Jesse Colin Young

After making only two albums in 11 years, Jesse Colin Young returned with a new studio album only 11 months after releasing Makin' It Real. Like its predecessor, Swept Away seemed to mark a middle-aged outpouring inspired largely by his joy over his new family: five of its songs -- "Swept Away," "Love Is the Moment," "Our Wedding Song," "Spring Is Here," and "Love Is You" -- were love songs for his wife, while three more -- "Street of Broken Dreams," "Cheyenne, and "Sweet as a Song" -- were written for his children. Such material, while painfully personal, is typical of Young's ingenuous ability to make art out of his private life. A nakedly honest songwriter, he was never more naked than here, stripping down his music to match the sentiments, performing largely with acoustic guitar/acoustic bass backing, only the occasional instrument added for color. The album worked because of its sincerity: thirty years into his recording career, Jesse Colin Young retained a remarkable, childlike openness that invited listeners into his world. He did not so much find the universal in his particular story as demonstrate its importance through the unsparingly confessional and directly emotional way in which he told it. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide