A Warm and Inviting Release from Lynn Patrick

A new album released from Lynn Patrick delivers an incredibly lush atmosphere built with guitar work that just feels warm, welcoming, and delivers a tonality that invites you to sort of drift alongside the balances of light and emotion that come through constantly as the record unfolds.

This is an album that features such amazing attention to detail, but still thrives in terms of having loads of heart.

You can clearly hear loads of influences from different genres coming in from folk, to jazz, and plenty more, including again, a very warm contemporary feel, and the guitar work across this record is absolutely outstanding.

Songs are riddled with character and a sort of free-spirited aesthetic that lets the whole thing come across bright.

The record is called Water Stones, and it certainly doesn't waste a lot of time with its first track, "Surfing LuLu", which is a song packed with some great hooks, lines, and layers of acoustic textures that come right at you.

There's something so relaxed about this release. It's almost calming in a sense, especially this first track.

The single does an outstanding job of introducing you to the rest of the record simply because you're going to hear a lot of these kinds of staples across the full release.

Having said that, this is not a record that I would suggest skipping around.

I feel like the songs have a strange connection with each other, almost like a concept album would, but slightly different.

The songs feel almost like chapters in a book, and you wouldn't skip chapters in the book, so I also would not suggest skipping songs on this record.

The album spans 12 tracks and is about 40 minutes in length. This is a record that's meant to be heard all at once. This way, you can soak in all the brightness, all the dynamic balance, the textures and layers that it's delivering, along with that sort of freeing tonality that feels good to listen to.

Songs like "Unknown Changes" showcase different emotions at times, and you can hear these through the melodies. She's really amazing at giving melodic structure and still having things feel slightly loose, almost as if it were half-improvised.

Light percussion gives the song a bit of drive and rhythm, and the whole thing is so full-bodied.

You really just can't get enough of these thick guitar layers. It's just the way that you always consistently have layers of guitars and acoustics flowing in and out of each other, interweaving and creating this very particular aesthetic.

The title track, "Water Stones", is one of my favorites, displaying a great structure and arrangement style, but it focuses a bit more on some of these melodic hooks and lines that are delivered. You get stuck on those more than anything else.

It's amazing to me how this record is able to create such rich moods and soundscapes. It's very easy to get swallowed up by this whole thing.

Listening to the record all the way through, from start to finish, creates a great experience. It's almost like an escape because it has the ability to pull you away from wherever you are and whatever you're doing, and put you in this different space for a chunk of time.

This, to me, is a great gift.

"Love Is Here" is another great track, this time showcasing a little bit more of that jazz influence. Very smooth and flowing, as a lot of the rest of the album is, and again sort of giving off a robustness in terms of having heart. It feels like a lot of the songs from this record all came from real places.

This was a gorgeous record, with such fluent and intriguing performances coming from someone who is a master of their instrument, but really is more in love with the craft than anything else.

Lynn Patrick is someone who comes from a musical family, was raised in Florida, and was just surrounded by people who were playing all kinds of instruments and singing. Being turned onto this at such a young age really helped shape her love for music in general, and I think this is part of why this record has that level of heart involved.

Upon listening to this album, I knew I wanted to have a chat with Lynn to find out where all of this actually came from and what might be coming up next for her.

So, while you listen to this record, read this interview with the artist below.

Don't forget where you heard this first.

Let's talk about Water Stones! This album was lush and had such rich, warm guitar tones and atmospheres!  Where did this record come from? 

Water Stones really came from my home, both literally and emotionally. I recorded it at home, and I loved the spontaneity of being able to capture ideas at any moment, with no pressure, just following what was there. The guitar has always been a kind of sanctuary for me, a place where I can go inward, feel inspired, and honestly just feel better.

I live on a hill in the mountains west of Boulder, Colorado. As I’m recording, I have a view through big windows overlooking a small valley. A lot of the time I will be sitting in front of the microphones and just stare out at the sky, watching the clouds and taking in the beauty around me. I let nature and stillness come through my hands. I go into a zone where I let my heart lead the way and follow that emotional thread as it weaves through the song, through the notes, the open chords, and the melodies I am hearing and singing before they land on the guitar.

No matter what I am going through, each song becomes a reflection of my inner experience at that moment. Every chord and every note stays connected to that feeling. The warmth and atmosphere on the record really came from a need for comfort and grounding, and the album slowly revealed itself as I gave it the space to do that. It was never about technique. It was about letting the guitar lead emotionally, following warmth and openness, and allowing the music to unfold naturally. The record tells an emotional story that came straight from feel, from my heart to my hands.

I'm hearing a few different approaches to this record! Who are some of your biggest musical influences?

I started playing guitar at sixteen and was inspired by Joni Mitchell, Leo Kottke, Pat Metheny, James Taylor, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Many of the instrumental songs I write are in open tunings, and those early influences definitely opened that door for me.

Over the years, I’ve developed my own open tunings and chords and express a feel and sound that is completely my own. Now the music feels more like I’m channeling something from a deep place inside myself.

How did this all start for you as an artist?

I first started out singing cover songs for family and friends, which quickly led to performing at art festivals, clubs, and coffeehouses in Central Florida, where I grew up. I continued performing covers through college at Florida State University. After graduating with a humanities degree, I moved to Boston and sang around Cambridge and the North Shore.

Eventually, I moved to Colorado, playing at ski areas as well as venues in Denver and Boulder. All along, I was writing my own songs, but my performances were mostly covers. Over time, I began introducing original instrumental pieces into my shows. That grew into my all-instrumental album, Winnie’s Guitar, which won the Independent Music Awards for Best Instrumental Song. Since then, I’ve been recording and performing instrumental music, continuing to create my own guitar voice as an artist. I’ve recorded six instrumental albums and one vocal album so far, and I’m currently working on my eighth record.

Are you performing live right now? 

Just a little. I used to perform full-time, and now I enjoy doing special performances in Colorado once or twice a year.

Now that this is out, what's next for you?

I’ve already started writing some new songs for my eighth album. Right now I’m focused on being present, appreciating my health, feeling grateful for many things in my life, continuing to be creative and to wonder, exploring the beauties of nature, and living my life as fully as I can.

Who's in your headphones right now?

I’m listening to old Motown and soulful music—Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Marvin Gaye.

What would you tell people they can expect on this release?

So far, the feedback I’ve been hearing about Water Stones is that it really uplifts people and brightens their mood. Listeners often say it makes them feel happy and more at ease.

Before we go, what would you like to express to fans of the music?

I’d like to thank everyone who listens and connects with my music. Water Stones is really about creating a space where people can feel calm, uplifted, and inspired. It’s music that comes from a very personal place, and I hope it resonates with listeners, offering a little light, reflection, or joy in their day.

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