Curious 
Artist: Jan Krist 
Label: Silent Planet Records 

Jan Krist is coming into her own as a singer/songwriter on the level of Bruce Cockburn and Pierce Pettis. While many others might have given up during the two-decade journey she's been on toward greater recognition, she tells us to "never say never, forever is a long, long time." Her fluid voice leads the intelligent arrangements over a wide sweep of topics. This is a celebration of grace, forgiveness, playfulness, intensity and intimacy; a celebration of recovery from bad choices and the growing strength to successfully resist making the same bad ones again; a celebration of our youth-oriented culture's greatest enemy, time. "Time changes everything...everything but truth." -- Linda Stonehocker 

I had heard some hype regarding Jan Krist when I bought this CD.  It didn't impress me all that much, though.  Either I wasn't paying much attention, or the liner notes (which are way over the top in praising Krist's work) biased me against her songs.  Anyway, I dug the CD out again when I learned she was coming to my town to play a concert, and on the second listen I absolutely loved it.  
  
This is first rate stuff.  Jan Krist writes poetic, thought-provoking lyrics.  In the title cut, she wonders "If we send our sons and daughters off to fight our wars/ is there anything left at home worth fighting for?" My favorite track, "Widening Sky," exhorts the listener to "Step like a dinosaur, step big, step out, [because] there's an ark of hope in your sea of doubt..." 
 
Her vocal and guitar-playing talents are supported by a cast of players that includes three former members of the Vigilantes of Love.  
  
Fans of thoughtful folk rock should track this album down.  It will take some effort to locate, but it will be worth it.-----Chris Parks