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Trey Gunn

The Waters, They Are Rising

Review by Gary Hill

This mostly instrumental set is not necessarily the kind of thing that’s well suited to a track by track review. It’s probably not really all that great in terms of active, intense listening. There just isn’t enough change or variety here for that. The thing is, when you’ve got Trey Gunn, you know it’s going to be good. This clearly is. It tends to be more the kind of thing you want to put on and let it soak into your being.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2015  Volume 3 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
Not Dark Yet

The music here is atmospheric and moody at the start. There are vocals that have a real roots folk kind of sound. The music gets more intense later, but remains quite mellow.

Flood I - live in Montreal (March 7, 2014)
Slow in tempo and evolution, this has an almost classical element to it. It’s ethereal and powerful. Yet, it does that with a very subdued approach.
Three Days

Here we get a much more melodic piece. It’s rather random in some ways. There is almost a psychedelic minimalism at play here. There are sound bite voice samples heard at various points.

The Seven Who Were Saved
There is a bit more energy to this. It’s also less random. I like the percussive elements on the piece.
Flood IV - live in Huntington NY (March 14, 2014)
Although there are no big changes here, this piece works even better than some of the rest. It definitely has some faster paced instrumental moments that call to mind King Crimson.
The Beautiful Umbrella
I like the slow moving waves of sound we get on this piece.
Flood II - live in Quebec City (March 8, 2014)
Another that definitely calls to mind Gunn’s King Crimson work in some of the soloing, this is quite a pretty number. It’s one of the more dramatic pieces here, too.
Odra
Waves of textural sound are key here. While this doesn’t vary much from a lot of the rest, it’s also unique in sound.
The Final Wave

Much more percussive in nature, there is almost a tribal element to this piece. It also gets a bit louder than some of the rest. It has a tendency towards noisy at times, even. Still, it’s rather slow moving and freeform.

Flood III - live in Boston MA (March 10, 2014)
Although the changes here are subtle, they are definite. This is another that definitely reflects that textural side of King Crimson music.
The First Return
This is prettier in some ways than some of the rest. It’s another that features the vocal work of Dylan Nichole Bandy. This time her vocals are more ethereal and non-lyrical.
 
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