Wind and Wire
From the first strains of piano, synths, and cello on the opening cut ("Headwaters"), this release from Montana artists Matthew Lyon and Christine Dickinson knocked me out. It caught me completely off guard. I'm a fan of soft gentle music with a backdrop of nature sounds, to be sure. But I was whole unprepared for the depth of the emotion in this nature-inspired recording. From Montana to the Sea is filled with moments of genuine poignancy and heartfelt melodies. It compares quite favorably with artists like Tingstad and Rumbel, Tim Story (more from an emotional standpoint than his minimal composition style), and pianist George Maurer. Never descending into commercialism or the trappings of knock-off "new age music" (such as some - not all - of the recordings on North Sound), this is music so accomplished that it almost creates a new genre, since neither Tingstad/Rumbel nor Story uses nature sound effects in their music.
Artfully combining acoustic instruments (piano, cello, flutes, and guitar
) with tasteful synths and synth strings, Christine and Matthew paint
musical tone poems of "hidden waters of the northwest." This is actually
somewhat like a "light" (as in lighter in emotional feel) North of
Niagara, the superlative recording by Canadians Danna and Clemént. It
has that same rich texture, especially the synth strings playing off
against (guest artist Janet Haarvig's) cello. The piano also is used to
tremendous effect at times.
The warmth and melodicism of this recording is what makes it stand out
from the crowd. There are a lot of "pretty" music recordings out there,
many of them ones that I would recommend, but few do it so well as From
Montana to the Sea. This is one of the finest yet most accessible
relaxation CDs I've ever heard. Owing to the richness of composition,
from the serene "Holland Lake" to the sedate "Garden Wall" to the vague
Celtic textures (courtesy of pennywhistle) of "The Curlew," every song
on this recording unfolds like a vibrant tapestry. All three musicians
have talent to burn (Janet on cello stands out like a beacon, but
Matthew's tasteful synths are also outstanding), and the overall feeling
I get from this album is that it was made with a lot of love and care.
If you usually find "relaxation" music too sugary or not musically
complex enough, I think you should give this CD a try. The graceful
elegance of songs like "Wetlands" will, I think, enchant you. Without a
doubt, this recording gets a huge thumbs up for lovers of nature and
environmental releases. Some of the recorded sounds here are
ultra-soothing. But, when all is said and done, it is the music that
elevates From Montana to the Sea to the highest level of satisfaction.
If you have ever walked in the woods, sat at the seashore, or listened
to birds singing in the fading daylight, this CD will speak to you in
the deepest and most soulful way. Almost heartrendingly beautiful,
suffused with sincerity and integrity, this album is a gem. I plan on
keeping it out for many weeks for when the pressures and stresses of my
life overcome me and I need to retreat to a softer place filled with
sunlight, warmth and peace. Highly recommended, especially for
romanticists and idealists.
-Bill Binkelman
www.instrumentalmusic.com
Living amidst the striking beauty of the great state of Montana, Earthpassage is composed primarily of three musicians: Christine Dickinson (piano, recorders, vocals), Matthew Lyon (multi-instrumentalist, producer) and Janet Haarvig (cello). Their goal is to create music that, as they put it, "sings the land" that they inhabit. The result is beautiful, relaxing and tranquil sounds that are first-rate in every aspect. The combination of piano, cello, celtic harp, violin and guitar make a wonderful tapestry of melodic, soothing music. Their most recent CD is entitled From Montana to the Sea. Also available are three other CD's of simply excellent music. Our favorite is White Cloud, Big Sky which has come to reside almost permanently in our CD player. This recording also features the playing of percussionist Doug Ruhman, hammer dulcimer player Katie Carter, and celtic fiddler Tom Robison on an excursion into the heart of the Big Sky Country.
