Pete Kartsounes - Songs in the Key of Love (2024)

SONGS IN THE KEY OF LOVE is now out to the world! The long anticipation for another album by singer-songwriter Pete Kartsounes is over. 11 carefully selected songs of love found and yearned for. Pete plays and does it all on this beautifully arranged collection of work written over decades. A true "Labor Of Love", Songs In The Key Of Love is one we can all connect with. As Pete would put it, "These are not my songs, these are our songs."

If his name rings a bell, Pete Kartsounes has been flatpicking around the bluegrass scene and beyond for quite a while, spending years in the Colorado area and traveling the world, rather extensively, before making his home in Bend, Oregon. In his new album, Songs in the Key of Love, Pete offers simple songs that comb through the snarls that can sidetrack a song (as well as love itself), and simply sings uncomplicated truths. These songs aren’t bluegrass, and they’re not the electronica of his previous projects, but they surely are timeless.

In “Count Our Blessings” the couple in the story takes the time to count their blessings, plan the day over morning coffee, and plant the seeds in their yard. “So many years of living years going by, some in pictures, some in daytime drives over mountains to the sea, making time to count our blessings.” Gently played acoustic guitar takes care to let the storytelling take the spotlight.

“Alone and Livin'” is again gently played instruments, fading into support, as Pete offers the intimate confessional: “I’m alone and happy by myself, I’m alone and I’m happy I don’t need nobody else, but I wish I had you for just one night to tuck me in and hold me tight… I’d sing you a song, your favorite kind…”

“Forever Changed” hints of Southwestern foreboding and turns into an undeniable tale of falling in love. The flute on this is fully haunting, as “the stars have all aligned.”

“Only For You” is a song about that focus on the one & only object of your heart’s desire. “Birds, they sing, as only they do, a love song sweet and true. I like to think that the love song is just for you.” A lovely sentiment.

It seems that Pete wanted to deliver love songs for all of us, tapping into the core emotions of love in its purest and most innocent form. No drama, no obstacles, just the significant easy foundation.