Search - Mark Heard :: Ashes to Light

1984: Grace struggles and overcomes

Samuel S. Lewis | Sugartown, LA United States | 04/05/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"1984 was was possibly the most juxtaposed year of my 43 years of living thus far. From a dying seed a tree took root and began a struggle that continues 24 years later (in 2008). There are a few albums released around 1984 that remain anchored in my soul. "Ashes and Light" is one. "Aerial Boundaries" by Michael Hedges is another.



Twice I saw Mark play live. First time it was just him and an acoustic guitar in front of maybe 200-250 people in a suburb of Chicago. The passion of the songs came out. Next time was at a Cornerstone Festival when he played solo acoustic but also plugged in an electric guitar and rocked with a band in front of a few thousand. "Ashes and Light" is for me the best mix of Mark's folk and rock on an album that he released. I still treasure the vinyl record. The songs' lyrics speak volumes...and I'll not provide much commentary on them now...except to say: Grace struggles and overcomes.



Musically this is a good album -- maybe his best folk/rock mix sound. Lyrically it contains several masterpieces. This ranks, in my opinion, one of the three or four "essential" Mark Heard albums a collector could/should own...and listen to...and let it take anchor in your soul...even if 1984 was more than two decades ago. Grace still struggles and overcomes."