One dedicated father, Eric Christensen, pays tribute to his son David who was a talented singer/songwriter from Chicago. David Christensen tragically committed suicide on February 17, 2009 at the young age of 26. One life is lost, but one loving dad has decided to breathe new life into his son’s timeless music.
This project was inspired by Mr. Eric Christensen who discovered a wealth of material that David left behind. These were songs that David wrote but never had the chance to record on an actual album. David’s father has made sure that his son’s music is never lost and that his musical legacy lives on.
The record features 11 tracks originally composed by David Christensen and part of the proceeds will go toward the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. One song on this disc, “Final Song”, is actually written by Eric and it has a video on the way as well. The heartfelt lyrics will tug at your heart as you hear vocalist Devin Belle express feelings of hurt & sadness toward a loved one. The song was strictly written for a young man that will be missed by many. I thought this was a perfect & touching way to end this wonderful tribute album.
Thanks to Eric’s Nashville contacts, he was able to bring on some extremely talented musicians/vocalists to help make this dream become a reality. David’s brilliant songwriting ability is showcased in top fashion by all of the fine singers & musicians. The combination of male/female vocals really makes for a good listening experience. From an artistic standpoint, you can see how gifted David was as a lyricist. The style combines rock, pop & country and all of the songs have a catchy-sounding demeanor to them. All tracks exhibit a lot of feeling and you can actually sense the pain & suffering that David was experiencing. The words speak for themselves, but ironically enough the sound is so incredibly vibrant. Right from the opening number, “Let You Down”, you get a very remorseful tone that will definitely make you stop and think.
David has history playing in many bands during high school and in college at Eastern Illinois University. Besides playing the role of singer, bassist and guitarist, he was also successful on the business end working at a consulting firm and later in the field of computer forensics. David Christensen was definitely a special person with much to offer. He will be missed but now thanks to Eric Christensen never forgotten.
Making this album was a complete healing process for Eric and all of David’s loved ones. Creating this record allowed Eric & company to hear David’s words/music in a new light. David is speaking to Eric, friends, family & others once again and he is now heard loud & clear. We ALL can now enjoy David Christensen’s life’s work as we hear a singer/songwriter from Chicago with so much passion & heart.
My hat’s off to you Eric Christensen as you have created something here that will last a lifetime in memory of your son. David now has a voice that the whole world will hear thanks to a loving, caring & committed father. David Christensen’s first CD is now a reality and we can all be thankful for that. You can even hear David’s own performances on the recently released album Just Like That. All music can be found at www.highlandroad.com as well is iTunes and many other online stores.
By Jimmy Rae (jrae@skopemag.com)
[Rating: 5/5]
