REVIEW: JOHN LYELL - Eternity II

JOHN LYELL
Eternity II (2024)

One of the newer (relatively speaking) classic spacemusic artists on the scene, John Lyell, hasn't been heard from since 2017 when he released Planetary Artifacts about which I wrote "Simply put, if you are a Spacemusic fan, this is an essential album to own." Lyell has returned to his roots just earlier this year (2024) with Eternity II (I would postulate a sequel to his 2012 Eternity) and he hasn't missed a beat (I know…a strange choice of words for a spacemusic album).

Before I give more details, an explanation of sorts. While Stephen Hill defines spacemusic less as something astronomical in nature (i.e., having a direct link to space exploration, the cosmos, etc.), I refer to some spacemusic as being "classic" in nature. Specifically, comprised of not just titular (or even cover art-wise) reference to outer space (e.g. the existence of life beyond our planet, space travel, etc.) but also certain sonic qualities of the music itself. First and foremost, a drifting quality, based typically on synth washes, ambient textures, and tones containing an element of, well, spaciness. Jonn Serrie, Geodesium (Mark Pedersen) and Meg Bowles come to mind as some of the stalwarts of classic spacemusic (not there aren't others, as well). Lyell's music fits into this category nicely. He blends assorted synths with the occasional rhythmic pulse or melodic tone to craft music which (given a listener's ability to visualize) could certainly inspire traveling through space watching the stars go by on a viewscreen. And, as stated above, Eternity II certainly evokes those images aplenty.

I've always admired that Lyell intermixes a little mystery or shading of semi-darkness now and then, such as on the title track, which also introduces some whirling sounds to further accentuate the SF element on the track, as well as percolating (at a midtempo pace) pulses and reverbed tones. This is in contrast to the first track, "When The World Was New" which opens with a myriad of tasteful nature sounds against a warm, inviting layer of synths and low-key but dramatic keyboard chords. "A Moment in Time" is another warm but even more spacey number albeit in a more minimalist vein with the main component being muted melodic tones over the sound of flowing water. Two tracks ("Gateway to the Stars" and the album closer, "Final Approach") introduce a new element for Lyell, that being a semi-glitchy background effect, which if I'm being honest, I'm not sure I like, but in each case it's not something that derails the overall effect of either the individual track or the album as a whole. In the case of "Final Approach," it does lend a certain element of dramatic effect which may suit the track's title (there's also a nice retro-EM whirly sound effect that I got a kick out of).

I am not as attuned to either spacemusic or, for that matter, the ambient genre, as a whole, like I used to be, so for all I know, there are still many artists crafting high quality drifting soundscapes like John Lyell does here (and has done throughout his previous recordings). What I do know is that Lyell once more has honored the tradition of the subgenre with Eternity II, which makes this a worthy addition to his discography and should delight the followers of his earlier works.

 

ALBUM DETAILS
Composed, Performed, Engineered & Produced by:  John Lyell
Tracks recorded in Minnesota and New Mexico between 2014 and 2024
Final mixing: Light Year Studio in Rio Rancho, NM.
Digitally Mastered by:  Robert Rich at Soundscape Productions, Carmel, CA
Graphic Design, Layout & Art Concept:  John Lyell

 

OVERDUE REVIEW: THIERRY DAVID - Slow Motion

THIERRY DAVID

Slow Motion

K-Vox (2020)

 

Long-time readers of my reviews know that I have some…well, unusual takes about certain types of music and the subsequent evocations they lead me to. One of these is a subset of ambient (and later chill) music that, for me, paints a specific visual backdrop that almost creates a story for my imagination to transition into while listening. One of these is that of a quasi-Blade Runner-esque urban cityscape but anchored in the present…or even in the film noir past. The backdrop? Rain-slicked city streets reflecting neon bar signs and cheap hotels. It's late…maybe 2 am. Not many folks walk these pavements and the city itself seems to be exhausted with its daily struggle to find optimism in a world overtaken by loneliness, desperation, and hopelessness. Yeah, I can be a depressing kinda guy!

 

The first recording that brought these images to mind was Ben Swire's brilliant EP on The Foundry label, Equilibrium. Later, Marconi Union released two albums that had the same impact on me, A Lost Connection and Distance. Fast forward more than a few years and the highly talented keyboardist Thierry David (who broke onto the musical scene while on the Real Music label) contacted me and sent me Slow Motion. Sadly, in the midst of a myriad of personal problems and Covid, I put my reviewing on hold (mostly) and never got around to spreading the word about his amazingly chilled out and highly atmospheric recording which absolutely belongs alongside the others mentioned above.

