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Reviews

Rain — Cerulean Blue
(no#, 0, CD)

by Jeff Melton, Published 2006-05-01

Cerulean Blue Cover art

Rain is the moniker taken by an anonymous British poet as another solo artist who has crafted a minor conceptual masterpiece mostly on his own. The project is staged with recited scenarios by Rick Brown as the character who effectively sets up the emotional quality of each well recorded piece on travels throughout the US. Vocally the composer reminds me of a curious blend of Bono and Roy Harper as his lines are mixed well balanced against the arrangements. “The Lammas Lands” implies a delivery along the lines of U2’s October era with sparse piano and the composer’s passionate lead vocal. A few notable guest stars make prominent contributions including saxophonist Iain Ballamy (ex-Earthworks) and Dale Newman (ex-Anthony Phillips). Ballamy’s overdubbed lines create a lush setting for the lonely mood of “Parsifal” where choir and church organ hold a firm foundation. “The Silver Apples of the Moon” hint of Pink Floyd’s The Wall with organ underpinning and dramatic theme development. At its best the recording compares favorably to works by Tears for Fears Roland Orzabal paired with IQ or Genesis overtones (as a few familiar chord phrases appear in the song structure). “Light and Magic” captures the essence of these influences the best without the concept weighing heavily on the musical execution. Overall it’s a risky tenet to create a cohesive theme with matching musical accompaniment but it’s an idea well worth dusting off and updating.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 33, 0 releases

Related artist(s): Rain

 

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