"Reality Bends" by Arthur Davenport is bright with originality. Arthur puts poetry to music and rewards the listener with songs that amuse and inspire. He sings resonantly, while playing an acoustic guitar "fingerstyle." The song-moods ebb and flow, from passion to lullaby and whimsy to heartbreak, with each song fresh and memorable. "Reality Bends" showcases songs written throughout Arthur's career, including his first song "So Near, So Far" written at age 18, and "Rain," a slack key song penned one month before this CD was recorded. The title song, "Reality Bends," an ethereal new age hymn, was written in Guatemala during 1990. "Leilani" and "The Coral Reefy Song" reflect the inspiration of Hawai'i, and "The Coral Reefy Song" features Arthur playing a 6-string koa ukulele with an island backbeat. "Reality Bends" was produced and recorded by Jonathan Dodge Mayer at Different Fur Recording, in the San Francisco Mission District, USA. The impressive performance, recording production and CD artwork make this album stand out from the crowd. The 12 songs on the "Reality Bends" CD are a unique collection that leaves you hungry for more! Arthur Davenport's musical career spans 25 years of songwriting and performance. He first started playing in the Washington D.C. folk scene in the 1980's and then moved on to the southwest scene during the 90's while living in New Mexico. Arthur has been featured on National Public Radio performing his song, "Lonesome Cowboy," specially written for a cowboy music compilation album entitled "'Round-em Up!" Arthur now lives in Hawai'i. "Using only an acoustic guitar as backup, Arthur Davenport crafts sparse, haunting folk songs with a wry sense of the absurd. Deftly hopping from one vocal personality to another, sometimes within a line, this far-out mountain man keeps the listener guessing." Mike McGuire, Listen.com "Reality Bends" is, with the exception of one song, a solo creation by Arthur Davenport... His has a truly individualistic style, in that it defies any one categorization -- and the subject matter of his songs is equally diverse. One or two songs could be thought of almost as nursery rhymes for the young-at-heart, others display very original thought processes and an adult sophistication. Covering love, relationships, nature and travel, there is surely an offering on Reality Bends for everyone. His folk sound is often reminiscent of Cat Stevens, particularly notable on "Rain." Davenport's vocals alter subtly with most of his songs, seemingly seeking to emphasize the subject matter, but his accent remains a curiosity. His accompaniment is minimalist, fingerstyle, allowing the lyrics -- or poems, if you prefer that definition -- to be heard clearly throughout each song. If you are looking for something off the beaten track, look out for Arthur Davenport." (J. Ivor at www.Rambles.net, published 2003) Thanks for sharing the songs. Aloha! Arthur Davenport, Good Read Music LLC