SOUNDTRACK: ESMERINE-Lost Voices [CST116] (2015).
Esmerine’s previous album was recorded in Istanbul and featured a lot of Middle Eastern instruments. This album was recorded in France and has an incredibly different tone than the previous one. It doesn’t really have any unusual instruments. Well, except for the darbuka (a drum) and the riq (a kind of tambouine), both of which appear on the track “Funambule.” And these interesting items: the ekonting (a West African lute) and the sarod (an Indian lute).
This album has moments that rock a lot harder and louder than anything they’ve done before, but it also has some lengthy mellow moments too.
“The Neighbourhoods Rise” opens the disc with staccato strings and bass. Then the cello and violin come in. The song builds and grows more dynamic as drums enter the song, but at 3:30 the song bursts forth with big chords and loud drums. There’s a great violin melody running through the exuberance. Then the music all falls away leaving a lovely, sad cello and violin melody to take the song out.
“A River Runs Through This Town” opens with the most conventional sound of an Esmerine record–simple (loud) drumming and an acoustic guitar melody. More instruments come in, adding complexity. I love that each instrument that comes in–marimba, cello–adds a new layer of notes to the mix until about 3 minutes in when it switches over to big chords. The song works back and forth between these two styles and rocks much harder than any of their other songs.
“Pas Trop Pas Tropes” is a song of quiet marimba and lots of strings–the cello and violin are once again rather mournful, but very cinematic. It doesn’t travel very far in its four minutes but it’s beautiful while its there.
“19/14” (can that be a reference to the time signature?) opens with marimba and drums and a deep upright bass (and I believe plucked cello). When the staccato guitar (or is that the cello?) starts picking out notes the song gets even more interesting. And then at 3 minutes an electric guitar solo bursts through the melody. It’s probably the loudest thing the band has recorded yet. Until the end of the song which gets even louder with pounding drums. It’s fantastic.
After that, the album mellows out somewhat.
“A Trick of the Light” is but 2 and a half minutes. It’s washes of keyboards and quiet cello/violin parts. And then comes–a first for Esmerine, I believe–piano (played by Becky Foon). The piano is simple but it stands out so dramatically on this track that it sounds amazing.
“My Mamma Pinned a Rose on Me” opens with a cool marimba melody and some ominous keyboard chords. Some of the middle eastern instruments mentioned come out on this song. It plays with variations on that simple marimba pattern with different instruments taking turns playing simple chords the top of it. Somewhere round 5 minutes the song gets so mesmerizing that it nearly puts me in a trance.
“Funambule (Deux Pas de Serein)” opens with some thumping bass and rocks drums along with the Middle Eastern drum playing some cool accompaniment. And then the nearly 8 minute song is off. This song revisits the Middle Eastern sounds of the previous record, but with a difference–the drums make the song feel bigger and more intense until about 2 minutes in when the song shifts to a kind of screeching solo. And then the song resumes with a much faster rhythm. By 4 minutes the whole song is thudding away, powerful drums and a wall of sound. When the wall wears itself out, the song’s denouement is more layers of cello and violin–beautiful intertwining melodies.
The final two songs are short. “Our Love We Sing” is 3 and half minutes of synths and slow cello. This song also features Becky Foon’s voice, singing wordless passages. It builds and builds but has no grand climax. The disc ends with “Lullaby for Nola” a simple piano twinkling and then strings accompany the lovely voice to create this slow, beautiful lullaby.
This album is not as cohesive as the previous one, but it really lets the band explore lots of different avenues. I’m certainly looking forward to whatever they come up with next.
[READ: February 2, 2016] Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant
I enjoyed this story quite a lot. Cliff’s animation which was peculiar but ultimately very satisfying. And more importantly, he tells a great story.
It opens in Constantinople in 1807. The King has just begun a game in which the strongest men fight for as much gold and riches as they can grab
Then Chapter 1 shows us Delilah Dirk in prison. And the guard Selim is reading off the extravagant list of charges against her. These include–marksman, acrobat, swordsman, world traveler (alone!) and a woman with the ability to fly. As we flashback to her meeting Selim in prison, we see her being quite cross at getting caught and just about to tell him. Until she tastes his tea. Then she reappraises him.
Turns out that Selim’s quite the man with a pot of spices.
As he relates Delilah’s exploits to the king, the king bursts out laughing–primarily because Delilah is a woman. He doesn’t even think twice that she might try to escape until (and wee see this behind the scenes) she bursts through the wall to her rescue. And takes Selim with her. (more…)
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SOUNDTRACK: ANTHONY D’AMATO-Tiny Desk Concert #398 (October 20, 2014).
I’d never heard of Anthony D’Amato before this Tiny Desk Concert, and yet his music sounds vaguely familiar. D’Amato sings fast, upbeat acoustic folk rock with a full band behind him.
I Just Read About That... 