't hold anything to be true anymore. so you should have fun with lies and conspiracies, and take nothing too seriously... The dobro comes out here... "Joker" with it's acoustic ragtime guitar and dark Dylanesque lyric is social commentary equating economists, televangelists and other television personalities to comic book villains , and the society in general to indentured servitude of southern plantation farms. "Evil (The Man in the Helicopter)" could be described as a playful poke at American Imperialism. "The Weather" playfully salutes Johnny Lee Hooker's "I'm a Man", poking fun at the genre lyrically, but true to the spirit of the genre. "Keep Movin'" honors the American civil rights movement and the long form guitar solo. "By" is a hypnotic acoustic work with text, with an African flavor.