Read reviews from Minor 7^th Magazine, Victory Music Magazine, and Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange Magazine.

From Jamie Anderson, Minor 7th Magazine
I review a lot of CDs and if I kept them all my house would sag under the weight. This one I’m definitely keeping because damn, it’s good. His refreshing folk-rock will never weigh you down.

Every song is an engaging story with clever and meaningful words. The mostly acoustic arrangements — his percussive guitar always up front — are tasteful and never overbearing, showcasing his warm vocals well.

If you’re a fan of artists like Jackson Brown, John Gorka and Bruce Hornsby, you definitely want this disc. It opens with “Paul’s Song,” about a guy who paints an American flag on his garage but it’s not what you think ’cause “He looks kinda right but he’s on the left and he’s better in the middle.”

Murante is great with witty observations like that and they’re scattered throughout this release. Remaining open to the possibilities is the theme in “Point of Entry” – “‘Cause you never know when the old man’s gonna share a little wisdom… Or when the mortal enemy is gonna lay down their weapons…” Amen.

Most of his songs have a positive outlook so “You’re So Smart” provides a magnificently bitter contrast. In it, he chronicles a conversation with a friend who saw the demise of his relationship before he did. Hey, when you get dumped for “Subaru Boy” you need to vent.

I’m loading this one on my MP3 player and no, you can’t have this disc. I highly recommend that you buy your own.

From Nancy Vivolo, Victory Music Magazine
At long last, Point of Entry is ready to take home, so pour yourself a glass of wine and get comfortable because you’re going to want to enjoy this in one sitting.

Engaging and direct in live performance, Larry Murante’s soaring vocals bring a decor to every song that when combined with his panache for storytelling grabs and holds your complete attention. I have longed to tuck his words in my pocket for further examination somewhere down the road, so this fresh third release from this sterling Seattle singer/song writer is as welcome as the long-awaited spring.

Murante is the kind of word crafter that doesn’t come along every day. His clever turns of phrase, colorfully painted descriptions and surprising plot twists create compelling story lines that are supported by a smooth, balanced melodic delivery. There is strength, power and definition in each musical arrangement.

Murante also draws upon the musical talent of some of Seattle’s finest musicians. TJ Morris is exquisite on drums/percussion in “More Than He Knows” and “I Still Think of You.” Alicia Healey adds beautiful depth and a measure of heartache with her sensitively delivered background vocals in “Dry Rain, Calm Wind.”

It could be timing or a bit of just what the doctor ordered, but Point of Entry touches a chord with me every time I hear it and each musician had to have been at the absolute top of their game while recording this one. A strong partner in this production, multi-instrumentalist Hans York adds a rich fullness to everything he touches.

A beautiful told story drawn from a historic account, “Mrs. Crouch” has a fascinating personal connection and Murante tells it with loving sweetness. The added backup of Greg Fulton on mandolin and wailing slide guitar make this story come to life. “The Big D” is in some ways painfully honest and revealing, regretful yet comfortable and ironically, filled with universal acceptance and familiarity.

Murante has the uncanny ability to not only recognize certain elements of human nature but is also able to articulate the actions, emotions and hidden meanings that became so entangled as a result. His language is his music and his music will touch your mind, heart and soul when you give him a “point of entry.” Make a point to attend one of his CD release concerts and pick up a copy.

From Mark S. Tucker, Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange
This well-developed collection of songs is a potpourri of protestation, quiet observation, passionate gusto, pleasantly eerie urbanism, and around-the-corner topicality. Larry Murante possesses a mellifluous voice that can nonetheless yip and yelp when needed or rise in indignation. He writes, though, in small and large surprises, as in “Paul’s Song,” chronicling a case of mistaken assumption that leads to the narrator deepening his appreciation of the subtleties of the human mind.

“Mrs. Crouch” introduces a ghostly tale of yet another false preacher, this time one who engenders a string of tragedies that lead to a haunting in the singer’s boyhood house, the spectre of a woman deeply wronged and still trying to live life as it should have been. Rather than try for the stereotypical quality of ‘touching’, Murante chose instead to show an unusual acceptance of the paranormal in a young boy.

Murante has a quality that calls to mind Marc Cohn, Cliff Eberhardt, Iain Matthews, David Wilcox, and the kind of musician that you just can’t get enough of, as every aspect of each song is perfection with gentle hooks, mellow instrumentation, a very polished voice, and top-notch production. Had Terence Boylan, Eric Anderson, and a few other folk mainstreamers been as consistent as Larry is here, they would’ve enjoyed a much better heyday. Point of Entry, in contrast, has staying power and should be finding easy egress into any and all airwaves intelligent enough to know quality when they hear it.