Review / Comments ::

Every week I browse through the iTunes Music Store for new releases. I mainly stay in the New Age, World, and Classical sections. One day I saw this beautiful image, it was of a woman, with flowing blonde hair... yeah the little promo image caught my attention, and I'm glad it did!

When I clicked on the image I was taken to Laura Sullivan's Mystical America. I listened to the first few 30 second samples and I clicked buy without any need to hear all of the samples. While the album was downloading I did a Google search for Laura to see if she had a site with more information. I found her site and stayed there till I had read every page, absorbing the information.

Once the album was downloaded I synced iTunes with my iPod and I went to my meditation area to listen to the album without interruption. As I've said numerous times before, I LOVE the piano... and this album touched my soul like you wouldn't believe.

I can't stop listing to the first 3 tracks: (1) America's Stonehenge, (2) Chaco Canyon, and (3) Coral Castle; all of which summon an inner peace that I've only experienced through meditation! These three tracks are the only songs that can create such inner sanctuary within me with out the need to meditate.

Every time I listen to this album I instantly become relaxed, and my mind can either drift way, or focus on meditation or a task at hand. I've been listening to this album so much that it's tracks have continually moved up to the top of my most listened to music in iTunes.

I would say maybe a few weeks after I purchased the album on iTunes, I decided to support Laura by buying the album again, but a physical CD this time around. Instead of trying to find the recently released album in stores I purchased it via her site. I bought three copies. Yes three; that's how much her music touched me. I gave one to my mother and still have one unopened.

When I received the albums, I was surprised to read "Hand-Made Sage Incense Inside..." When I opened the case I was greeted with a soothing aroma. Since I already had downloaded the album via iTunes, I wanted to read the liner notes (an important item that is missing from 99.9% of the iTunes albums; the U2 box set introduced liner notes being included with a download... hopefully all albums will include their liner notes in the future).

I work in a High School, and one of the teachers I work with has a stereo in her room, and she often plays soothing relaxation music. I took in a copy of Mystical America and let her listen. By the third period I heard that a few teachers stopped by her room to ask what that "beautiful music was". I believe the music speaks for it's self.

Mystical America has moved to the top of my favorite albums. It's touched my soul like no other music has, and in my opinion has a healing aspect that summons a true inner peace. I'm proud to bestow upon Mystical America Streams-of-Time's most prestigious rating: Top Pick! 5 out of 5 stars!

Related Streams-of-Time Review(s) ::

"Mystical America " ( Nancy | 04-2005 )

Related Web Links ::

Official Site:  http://www.laura-sullivan.com/

Available At ::

Delvian Records (CD)

iTunes Music Store (Download)

Amazon.com (CD)

Album Copyright Information ::

© 2004 Laura Sullivan (BMI)

Review Date ::