 

Thierry David proved himself adept (to say the least) during his stint recording for Real Music by releasing albums in an assortment of styles, e.g. spacemusic (Stellar Connection) and chill-out (Zen Pause). Even aware of David's abundant talent, when I first played Slow Motion, I was unprepared for what greeted my ears that first playing. Mesmerized, enthralled, transported are all words that came to mind as these seven excursions into a moody, atmospheric, and shadowy world issued forth from my speakers, all encased in a framework of subdued and superbly performed chill-out music. A mixture of reverbed piano, layers of ambient textures, muted rhythms, and other elements comprised an ultra-evocative soundscape. And that's what this review's first paragraph alludes to, i.e., I couldn't wait to go out one night and drive the darkened streets of Minneapolis listening to this superb soundtrack for a solitary urban excursion.

 

Slow Motion isn't sad or melancholic or even dark in any traditional sense. It's moody, provocative, subtle, and even comforting in a strange way. It envelops you in its own unique musical vision of beautiful, compelling, unsparing sensations of the aforementioned urban loneliness, all propelled by piano, synths, textures, and rhythms. Again, remember these are my evocations. For all I know, some might consider this music cheerful or upbeat. But for me, it's the opposite which does not take way from how much I love the album; in fact, it underscores the appeal it holds for me.

 

While each track paints its own picture, the "play-through" quality is off the chart (by that, I refer to the desire to not skip tracks and play the entire CD in one sitting). The album is masterfully produced, mixed and mastered (see below).

 

ALBUM DETAILS

All compositions by Thierry David

Created, arranged, and performed by Thierry David

Recorded and mixed at K-Vox Studios in Paris, France

Mastered by Pierre Jacquot

Artwork by b=Thierry David

Artistic supervision by Christine Pariselle

All instruments played by Theirry David except:

Brushes, afuche, angklungs,cymbalettes, and cymbals by Steve Shehan

 

OVERDUE REVIEW: VICENTE AVELLA - Physics Of Light

VICENTE AVELLA

Physics of Light

Pandora's Boombox Records (2022)

 

Vicente Avella's Physics of Light is, to be blunt, a brilliant execution of the endless boundaries of solo piano music when composed and performed by an artist whose talent and ambition are seemingly as endless as said boundaries. Through sixteen tracks, Avella held me spellbound with a dizzying command of tempo, tone, mood, and style.  Yet, while I can't describe how he accomplished the level of cohesion and continuity within the album, that is also here in abundance. Now, I am not saying that a solo piano release that maintains a unified mood or sound cannot also be great and an artistic triumph, but Physics of Light is a rarity where the artist throws (relatively speaking) caution to the wind and plays his ass off across the widest possible spectrum and damn the torpedoes. Perhaps the key to why I enjoyed this album so much is that no matter the specific underpinnings of a piece (e.g. fast or slow, haunting or warm), Avella's humanity and, well, his humility shine through. He's never showing off, despite the brilliance of his technique. I get the distinct impression he is always playing straight from his heart (which, when one thinks about it, is contrasted by the intellectual nature of the album's theme, i.e., each track's title deals with light, a property of light, or a type of light).

 

"Light Particles" (track one) is a patient and somewhat somber sonic exploration while "Radiance" sparkles with frivolity and whimsical playfulness as it races here and there. Things get even deeper (psychologically speaking) on "Where Light and Shadow Meet" as a darker mood takes gentle control of the song. The refrain on the piece speaks of this melding of the two opposing light qualities. The song brushes furtively with both a sense of warmth and contentment and a sense of being in an unknown emotional state. "Ultraviolet" returns to a much gentler and affirming mood, romantic with a dose of nostalgia, a little like a serenade to family and friends. "Oscuro" is the piece that made me sit and go (in a Neo-esque fashion) "Whoa!" Here, a palpable feeling of darkness and dread looms large (albeit still within the framework of beautiful piano music). "Resistance" follows with an enticing blending of quasi-urgency and yet deep purposefulness. There is a semi "call and response" nature to Avella's use of upper and lower registers – freakin' brilliant to my ears.

 

I could go on, but I will leave the other ten remaining tracks for you to explore and enjoy on your own. Physics of Light is one of the most emotionally and intellectually satisfying piano recordings in more than a few years. It's a work of unparalleled ambition married to amazing talent.

