Willy Porter is a true trooper, living the life of a singer-songwriter on the road for over two decades and 10 albums. He has worked with artists such as Tori Amos, Paul Simon and Jeff Beck. No, he has never achieved their level of stardom, but he has created a solid and highly respected reputation. His work with Guild & Fender guitars over the years has resulted in the manufacture of a “Willy Porter Signature” acoustic guitar – no small accomplishment!

On Human Kindness, Porter brings all his considerable acoustic and electric talents to bear, offering a tuneful return to the pop sensibilities that have been the hallmark of his best work. The album opens with a rousing, hard-driving song called “Freedom,” and moves on to the 4th cut and title song, complete with a string quartet that succeeds beautifully. “Constellation” is a beauty of a love song, reminiscent of Ellis Paul. The standout is the funky, guitar driven “This Train” (“We can complain, all that we want to/But this train is rolling past”). In its relentless forward motion, Mr. Porter proves himself more than a capable conductor.

It’s troubadours like Willy Porter who keep the great American music dream alive.

-Robert Myers