Wooden Boat

by Bob TarteBeamer's unassuming voice and uninspiring English-language lyrics push this toward the generic, but there's still a lot to like. The arrangements and backing instruments seem more concerned with widening this slack-key legend's appeal to a mainstream audience than presenting him in the optimal solo setting per the Dancing Cat label's Slack Key Guitar Masters series. Still, the songs are unarguably beautiful and Beamer's soulful strumming is always up front in the mix where it belongs, especially on the lovely glossary of techniques, "No Ke Ano Ahiahi."