I am met with insatiable glee in the very moments that the first notes are struck on Christopher Beland’s “Return to Pooh”. It has a charming old-English cottage-town appeal, as though we are just waking up to a brand new bright sunny day rife for adventure and the company of our closest friends.
It’s unsurprising but still a welcome realization when we learn that the “Pooh” alluded to in the track’s title is none other than the classic literary icon Winnie themselves. The song unabashedly continues to carry the same charming nostalgic appeal as the books they’re undoubtedly inspired by, taking the perspective of Winnie as he shares a new story with us, one where he and Christopher Robin have found themselves lost in the woods and unsure of which direction would lead them back to their home.
While it could be a more literal story, the figurative story is one of longing and overcoming the challenging situations they’ve both found themselves in and holding a strong desire for the simpler times they shared together when they were younger.
In the second verse our narrator takes on the perspective of Christopher Robin who we find shares in the same sentiments as described by Winnie in a pleasing reassurance that even when we feel lost or scared, there are others that share in our distress however mild or heavy.
On the production end of things it’s a remarkably straight-forward track, allowing the acoustic guitar to guide us along the trails that Christopher and Winnie are taking through the woods and the soft rhythms of a shaker to soothe us through as the story pulls us back towards our own childhoods and former carefree lives.
It’s unwavering in its ability to provide a calming airy ambience and to be frank, by the end, it’s one of those magically effortless tracks that we find ourselves wishing we’d written ourselves, although it would be near impossible to beat the tranquilizing allure of Beland’s unassuming vocals.
“Return to Pooh” by Christopher Beland is set to be released on CaliAmericana Vol II distributed by Santa Barbara Records on September 22nd, 2023.
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Crooked Forest 