In the Garden is the fourth music release from vocalist/composer/pianist/keyboardist Seay. The album features an impressive list of musicians from around the world that includes Ricky Kej, Wouter Kellerman, Stephen Peppos, and The Raevolution Orchestra from Bangalore, India. Seay composed most of the twelve tracks, sometimes singing lyrics and sometimes using her voice as another musical instrument in the ensemble. With the events of the past week (the massacre in Orlando, FL, more shootings in Oakland, CA, the explosive rhetoric of much of the Presidential campaign, etc.), I initially found myself resisting the unbridled optimism and positivity of this album and Seay’s messages of love and unity, but then it knocked me upside the head just how much we need these messages and reminders of how beautiful the world is and how we are all cut from the same cloth. This unifying force and caring for everything that exists in the world and even the universe are really the only things that can save our civilization and bring humanity together to make this a better, safer, and more loving place to be for generations to come. Thank you, Seay, for doing much to restore feelings of hope and the reminder to appreciate what we have!

In the Garden begins with “Beautiful Earth,” an anthemic song of praise that features Kej, Kellerman, and The Raevolution Orchestra behind Seay’s passionate and uplifting vocals, which are often layered to sound like several voices. “Dream” is a beautiful song without words that has a gentle flow and a soft, dreamy feeling. “Oceanus” is a song of gratitude that includes sounds of seabirds and waves crashing. The title track is a gorgeous instrumental (with wordless vocals) that captures the magic and wonder of one of my favorite places to be. “Hearts Afire” was composed and arranged by Geoff Koch. It’s a graceful yet very powerful instrumental that includes haunting, wordless vocals. “I Will Love You Still” is a love song, pure and simple. Sung with sincerity and deep emotion, it’s a beauty! “Seraphim (Breath of the Angels)” is my favorite piece on the album. Piano, keyboards, and ethereal layered vocals send this one peacefully soaring to the heavens. The closing track, “Into the Blue,” is a reprise of “Oceanus” with vocals but no lyrics.

In the Garden is a breath of fresh air just when the world needs it most! It is available from Amazon, iTunes, and CD Baby. Recommended! A digital deluxe version will be released on July 1, 2016.