MEREDITH MONK / URSULA OPPENS / BRUCE BRUBAKER - PIANO SONGS
Meredith
Monk is best known as a composer for voice – and a performer as well – but this
wonderful set focuses on her music for piano – an instrumental setting that's
every bit as haunting as her singing! The songs are often built around two
piano lines – played by Ursula Oppens and Bruce Brubaker – often with one line
building a rhythmically melodic progression, similar to the minimalist
instrumentation in Monk's vocal works – while the other piano takes off in a
more expressive flight that recalls the sublime sound of Meredith when she
vocalizes. The music is every bit as haunting as Monk's first few ECM records
back in the 80s – albums we still treasure today – and titles include
"Ellis Island", "Folkdance", "Urban March",
"Window In 7s", "Totentaz", "Phantom Waltz", and
"Obsolete Objects". ~ Dusty Groove
.
ANUSHKA - DISTORTED AIR EP
A nice
little spacey club soul EP on Brownswood – actually the duo of
singer/songwriter Victoria Port and producer Max Wheeler – and it's very
promising stuff! Brownswood has a been a vital source for burgeoning
progressive dancefloor talent for years now, and the depth continues to
impress! Speaking of depth, Anushka stands out here thanks to deeper song-based
level. The bubbling electro soul vibe is easy enough to get lost on a club or
headphones level, but there's just defter, song-based vibe here. It get over
even better thanks to Victoria's beautiful voice. Titles include "Broken
Circuit", "Atom Bombs", "World In This Room" and
"Blessing". (Includes download card.) ~ Dusty Groove
CURTIS HARDING - SOUL POWER
A great
debut from Curtis Harding – a singer who's definitely got the soul power
promised in the title, but one with a much wider reach as well! The core
approach is funky soul, but the music is often inflected with other touches too
– putting Curtis in that unique space between styles and genres reserved for a
rare few back in the 70s – those singers who could cross easily between rock
and soul, and often had followers on both sides of the fence. Some tracks bring
up the guitars at a level that's more rock-based, but still mixed with soulful
crooning from Harding – and the overall production is a nice change from
overdone indie funk styles, further supporting Curtis' unique sound as well.
Titles include "Next Time", "Castaway", "Drive My
Car", "I Need A Friend", "Cruel World",
"Surf", and "I Don't Wanna Go Home". ~ Dusty Groove
No comments:
Post a Comment