The Sea And The Bells Views
Formed out of the ashes of Rodan, this loose collective thrives on the neo-classical compositional skills of pianist Rachel Grimes, bassist/organist Jason Noble, and violinist Christian Frederickson. Augmented by a rotating cast of cellists, trumpeters, and drummers, the trio concocts an emotive symphony that, though thoroughly modern, seems timeless. The songs on The Sea and the Bells flow together so seamlessly, it almost seems like one brilliant hour-long epic composition. Rhine e Courtesan opens the album with a dynamic, wistful melody that evokes the feeling of riding on ocean waves, then crashes to a startling halt, only to re-emerge with a claustrophobic eeriness that foretells impending doom. Other songs continue the nautical theme, from the haunting Night at Sea to the hallucinatory Letters Home. In an alternative scene where instrumental rockers are a dime a dozen, Rachel's stands out like diamonds on the ocean floor.
Like their other releases (Music For Egon Schiele, Handwriting), there is a definite theme to the entire album and this time around they've moved from the world of different artists to sea travel. As a whole, it's probably a little more experimental and fractured than their first two releases, but it works really well as a concept album and a cohesive piece of work. Many times on the album, the music simply drifts off into ambience, while other sounds like the rocking of a boat and the creak of wood make their way into the mix. Instead of being a distraction, however, it simply adds to the atmosphere of the recording.
The Sea And The Bells Images
