Baxter’s case for “modern traditionalism” is spot on with Resistance. Each of the eleven compositions have modern harmony, voicing and melodic colors, but they are all lyrical and easy to follow and understand. Starting off the album is “The Silver Run,” a rising representation of The Silver Run area in Maryland as told by the voices of flute and piano. “Edgefield” is a beautiful composition featuring the guitar duet sounds of Arabesque Duo. With dancing counterpoint and ever moving inner voices that take us on a journey through multiple tonal centers, this is particularly of note. “Des Larmes Encadrées” is a passionate composition that pairs the delicacy of saxophone with the piano emotions, the composition is based on the sentimental reflection inspired by Baxter’s familial ties with a fellow artist that plays the saxophone. This is another clear display of Baxter’s romantic melodic writing that is supported by harmony, modern texture and movement. The title track is a glorious stance in favor of tonal, lyrical music in an age of atonality and the breakdown of harmony by Baxter. Here we can hear the musical diction of the before mentioned statement clearly, as Baxter takes us through dense angular passages that open up to grand romantic statements in a moving solo piano composition. Each of Baxter’s compositions have a common theme of being immediately and intuitively accessible to the listener and that gives each piece the power to evoke sincere emotions with Baxter’s impressive “modern traditionalism.” That’s the short of it!