A BLESSING OF TEARS 1995 SOUNDSCAPE-VOL 2 - LIVE IN CALIFORNIA

This is unquestionably the album that listeners curious about Fripp's soundscapes should sample first. Some of the soundscapes albums can be quite dissonant in places, which can be offputting. This one features 8 shorter pieces, all soft, mellow and beautiful. It's amazing to think that all of this music originates (before being run through effects and loops) from a guitar. Track 8 is a reverse of track 7...and it may be best piece on the CD! The theme of this album is a soul's transition from life to death (or another state), and leaves no doubt that Fripp feels this is a positive change that should be welcomed. It's a theme he refers to often in this series of recordings ("That Which Passes" is a much more noisy and dissonant album based on the same topic) This is an uplifting listen. While I can't call it a progressive "masterpiece", it is definitely a masterpiece of ambient music, up there with the best of Steve Roach (why isn't he here on the Archives?), Brian Eno or Harold Budd. If you like ambient and you like Robert Fripp, don't delay, go and get this CD!