Some might say that, while the likes of Paul Simon and James Taylor are still alive and kicking, there’s no need for successors. But that would be wrong-headed and naïve. Besides, the successors — Robby Hecht among them — have been issuing fantastic records for years now from underneath the shadows of those giants.
On his new, eponymous release, Hecht continues to carve out his own artistic legacy in the Simon/Taylor tradition by crafting contemplative, acoustically rendered tunes that lean mostly toward folk, but occasionally make a mad dash into Americana. No matter where an individual piece needs to go, producer Lex Price makes sure it gets there in pristine condition and returns to fit neatly within the whole.
“The Sea and the Shore” is a perfect example of the instant classic status so many of Hecht’s songs earn right out of the gate. Listening to this tender tale, it’s nearly impossible to discern whether it is a contemporary creation or an ages-old traditional.
Like Simon and Taylor before him, Hecht needs no bells and whistles, no smoke and mirrors in his work, for that would do nothing more than detract or distract from its quiet greatness.
This review originally appeared in Elmore.