Incoming

Description

Incoming is the debut album by the American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Tom Prasada-Rao (April 11, 1958 – June 19, 2024), released on Crossroads Records in 1991, distributed by Spectra. The album was produced by Mark Heard. All songs written by Tom Prasada-Rao except for “Everyday People” by Sylvester Stewart. Featuring session musicians like bassist Fergus Jemison Marsh (a long-time associate of Bruce Cockburn) and drummer David Raven.

Impressive debut by acoustic-based singer/songwriter, sporting tasteful, mellow vocal style and socially concious lyrics. Produced by Mark Heard, the music resembles Bruce Cockburn (whose Stick player, Fergus Jemison Marsh, contributes liberally here), and will appeal to fans of Randy Stonehill and James Taylor. [Thom Granger, CCM, September 1991]

One of the many albums produced this last year by Mark Heard has Tom Prasada-Rao’s ‘Incoming’. And though I’m a few months late with it, I hope Prasada-Rao won’t mind a little praise.

It would have been easy for Prasada-Rao to rely solely on his warm, expressive vocals and acoustic guitar in recording these twelve songs. His sense of vocal melody and phrasing is diverse and sophisticated, ranging from the traditional feel of «Was Jesus a Sailor» to the Latin, jazzy «Golden Girl». His guitar is always doing something different underneath the vocal and betrays possible classical and Latin influences. One of the musical highlights is a cover of Sly and The Family Stone’s «Everyday People». A great song with a simple message perfectly suited to Prasada-Rao’s approach.

But as I said, Prasada-Rao chose not to work solo and was joined by producer Mark Heard on several instruments including organ, accordion, and mandolin. Drummer Dave Raven, a much-in-demand studio musician, adds considerably to the project’s depth of arrangement as does also renowned stick player Fergus Jamison Marsh, who proves once again that stick is not just a bass that you bang on.

‘Incoming’s lyrical content shows Prasada-Rao to be thoughtful as well as creative. Wondering why we don’t really work on ending poverty, he makes the observation that “it’s a losing proposition to champion their cause/ when we can bring the folks in here/ who pay taxes and heed laws.” As the song closes, he addresses the why behind this attitude: “when offices talk homelessness/ it doesn’t mean a thing/ when their closest dream of heaven/ is Disneyland in spring.” [Dave Canfield, Cornerstone Magazine, Vol. 21, Issue 100]

CD tracklist:

01. Talking Blues
02. Hold on Tight
03. Driftwood
04. Incoming
05. Was Jesus a Sailor
06. ‘Til My Eyes Be Delivered
07. Everyday People
08. The Needle’s Eye
09. Golden Girl
10. How Have the Mighty Fallen
11. Leave a Light on for Me
12. I Got a Feeling

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Crossroads Records.

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