Guy Swinnen - Dreaming For Days (2016)

The album opens with the title song 'Dreaming For Days' in which Guy looks back to the past dreamily and with a little melancholy. Bert Van Hoeylandt is strong on the acoustic guitar and the characteristic voice of Swinnen colors the song. The backing vocals of Ilse Govaerts fit very nicely into the whole. 'Dreaming For Days' has a great melody and is one of the highlights of the album. 'No One Can Make It All Alone' has country / Americana arrangements and is immediately reminiscent of Johnny Cash. The song has a wonderful melody and makes you happy. Sam Vloemans adds some extra color with his flugel. In the sad love song about a lost love 'I Was A Fool', Guy plays his inseparable harmonica for the first time on this album. 'I Surrender' is one of the few covers on the album. The song sounds very familiar and it is, because Kate Ryan had a big hit with it. Swinnen has made a flowing country / Americana version that sounds really good. It is also the first song recorded with the live band. Before you know it you are singing along and moving. Smart editing. 'You Belong In My Arms' is another cheerful up tempo song that invites you to move. The second song that is played live is 'Scars', the cover of Stan Van Samang. Guy has made a very sensitive and sublime number. I will certainly not be the only one who believes this version is better than the original. The chorus really gives you goosebumps. The acoustic guitars and strings determine the sound in the country-tinted 'You Just Gotta Stay'. 'Hymn Of Pain', an ode to pain, is very clever in instrumental terms and it is full of short surprising sounds. Guy could already hear that you could make a Schlager like 'My Best Friend' from Christoff into a very engaging song in love for music. Then there were all those who could not hold back their tears and in the future this number will also shed tears, I am very sure of that. The fact that songs can release so many different emotions makes music so beautiful and Guy Swinnen has certainly touched the sensitive chord with this song. The conclusion is that 'Dreaming For Days' by Guy Swinnen is a pleasant acoustic album, with a few very nice highlights.