Blonde and Sweet is CW’s ambitious follow-up to A Function of Time, and while it picks up on some themes and territory from its predecessor, the new CD also breaks some interesting new ground.

Like Function before it, Blonde and Sweet mixes real-life events and images with fiction; autobiography with storytelling. But where Function focused a bit more on CW’s real-life observations, Blonde focuses more on the imagination.

There are songs here that tell of being stuck in a soul-crushing job, dreaming of getting rich someday, avoiding conversation with a lover, stress and nightmares, unrequited crushes, and people so friendly they’re creepy. None of these are pulled from CW’s real life .. they are an exploration of storytelling and role-playing.

On the other hand, there are some very personal songs here as well, heartfelt and close to home. Songs of anxiety over a long-distance relationship, watching oneself grow older, working to change the things we know we should, and gratitude for what one has, even when the chips are down.

As he did on Function, CW brought in his many musician friends to add solos and color parts to the arrangements and make each song on Blonde and Sweet have its own unique space and voice. You’ll hear guitar work from Bryan Baker, Darrel Cordova, Lance Harrison, Doug Hoffman, Stevan Robinson, Mike Schneider and Rob Straughn; keyboards from Justin Chastain; and drums from Sir Bach.

All the vocals, and all the other instruments you hear (guitars, basses, drums, mandolin) were set down by CW, layer by layer, over the course of several months in 2015 and 2016.

You’ll hear the influences, directly and indirectly, of the musicians and styles CW has enjoyed listening to over the years. From rock to reggae, jazz, blues and country. Nods to the songcraft of Neil Finn, Tom Petty, John Fogerty, Buddy Holly, and Ric Ocasek. And of course the imagination and perspective that only CW (and his co-authors Rob Straughn, Bryan Baker and Eric Kennedy) can bring.

So fire up the barbecue, pull up a chair, and pour a hot cup of joe (with cream and sugar, of course) .. and immerse yourself in Blonde and Sweet.