 

ALBUM DETAILS

Music composed by Vicente Avella

All tracks composed, arranged, and produced by Vicente Avella

Album mastered by Dave Glasser at Airshow Mastering, Boulder, Colorado

Graphic design by Silvana Izquierdo

Art "Studies in Light" by Leo Morah

 

Vicente Avella: Piano

 

 

OVERDUE REVIEW: RICK ERLIEN - Moonlight Beach

RICK ERLIEN

Moonlight Beach (2022)

 

Rick Erlien’s Moonlight Beach epitomizes the best aspects of an EP release, i.e., leaving the listener wanting more, yet also sated as one would be after a serving of small plates from a great restaurant. These four solo piano tracks give ample evidence that should Erlien release a full-length recording, it will likely garner praise and please many fans of simple, uncomplicated, yet carefully nuanced solo piano instrumentals.

 

Riffing off the title of the EP, one might compare the four songs to the four phases of the moon, i.e., it’s always the same moon, but it’s viewed differently, and each, perhaps, evoking a different emotional reaction from the person viewing it. This may reflect her/his locale/environment or maybe her/his mood the time. Making statements about the emotion a piece of music will evoke in the listener is, of course, the highly subjective opinion of the reviewer. Longtime readers of my reviews know that typically I do draw some conclusions of music’s evocation, but I always try to paint the picture of being my, and mine alone, opinion.

 

All that said, the four pieces on the EP do strike me as being on the reflective side of the spectrum, but not in a melancholic or somber way. Instead, there are elements of pleasant reflection, a dash of nostalgic remembrance here and there, and subtle elements of cheer and happiness. Erlien displays solid control of tone, sustain, and nuance, no matter the specific mood or tempo of the piece. "Moonlight Beach All Around" is softly romantic and sometimes transitions to a subtle yet noticeable dramatic mood, while "Moonlight Beach On the Sand Looking at the Water" comes across more reflective and introspective. The remaining two tracks also display a duality at times, exhibiting both a pensive and a contrasting more active side as well. However, Erlien maintains a cohesive musical vision throughout. It's a solid collection of beach-inspired pianoscapes.

 

ALBUM DETAILS

All compositions composed and performed by Rick Erlien.

Album produced by Rick Erlien

Album recorded by Rick Erlien at Beach Recording Music, Encinitas, CA

Album mastered by Sean M. Lennon, Control C, Oakland, California

Album photo by Rick Erlien

 

REVIEW: TODD MOSBY - Land Of Enchantment

TODD MOSBY
Land of Enchantment
Mosby Music Group (2023)

I remember the first time I played Todd Mosby's newest album, Land of Enchantment, and after 15 or so seconds of the first track, "Place In The Sun," I seriously thought I had misplaced the CD and inserted a Spyrogyra or Return To Forever album instead. This was completely unexpected to say the least. I listened to a lot of jazz fusion when I was much younger, including the aforementioned two groups as well as Bob James, The Brecker Brothers, Tom Scott and the LA Express, and more. Of course, I hadn't read the album one sheet or glanced at the guest artist list which would've certainly lessened the shock when this sweet opening track blasted from my Elantra's sound system.

According to the liner notes, Mosby New Mexico as the artistic impetus behind this release, stating "A longtime source of creative inspiration for artists such as Georgia O'Keefe and Ansel Adams, New Mexico serves as the transformative catalyst for a musical journey into its beautiful landscapes and unique culture."

Granted, that opening track with its driving trap kit drum rhythms, funky bottom, and (surprise!)
Tom Scott, the tenor sax himself, laying down some serious horn work, may not strike most as reflecting what New Mexico "typically" brings to mind. The same can be said of track two, "Moonrise Samba," and its sensual swaying melody and intoxicating percussion. But, no matter how you slice it, if Mosby and company had New Mexico coursing through their veins during the recording of Land of Enchantment, I sure ain't complaining.

Not everything on the album is "Let's get off our ass and move," but if one were to compare the overall tone of the CD to so many other more "new age" Southwest US inspired releases, the Venn diagram would feature little intersection. Not that the former myriad albums are any less inspired or fantastic.

