The cover of Eric Anders’ Tethered To the Ground shows a first hint to what the album might be about. Planet Earth rising above the moon’s horizon seems to indicate Anders is looking at the world from a distance; and while listening we learn that at the same time he is scrutinizing his (?) personal life. The overall feel of the album is one of sadness, disappointment and grief, but ultimately of hope. We are tethered to our wounded life here on this wounded earth, and it is here where we must – and can - find a solution and healing. Now. The rising earth (Big World Abide, Earth Rise) seems a metaphor for the dream of a better world, the ‘far away land’, the promise of peace. Only, it is a peace won by war. Which is of course a false lie, a “Santa’s small world”, a story for kids to feel safe. And it’s a false and dangerous safety. America’s society is divided by black and white opinions: good and evil, us and them, and Anders tells us: “Red is the sum of this black and white”. In How Low And Why he asks how long this will go on, how deep we must sink before we can put an end to it all. Lines like “So wrong swinging further right”, and “In my world denial is the crown” (So Wrong) leave no room for misunderstanding. And Looking Forward To Your Fall is a downright anti-Bush song. The world is in big trouble, and we have no other choice but to open our eyes, lose our ignorance, acknowledge our guilt, and set things right. There seems to be a second storyline, the story of a dying relationship, to which the teller is (yet) holding on for fear of loneliness and grief. But he knows he can’t keep on lying, he has ‘hollowed out himself’, he is destroying his own world: “this hapless world I’ve made”. He must face the truth, learn, and let go (Truth Be Told). Here we see the resemblance between the dying world and the dying relationship. If the lying Bush must fall, the teller must fall too (Fall Over). There must be ‘death’ and a funeral, too soon and causing great grief (Funeral Time), and finally healing (Walking Cure). It’s a hard road, but he need not walk it alone. There are family and friends to sustain him (These People). I think Tethered To the Ground is a wonderful achievement. Eric Anders manages to connect the human condition and the world’s alarming situation, lifting our personal troubles to a universal level - like a true bard. He has created a well-written, nicely produced and well-rounded album. The singer is blessed with a beautiful velvet voice, reminiscent of Colin Blunstone’s. These thirteen songs radiate transcendant beauty from aching lyrics and melodies, and angelic harmonies.