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Written by Kevin Renick Wednesday, 19 August 2009 09:32

Their sound bears the influence of acoustic rockers such as CSNY, Heartsfield, America and others.

St. Louis folk duo Harmony will hold their CD release concert at the acoustically pristine Sheldon on August 25. The group consists of multi-instrumentalists Jim Ford and Steve Galati, each with years of local band experience on their resumes. Their sound bears the influence of acoustic rockers such as CSNY, Heartsfield, America and others, as well as a strong spiritual component.

The band's debut release, Shelter From the Storm, is an earnest collection of amiable, contemplative tunes that reveal Ford, who wrote all 14 songs, to be a songwriter with humanitarian concerns as well as an eye for detail. Highlights include the evocative "Maine Light" ("about a real lighthouse in Maine, and the light in our lives," according to the brief notes on the CD back cover), the good-natured "I Got a Lot on My Mind" and the melodically strong "Hawk," a song Ford has had kicking around since the brief sojourn of one of his previous incarnations, Just Folk.

Fans of St. Louis-themed material should enjoy "River of Beer," which crams a number of local cultural touchstones into its brisk running time, and "Roll on River," another of Ford's older tunes-a tribute to the "mighty Mississip." And "First Pew" manages to not take religion seriously while at the same time making a wryly amusing case for the churchgoing experience.

Guest musicians at Harmony's show will include Darlene Luebbert, the director of St. Cecilia School's music program; guitarist/vocalist/recording engineer Tom Knecht and renowned hammer dulcimer wizard Rick Thum. | Kevin Renick

Tickets are $6 at the door; the show starts at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit the Sheldon's website or call 314-780-0574.