SOULFUL & UPLIFTING are two words that describe this new cd from Robert Valdes......With his trademark, world-class guitar playing and distinct vocal style, Robert brings a mesasge of hope with a collection of 12 new songs composed and recorded entirely on Acoustic Guitar. The pristine nature of the recording, combined with Robert's passionate delivery of both guitar and vocals makes this cd an excellent choice for all music lovers of all ages and genres. As Robert himself states, " This is me as you have never heard before....funny thing is, I learned to play guitar on acoustic, and I wrote my first ever song with an acoustic guitar, so it's only fitting that I release a cd such as this". Robert goes on to say, "...while I love playing heavy metal guitar, I always felt that my song writing and vocal style were better suited for rock or even, should I dare say, pop. Acoustic Journey enables me to explore these uncharted elements in my writing and playing.....I'm quite pleased with the results". And while the musical style itself has not changed entirely, having the songs written entirely on acoustic (rather than a metal lead guitar and pounding drums), opened up a new dimension of vocal possibility. "My vocals on this cd are unlike any I have done before. My goal was to expand into new ranges and tones so listeners can hear a different side of my singing. I'm excited for listeners to hear it......"