WINDY & CARL

"Songs for the broken hearted" appears to have been a particularly difficult album for Windy and Carl. Work began on this release around the same time as Windy Weber began putting together her solo album "I hate people". While the solo album came to fruition relatively quickly, the recordings for "Songs for the broken hearted" were shelved, and for a while it seemed unlikely that any further material in the name of Windy and Carl would be forthcoming. Towards the end of 2007 though, "inspiration" of an unspecified nature brought a change of heart, and further vocals and guitar were added to the existing recordings, bringing completion.

The challenges and dark times which the duo faced together come through in the harsher tones of this album. While it remains firmly rooted in the drones which characterise their work, here there is an undercurrent of something more sinister than usual, the guitar sounds in particular having a perceptible edge. Windy's vocals on the opening "Btwn You & Me" and on "My love" are more upfront than usual too. Here, while the vocals are still used as a sort of instrument, they also stand apart a bit from the ambient sounds which sit around them.

On this album, the tracks segue together seamlessly, forming a greater whole, indeed the album is probably best looked upon on that basis rather than as a collection of 10 individual tracks. The album's theme is the simple one of love, but the duo make no effort to disguise the fact that it represents a tempestuous time in their own relationship. It seems this may be the reason why tracks such as "Forever" move towards song based territories, with the vocals here being the most overt yet. While devoid of vocals, the two longest tracks, "When We Were" and "La Douleur" are the harshest in terms of sound, both being aggressive drone pieces.

The album runs to around 71 minutes, the best way to listen to it being to sit back in a darkened room without distractions. This style of music will not be to everyone's taste by any means. Some will find it unexciting, perhaps ruing the lack of defined rhythms and melodies. For those who enjoy a more ambient style though, "Songs for the broken hearted" should prove to be a positive experience.

Windy and Carl are a husband and wife duo from Michigan, USA who have to date released seven studio albums plus a number of extended EPs and singles. Their music is largely instrumental, with Windy Weber adding the occasional vocals. They are primarily a studio project, their music being a diversion for them from running a record shop in their home town of Dearborn, USA. They do however perform annually at the Terrastock festival. The ambient style of their music leans towards electronic prog, primarily due to their use of drone, and the ambient nature of their compositions.

By the time of this album released in 2001, the duo had moved on from home made cassette releases to a full blown recording contract, thus also offering the benefits of a superior sound quality.

The gentle acoustic guitar playing of Carl Hultgren opens the album with a soft "Tubular bells" like repeating melody. "The sun" is a short solo piece to get us underway, forming a sort of prelude to "Balance (Trembling)". Here we find the first ambient drone of the album, the pulsating held note being backed by pattering rhythms. The drones continue on the 10+ minute "Elevation", although here the effect is more evolutionary with the sound appearing to graduallyopen as the piece develops. "The Llama's Dream" appears at first to be a reprise of "Elevation", but soft vocals join acoustic guitar as the piece progresses.

The title track, which runs to almost 13 minutes, combines the drones with acoustic guitar. While remaining primarily ambient, there is a greater variety of colours here, with further largely indistinguishable vocals adding to the appealing nature of the overall sound. The album closes with "Resolution" where the drone sounds are quasi-orchestral.

In all, a pleasantly relaxing album, devoid of bass and drum or anything which might serve to clutter the atmosphere. Certainly not one for those who seek defined melodies or beats, but for those who enjoy mood music, "Consciousness" is worthy of investigation.