I also must give props to Mosby for his two cover tunes (the other six are his compositions). The famous Beatle tune "Norwegian Wood" on which Mosby plays lead melody on his sitar-like imrat guitar. The song rocks, albeit mostly gently, with a pan-Indian twist and an infusion Indian fusion jazziness in the bridge. The other cover closes out the disc and it's a song you (or should I say "I") don't see recorded much as an instrumental: Jimmy Webb's (made famous by Glen Campbell) "By The Time I Get To Phoenix." Things turn reflective and low-key here, deservedly so, and guest star Charlie Bisharat's violin adds the perfect amount of atmospheric shading here, as does vocalist (wordless) Laura Vall. One can almost picture a long-haul trucker making his/her way down the desert highway well into the night.

I also dug the semi-blues/jazz "A Distant Light," on which Dapo Torimo's nuanced piano is a highlight, as well as Adrienne Woods' cello.  Finally, one song is a solo guitar piece, that being "Emerald Springs," where it's just Mosby and his acoustic guitar veering from some mellow fingerstyle to energetic chord fireworks.

Lanf Of Enchantment is one of those "take me away somewhere new and exciting" albums that will, I believe, enchant the listener who is seeking music to liven the day and sprinkle some magic into her/his life, even if just for a bit.

ALBUM DETAILS
All songs composed and arranged by Todd Mosby except where noted*
Album produced by Jeffrey Weber
*Norwegian Wood composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
*By The Time I Get To Phoenix composed by Jimmy Webb

INSTRUMENT CREDITS
Todd Mosby: Acoustic and electric guitars, acoustic and electric imrat guitars
Tom Scott: Tenor sax, saxophone
Vinnie Colaluta: Drums
Rhonda Smith: electric bass, ns bass
Charlie Bisharat: Violin
Dapo Torimiro: Electric piano, piano
Timothy Bailey: Bass
David Leach: Percussion
Laura Vall: Vocals
Adrienne Woods: Cello
Ranya Iqbal: Cello

 

 

 

REVIEW: RUDY ADRIAN - Reflections On A Moonlit Lake

RUDY ADRIAN

Reflections on a Moonlit Lake

Spotted Peccary (2024)

My first exposure to Rudy Adrian's music was when he released Twilight in 1999 which I could swear I reviewed but I can't find it anywhere in my hard drive archives. I do remember being impressed with this relative newcomer to the spacemusic/ambient and EM genres. However, I could not have foreseen how his career would blossom to the degree that it has with now over 20 recordings to his credit. And, in my estimation, he just keeps getting better. He seems to have left his EM/sequencer days behind in 2006 (the exception being 2017's Sequencer Rarities) and he now concentrates his considerable talent on ambient soundscapes that reflect a deep connection with all manner of nature, as witnessed by some of his album titles (The Healing Lake – 2000, Desert Realms- 2008, Coastlines – 2016, Woodlands – 2019).

 

Adrian excels at several of the aspects of spacemusic/ambient music, e.g. the deft layering of the assorted sounds, keyboards, textures, all of it yielding a whole which always surpasses the sum of its parts. Another way he distinguishes himself is limiting the duration of pieces, i.e., no one track overstays its welcome. Three, the cohesion of his compositions is always around a central theme or backdrop.

 

Reflections on a Moonlit Lake features eleven tracks, nothing longer than 7:59 in duration, and the music is some of Adrian's most relaxing and soothing in recent years, which one might expect given the album title and inspiration. Per the liner notes (written by Adrian) "This album was created to evoke the experience of a lakeside view in the wilderness. I hope the music captures the calm and serenity of such a place." Well, growing up and living in the upper Midwest (Wisconsin and Minnesota), I've spent my share of time at wilderness lakes and yes, the music here would make a superlative backdrop for whiling away the twilight (and deep night) hours gazing at how a full moon glistens off the still waters of a lake surrounded by woods of pines, oaks, and birches. All that's missing would be (for Minnesotans), the plaintive call of loons or the occasional hoot of an owl.

 

Now, for those unfamiliar with Rudy Adrian's work, while it's undeniably ambient in nature and scope, it can gravitate from a warm mood to one more neutral in evocation, e.g., "Midnight Angel" brushes against shadow and mystery via minor key piano whereas the piano on "Lunar Shadow" perfectly captures a feeling of contentment as it patiently unfurls against a backdrop of classic spacemusic synth washes. The closest that the album gets to true darkness is in the aptly-titled "Within The Darkness" which does paint a picture of a certain eeriness in one's surrounding, but it's done so well with an assortment of textures and keyboard sounds that it fits in nicely alongside warmer cuts such as the title track or the album closer "Summer Night Rain" which features equal parts semi-drone washes and actual rain falling sounds.

