THERE ARE NO ORDINARY MOMENTS

Every time I see the tag "heavy" attached to some piece of music, I just tend to think of it as a massive sounding thing, with a lot of thundering distorted guitars riffing all over. Whatever the reason may be for such a biassed perception, dear reader, I really don't know, but one thing is sure: it prevents any association with fusion music, and even more with bands like Oregon, which come to my mind at certain passages of this record.

And the thing is that, fortunately, this album is an altogether different affair, with a lot of air for open harmonies, and a rich variety of timbric colour, which is really good, specially speaking of an entirely instrumental album. Even so, the guitar is there, don't worry about that, and the axeman contribution to the densification of the otherwise rather ethereal textures is decisive all the way through, adding discrete strokes of tension and a bit of fuzziness to the general transparence pervading the sonic canvas.

The opener, Red Blanket, sets in general terms the model for the construction of the songs: richly syncopated percussion pattern, soaring melodic lines setting the scenary, and then a certain assault of the electric guitar elevates tension, taking the attention requirement to a higher level. Eagle Plains begins with a call of the wild by the piano soaked in effects of bird singing, and soon enough the distorted guitar thickens the plot, just to... well, listen to the music, don't be lazy!

Track four, Flatlander, is the only moment in the album that can be properly called heavy, since the whole band joins the guitar in frenzy distorted style that, honoring the title, moves always into the same (loud) level. On the other hand, track 7, Eyota, is a 12+ minutes mini-suite that breathes with modal melodies convoluting in arabesque patterns, taking all the necessary time to build momentum in preparation for the guitar entrance.

If I didn't speak of the bass player yet, is not his fault, but mine. The guy really does a terrific job underpinning the dynamics of a band full of twists and turns, and also delivering awesome lines when his time to shine comes, like in the beginning of track 6, Notes of the Concubine.

An album where the musicians deliver the goods, and hold nothing for themselves, or for the next record, or for the label. I don't know what do you call that, for me is excellent.