Romantic Songs of the Sea -- like practically every
101 Strings album -- is built around a theme, in this case the sea. "Ebb Tide," "Red Sails in the Sunset," "Harbor Lights," and other sea faring titles are rendered in gauzy, super lush arrangements that reduce the songs to simple converging melody lines for masses of strings. The occasional use of a steel guitar lends a Hawaiian flavor, while a vocal chorus and electric bass add texture to what would otherwise be a near-ambient wash of sound. The roar of the seashore and cries of seagulls fill the spaces between tracks, beckoning you to sway in gentle rhythm with the waves on
101 Strings' summer cruise.