Track Listing

1. Mystery to Me
2. In Other Lives
3. The Healing Time
4. Under Your Spell
5. Raging Heart
6. August Sun
7. Never Got the Chance
8. Sleeping with Open Eyes
9. Daydream Tomorrows
10. Baby, Don't You Follow
11. Darkness on the Land
12. Dancing in Slow Motion
13. Lord, Let Me Live Again

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #320409 in Music
• Released on: 2001-06-01
• Number of discs: 1

Album Description
Finally available in the US after several years as an import-only UK release, Songs of Simple Dreams lures the listener by weaving earnest songwriting, transcendent lyricism, nouveau blues, and Alt-Americana arrangements into the fabric of a new musical consciousness. Coloured by lush and haunting harmonies and soaring guitar work, the album is a painstakingly-crafted patchwork of moving material, from the powerful protest music of ‘August Sun’ and ‘Darkness on the Land’ to the fragile folkiness of ‘Daydream Tomorrows’ and the sweet sensuality of ‘Baby, Don’t You Follow.’ With Songs of Simple Dreams, Smoke Ring Days creates aural commentary that spans the gamut from heartfelt emotional outpourings to well-placed political punches.

Kim Reed, On the Street
"In this day of over production, its encouraging to hear an album with the right mixture of space and music."

Peter Standish, The Gavin Report
"This sleeper pop hit has boulder-sized hook[s] that will get your attention [and] exceptional folky vocal harmonies."

Customer Reviews

They Have a lot to say
What really strikes me about this band is the meaningful songs they write. Take "Sleeping With Open Eyes" a song about the cold war or "Darkness on the Land" a song about the struggles of Native American people or "Lord Let Me Live Again" a song about spiritual awakening. These are all well thought out lyrical and musical ideas. I am a fan of mostly folk-rock and although Smoke Ring Days have a much heavier sound they both write great songs with great lyrics. Smoke Ring Days at times remind me a little of old U2, the same urgent passion of a band really giving it all they've got just to get heard. I think they have succeded, because this is a really good CD. I purchased this CD because of the mp3 of "Sleeping with Open Eyes" I got from Pitchfork Magazine and I was very impressed. if you like powerful and passionate music you will most likely enjoy this album, they Have a lot to say.

I like songs that make powerful statements
What convinced me to by this album was the song "Lord Let Me Live Again". I am not into organized religion, and not religious at all really, but something really struck me about that song. It reminds me of some of my other favorite artists who write about religion and spirituality but never shove it down your throat, it is just there at times. The other thing I like about this album is the interesting mix of sounds, besides the usual guitar, bass and drums there are so many other unique sounds like flutes, mandolins, acordian, marimba and more. This is a good trip from start to finish. I would consider Smoke Ring Days to be good songwriters, the material here is quite good. I really like songs that make powerful statements. Listen to "August Sun" and "Darkness on the Land" - powerful stuff to say the least. It is obvious these people create soulful poetic music deep from within their souls. A real treat to the senses.

A really good find
The album opens with "Mystery to Me" that tells the listener that they're in for a good record. Many call "The Healing Time" a hard-rocker but, the song takes two elements merging into one- folk and rock. Energetic hard rock in the background with soulful vocals and funky guitar makes the song more special then any other rock song. They melt together folk, blues, and rock into a sound that is so approachable its hard not to like it. They realized that by using catchy melodies and rythms combined with flowing guitar riffs that didn't blare above the framework of the band's sound, they created music that completely embodied the spirit of what modern rock n folk music is. The meaningful lyrics really add a dimension of maturity to this album. A really good find.