Ordinary Orange – “Smooth Runs The Water”

Earl Patrick’s seventh album, “Smooth Runs The Water”, feels like sitting in a cozy living room while a masterful musician plays just for you. This collection of acoustic covers, performed in single takes, strips away any pretense and gets right to the heart of what makes these songs timeless.

I’m completely blown away by Patrick’s fingerpicking throughout this record. His take on “House Carpenter” channels that raw Dylan energy but with his own distinctive touch.

What makes this album even more remarkable is the story behind it. Twenty years after a devastating spinal injury that temporarily paralyzed him, Patrick has not only recovered but thrived. The fact that he still deals with nerve damage in his hands is mind-boggling, considering the precision and warmth in his playing. You’d never know it from the fluid, expressive guitar work that defines this album.

Recorded in the quiet hours of night in his home studio after his kids were asleep, the album has this intimate, almost confessional quality. You can practically feel the stillness of Portland after dark, just a man and his guitar reconnecting with the songs that first made him fall in love with music.

For fans of authentic folk and Americana, this is an absolute must-listen. Patrick brings decades of musical experience across jazz, classical, and indie rock to these interpretations, creating something both reverential and refreshingly new.

Do yourself a favor and check out “Smooth Runs The Water” on your preferred streaming platform. And make sure to follow Earl Patrick on social media, he is an artist with this much heart and talent who deserves all our support.