Besides Coolidge's prodigious talents on acoustic and electric guitar, Seconds' pedigree includes some other well-known and respected artists as well, not the least of whom is Paul Speer, who produced the album and played synths. Astute fans of wind instrument artists should recognize the name Richard Warner, who contributes on flute, alto and soprano sax. Other accompanists chime in on bass, drums, percussion, cello, and organ. Everyone does a solid job whenever they are called upon and, even though technically these people are not a group, they all play together with assuredness and a relaxed ease.

I'm not sure if I like the 'gimmick' of titling each of the nine tracks as a variation of 'Second' (e.g. 'Second Place,' 'Second Born,' 'Second Dawn'), but I didn't let the title of a piece get in the way of my liking this album. The music itself is almost uniformly enjoyable, and the standout tracks are, indeed, standouts. Those songs include the opening number, 'Second Place' (one of two energetic pieces on the album) with solid rhythm section work (Steve Hill on drums and Doug Barnett on bass) along with perfect synth fills from Speer, sprightly sax by Warner, and (of course) cracking good fretwork (on both electric and acoustic guitar) by Coolidge himself. Another winning song is 'Second Love,' a slower-paced romantic musical affair (with a nicely echoed opening sax solo) and (once again) well-layered synth fills. 'Second Spring' is wonderfully lively, sparkling with a warm friendly energy that 'feels' like a walk on the first green day of that season. Coolidge's playing on this song is among the best on the recording, and the track compares favorably to Bruce BecVar's earlier recordings.

The album ends very strong with three great songs in a row. 'Second Dawn' has a distinct 'new age' feel to it - the rhythm is relaxed and the use of somber/minor key tones/notes imparts a feeling of contemplation to the track, even when the drum kit is elevated in the mix. 'Second Wave' opens with bell tree and solo acoustic guitar, and folds in synths and slow tempo percussion to yield a wistful song that evokes a walk along a deserted beach. The addition of flute reinforces the gentle sentimentality of the song. 'Second Storm' is the other uptempo piece, and it's a beaut, featuring fiery finger work by Coolidge, dramatic synth strings, lilting flute, and good rhythm section support.

Seconds may not be perfect (I just couldn't warm up to 'Second Born' with its slow march-like cadence and its somewhat overdone sense of emotion), but I enjoyed listening to the CD many times before writing this review. I appreciated the variety of music contained on the album, the consistent quality of Coolidge's guitar playing, and Paul Speer's skillful production. I'd also compliment Warner on his sax work, which never slips into faux-jazz territory, instead staying firmly rooted in its complementary role of providing support to Coolidge's playing. Seldom does sax playing fit so easily into what is essentially an acoustic instrumental/adult contemporary recording. All in all, kudos are deserved by everyone involved - and I hope Calvin Coolidge favors us with another recording sometime soon. I recommend Seconds to anyone who enjoys guitar-based instrumental music that is accessible without descending into over-commercial slickness.