image courtesy of Broken Jukebox Media
Album Review of Neale Eckstein: Build Our Dreams
Singer-songwriter Neale Eckstein has been a fixture in the Boston area music scene for years, primarily recording other artists in his studio, but he only recently began releasing his own albums. Build Our Dreams‘ release earlier this year followed the late 2024 release of Never Too Late, which I reviewed last year. Neale’s work as a recording artist has been recognized, too; 2026 marks the second consecutive year he has been nominated in the New England Music Awards‘ Songwriter of the Year category.
Neale has a knack for storytelling. So much so that it’s hard to tell which of his songs’ stories are his own. Clearly, he’s drawing on emotions from his own experiences, but the experiences in his story-songs are too varied to have all belonged to a single person. Some songs, in particular, it’s interesting to wonder how and where Neale found his inspiration because his rough, ragged, folky storyteller’s voice and first-person songwriting style are so convincing.
The entire album is touching and heartfelt, and you’ll discover your own favorites. These are a few of mine:
“Always Been Older Than Me,” a cowrite with Dan Navarro, is a song about a young man with an old soul and a musician’s dream. The song is lively for such a slow swayer, and Neale’s gravelly voice is a bit punchier in all the right places to deliver the emotion.
“All the Little Things” is a detail-filled love song Neale wrote for his wife, Laurie, that needs no extra motivation for Neale to deliver it so convincingly. Musically, it’s Steve Lewis’ pedal steel work that adds a special nostalgic twang to the song.
Neale’s version of Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night” is the only cover on the record. With Sophie Buskin’s harmony vocals joining Neale’s in key passages, Neale delivered this classic in his own style. If you had not heard the original – impossible, I know – you’d never know it wasn’t one of Neale’s originals, it fits so well with the others. In any case, it’s interesting to hear this take of the Kristofferson classic.
A couple of the more touching songs on the record are “I Just Want to Talk to You” and album-ender “Mr. Ashe.” The ending of “I Just Want to Talk to You” is a little shocking, though the arrangement carries hints, as it’s a little foreboding. At least, it is in retrospect. Of course, after the first listen, it’s more obvious on repeat spins. “Mr. Ashe,” meanwhile, is an inspiring song, though told in the setting of the song’s namesake’s funeral.
Finally, since it’s getting to be that season soon enough, I wanted to close by calling out “Keep Christmas in Your Heart,” a heartfelt song for the season that Neale’s fan are sure to want to add to their holiday playlists.
The entire record is 11 songs long, and while I’ve listed my six favorites, I’m sure yours will differ. If you like gravelly old, sage-sounding storyteller folk songs, you’ll absolutely enjoy this collection – be sure to check out Neale Eckstein’s music, with Build Your Dreams an excellent place to start.
