Love & Hope : John D. Lewis

Love and Hope is a musical journey and some tracks go straight to Lewis's Geordie roots:

"Love and Hope" was inspired by the collapse/demolition the North East's mining industry.

"Sir Bobby's Song" - written the day the great footballing icon died - is Lewis's tribute to the man and the first track in more than 30 years where the singer reverts to his native Geordie accent to sing.

Lewis's writing partner - wife Dawn Lewis - shows her lyrical skills in the simple but extraordinarily powerful words to "Like The River". Some say the song is a simple love song. Others will find deeper meanings the longer they listen. The haunting pan pipes and edgy electric guitars add to the effect making this the album's stand out track.

Lewis reveals a little of his painful childhood in "When Morning Comes" while "God Abiding Man" is a tribute to long-time friend Homer Joy, the man who wrote the record breaking Country song, "Streets of Bakersfield".

Elsewhere, there's fun in "You Lose!", strength in "Jimmy's Song" and pure love in the album's closer, "Talking To The Moon".

This a memorable and eclectic collection of songs which fits no single genre but spans many.