Spectrum of the Sky
Wolfgang_A_M | New Jersey | 05/17/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Upon listening to the eagerly anticipated third CD release from Break of Reality, I find myself in familiar territory with this quartet's music. On first run through, I'm trying to determine in which direction the music is taking me. On my second listen, I think I'm beginning to understand where they are headed. And by the next time I run through these ten incredible tracks, all I can say is "take me along for the ride BoR - I get it"! Be prepared for a unique emotional journey with "Spectrum of the Sky".
No other group that I can recall in recent history has elicited such a broad range of emotions from their music. Is it the absence of a vocalist that allows your own mind to decipher what the music means to you? Is it the gut wrenching timbre of the cello, the weaving of so many different harmonies, or possibly the impact of the intense percussional variations? Break of Reality has really come into its own with this collection of songs. When you listen to "Spectrum" for the first time, one thing is perfectly clear - Break of Reality has a very serious and distinct purpose in mind from the first track, right to the very end. Coupled with stellar audio quality, the disc won't be leaving your rotation for a long, long time.
This CD has so many stand-out tracks that it's difficult to highlight just a few. The title cut "Spectrum of the Sky" is an immediate draw. A captivating introduction leads into a typically enticing BoR lick that will be running through your mind for days. But the song's sojourns into haunting percussion lines and rain-spattered cello harmonics has at least this listener traveling though Europe by train only to awaken to the sunny, yet tender "Comfortable Silence" where you will want to remain for a period of time far longer than this song permits. You will be transfixed by the percussional intensity of "The Accidental Death of Effie" and "Che" as well as the sonorous beauty of the cellos' harmonic travels into the far reaching corners of fear and anger, anticipation and joy, as you integrate "The Farewell" and "Vintage" into your internal musical biorhythm.
But it's the four movement composition "Anodynia" that shines the brightest and presages the significant potential of this young ensemble. A suite originally commissioned for Music and Dance, "Anodynia" melds cello and additional percussive instrumentation with such auditory precision that the listener is literally left breathless. The journey that Break of Reality has created for you will take you through pain and anguish, disembodiment and reflection, but will leave you fulfilled both musically and spiritually. The varied colors and textures of this music will enrich you in many ways, but most importantly this CD will allow you to dream. Spectrum of the Sky indeed.
"
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1
