Review by Mike Richter
CD Review
William Urban
“Wellsprings #2: Joyful”
* * * 1/2
At the age of seventeen, inspired, I think, by the soundtrack to a laser show at the local Omnimax, I headed into D.C.’s Georgetown to see Pat Metheny. It was my very first club experience, and I was distracted by the novelty and protocol of this tiny place tucked under a thundering expanse of freeway. The expressive clarity and exuberance of Metheny’s music broke through it all and prompted a bit of a spree on my part all up and down his label.
I’m reminded of that show because several passages in “Joyful” cause me to sprint over to my collection to look up some Metheny or Keith Jarrett or Terje Rypdal album. They’ve long since departed in a now-forgotten iteration of downsizing, so I doubly appreciate remembering their simple-sounding aural beauty.
Seven fusion-laced meditations comprise the content of this CD, each with at least three movements, the longest track clocking in at perhaps ten minutes. Two or three of the tracks are built around familiar themes, like Greensleeves and the Ode to Joy, while others yield completely to improvisational expression inspired by Christian scripture (“Words of the Thunder”) or spiritual experience (“Like a Dove”). The last track, inspired by the resurrection (“Two Days After”), continues a theme established by one midway through the CD that is named after the uncorrupt planet, Malacandra, from C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy, so there may even be intellectual exercises here left for the listener (one more persistent than I).
Urban’s particular gifts as a worship leader are apparent as he adroitly moves the listener from one mood to the next, though perhaps contemplative themes predominate. He’s able to provide enough variety from the limited instrumentation (flute accompanied by piano) to sustain interest, though perhaps the practice of using a foundation of simple two- or three-chord progressions is overused. All movements, whatever the mood, sit on the peaceful side, perfect for the probable intent of this series to support personal meditation, but also good for long commutes where every inducement away from road rage is needed!
-- Mike Richter
William Urban
“Wellsprings #2: Joyful”
* * * 1/2
At the age of seventeen, inspired, I think, by the soundtrack to a laser show at the local Omnimax, I headed into D.C.’s Georgetown to see Pat Metheny. It was my very first club experience, and I was distracted by the novelty and protocol of this tiny place tucked under a thundering expanse of freeway. The expressive clarity and exuberance of Metheny’s music broke through it all and prompted a bit of a spree on my part all up and down his label.
I’m reminded of that show because several passages in “Joyful” cause me to sprint over to my collection to look up some Metheny or Keith Jarrett or Terje Rypdal album. They’ve long since departed in a now-forgotten iteration of downsizing, so I doubly appreciate remembering their simple-sounding aural beauty.
Seven fusion-laced meditations comprise the content of this CD, each with at least three movements, the longest track clocking in at perhaps ten minutes. Two or three of the tracks are built around familiar themes, like Greensleeves and the Ode to Joy, while others yield completely to improvisational expression inspired by Christian scripture (“Words of the Thunder”) or spiritual experience (“Like a Dove”). The last track, inspired by the resurrection (“Two Days After”), continues a theme established by one midway through the CD that is named after the uncorrupt planet, Malacandra, from C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy, so there may even be intellectual exercises here left for the listener (one more persistent than I).
Urban’s particular gifts as a worship leader are apparent as he adroitly moves the listener from one mood to the next, though perhaps contemplative themes predominate. He’s able to provide enough variety from the limited instrumentation (flute accompanied by piano) to sustain interest, though perhaps the practice of using a foundation of simple two- or three-chord progressions is overused. All movements, whatever the mood, sit on the peaceful side, perfect for the probable intent of this series to support personal meditation, but also good for long commutes where every inducement away from road rage is needed!
-- Mike Richter
posted by glauber | 18:16
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