Derek St. Holmes made quite a name for himself beginning in 1973 when he was hired by Ted Nugent as his guitarist and singer. St. Holmes was a staple of many Nugent tours and albums, including recording Spirit of the Wild with him in 1995. With the release of Then Now, St. Holmes steps into a pair of comfortable shoes performing his own music, a bluesy, pop/rock that is a lot easier on the ears than some of the gonzo Ted recordings. The set opens with Dr. Love, with an infectious rock & roll beat underscoring St. Holmes' powerhouse vocals, which hook you and reel you in before you even realize fishing season is open. Just an Illusion tells the age-old story of getting the wool pulled over your eyes in a relationship. He plays his guitar with heart and soul and lots of emotion, whereas many guitarists choose the path of speed and guitar tricks. In Too Deep is another track that showcases Derek's superb guitar artistry, and Sunsets is a mesmerizing acoustic ballad, with a haunting melody and flawless vocals, one of the finest tracks on the album. Next up is Standing in the Rain, which could be the absolute best song on the record, with its electric blues feel that sends chills up and down your spine, more great guitar, both electric and acoustic, and arrangements that are right on target. Chase Chitty on bass and Steve Pace on drums help to make this a killer track. Sometimes rocks the house, followed by My Turn to Cry, another acoustic ballad filled with excellent lyrics, "If loving you is crazy I don't want to be sane," and fabulous acoustic rhythm guitar, underscored by Russ Still's B-3 organ. Next up is The Wind, another great rocker, hot on the heels of the ballad Surrounded and the showstopper, Sheila, featuring a truckload of guitars, digital delay, and drums, a powerful, soulful blues song about the heartbreak of a breakup. Then Now is one of the freshest, most exciting CDs you'll have the pleasure of spinning, and you won't be able to get the songs out of your head. ~ Michael B. Smith, Rovi

1		Dr. Love
2		Just an Illusion
3		In Too Deep
4		Sunsets
5		Standing in the Rain
6		Sometimes
7		My Turn to Cry
8		The Wind
9		Surrounded
10		Sheila

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