 

Reflections on a Moonlit Lake is filled with excellent drifting ambient music that one can either listen to intently, visualizing the album's titular landscape or played in the background allowing the sounds to soak into the room and color the environment in a noticeable but unobtrusive sense of calm and repose. Because there are no abrupt shifts in overall tone, I imagine it'd be a great "fall asleep to" album as well.  

 

Over his two-plus decades of making music, Rudy Adrian has established himself as one of brightest beacons in the world of crafting ambient soundscapes that invite the listener to dive into the music and enjoy the experience in any capacity whatsoever.

 

ALBUM DETAILS

All music written, performed, recorded and mixed by Rudy Adrian

Album mastered by Howard Givens at Spotted Peccary Studios NW, Portland, OR

Design by Daniel Pipitone at Spotted Peccary Studios NE, Ligonier, PA

Imagery created by Jourdan Laik

Portrait photography by Jared Mason

 

 

REVIEW: MICHAEL WHALEN - Watercolor Sky

MICHAEL WHALEN
Watercolor Sky
Michael Whalen Music

 Collaborations and musical groups have been around almost since the earliest days of the new age music genre, e.g. Nightnoise on Windham Hill, Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel on Narada, and more. However, recently, the era of the supergroup, which was a big part of rock and prog rock in the late 60s and early 70s has been ushered into the genre in a more pronounced fashion than previous collaborations evoked. Prominent among these have hailed from Will Ackerman's Imaginary Road Studios, e.g. FLOW, among a few others. It might be my singular opinion that these newer gatherings of musicians to record an album are akin to the term supergroup, because I do not mean to belittle all the assorted collaborations over the last 30-40 years in the genre. So, consider this my take on the subject.

Which leads me to the album Watercolor Sky, a superlative (and that is not hyperbole) uniting of some true giants from the last several decades in the genre. Headed by Michael Whalen who plays piano, electronics, and percussion, this recording is not "literally" the representation of a "super group" since he is listed as the primary artist, but a looser definition of the term fits since it unites Whalen's talents with those of other legendary performers Mark Isham (trumpet and flugelhorn), Michael Manring (bass), Nancy Rumbel (oboe and English horn), WillAckerman (acoustic guitar) and Charlie Bisharat  (violin). You'd be hard-pressed to find a better pedigree than that.

As to the music itself…well, I was about two minutes into the opening track, "The Endless Summer," when I realized this was one of those instances where the whole of the album actually exceeds the sum of its parts. Hard to believe, but all nine songs display not just the requisite musical chops and artistry one would expect from this assemblage, but the highest degree of sympatico one could ever desire or even imagine. It's almost as if these folks had rehearsed for months and months prior to recording this (which I doubt, given how busy all these musicians are, given their assorted projects). This high level of symbiosis is what elevates Watercolor Sky to the upper echelon of collaborative recordings in recent years. (It also, to be honest, almost demands a "part 2" be already in the works).

Obviously, I don't need to extol anyone's talent here since they are all bona fide superstars, but I must say that even with how often I have praised Michael Whalen's skills as a composer and performer across a wide swath of genres, moods, styles, and type of music, I was still impressed to hell with what he does on this recording, especially his adroit use of a myriad number of keyboards. Only a small handful of musicians wield a command as virtuosic across these aspects (David Arkenstone and Kevin Kern come to mind) and Whalen's nine compositions demonstrates he clearly belongs in the same orbit as those two. Of course, with artists like Rumbel, Isham, Manring, Bisharat, and Ackerman, Watercolor Sky is undeniably a team effort.

From the cheery percolating exuberance of the opening "The Endless Summer," through the sparkly iridescence and flowing melodies of the title track, the somber and slightly melancholic beauty of "The First Frost," and closing with the plaintive reflection of "Winter Beach," Watercolor Sky brims with soulful performances, gorgeous melodies, perfect production quality, and music that will inspire an assortment of images if the listener relaxes and soaks it all in. Do I recommend Watercolor Sky? Whaddya think?

ALBUM DETAILS
Music composed, arranged, produced and mixed by Michael Whalen
Additional recording, editing, and mastering by Tom Eaton

INSTRUMENT CREDITS
Michael Whalen: Piano, electronics, percussion
Mark Isham: Trumpet, flugelhorn
Michael Manring: Bass
Nancy Rumbel: Oboe, English horn
Will Ackerman: Guitar
Charlie Bisharat: Violin