Release Date: April 16, 2013
Label: Canterbury Music Company
Coming from the mind of composer, violist, vocalist, saxist, Shannon Graham, this album attempts to create Graham's idea of "narrative composition," and succeeds incredibly. The album combines so many different styles of music that it is nearly impossible to define it any other way, and her ability to tell a story through her compositions only helps to justify the name. Graham, primarily a jazz saxophonist, draws heavily from the styles of jazz. The strange harmonies, scales, and melodies provide an uneasy feeling during times of chaos and dissonance, as well as bliss in its smooth calming lines. Equipped with 9 other players, the album employs sax, viola, violin, trumpet, trombone, vocals, and a jazz rhythm section. The album is very classic as well, which is amplified by the use of string instruments. The use of unison creates an interesting effect in timbre that ordinarily could not be achieved by solo instruments. Instead they gain a synthesized, uncanny quality.
"Samsara", the opening track, sets the tone of the entire work by opening with an ominous unison line from trombone and piano over sustained strings, that eventually descends into chaos, resolving to a groove established by the rhythm section that ties everything together. The song plays back and forth between dark and light tones. When the beginning theme returns, the strings are replaced by an ethereal chorus, which then leads into a more relaxed section. Like most of the songs on the album the main theme is returned to over and over again, but surprisingly does not feel annoying or repetitive.
"We've Come to Take You Home" and "The Truth Seeker" are arguably the best tracks on the album for their excellent employment of imagery and interesting styles. "We've Come to Take You Home" employs dissonance throughout, mimicking a bad dream that you try desperately to wake up from but despite your efforts you can't seem to manage it leaving you trapped in this dark world. The song builds to a fast paced drive from the piano and drums, and features trombone throughout. Towards the end, a unison chorus enters completing the terrifying feeling of this chaotic tune that continues to build and build until the very end where there is sudden silence; you've woken from the nightmare.
"The Truth Seeker" compares in genius with "We've Come to Take You Home" but is hardly similar. The song begins with strings and spoken word. The way that the entire song plays around the beautiful speaking voice, having very little melody while it is in use, the voice becomes a melody of its own. Once again a dissonant chaos is found throughout but eventually morphs into a much happier swing-like tune featuring Graham as a singer. The spoken word is an inspiring tale about the creation of earth, and the singing plays off of this, explaining how the world is paradise. The listener can't help but feeling happy while listening.
Each song reflects the feelings and emotions that everyone feels throughout life; like a chaotic morning where you scramble around without being able to figure out whats really going on, until finally you settle into a groove, but the craziness is still there. It also highlights relaxed moments as if one is finally sitting resting after the rush and bustle of the previous chaos. Shorter tracks act as interludes of a single theme that provide a good transition between the beefier songs.
Overall this exquisite album has to be one of the best listens of 2013. The emotion and beauty of this album cannot be placed into words and still do it justice. The acute musicianship cannot even be described. My suggestion is to sit in a dark room lying on a bed concentrating only on the music. The experience is exhilarating. This work is absolutely an amazing expression of life and is by far one of the best albums of the year, and should confidently remain so.
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