Monday, August 5, 2024

OVERDUE REVIEW: RICK ERLIEN - Moonlight Beach

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
 

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