Search - Chip Davis :: Ambience: Bird Song

More like 2 1/2 stars

David W Troska | NYC | 08/09/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"First the good news...
The recording quality of the natural sounds is superb. Even on a plain old CD (haven't tried the DVD yet), there is incredible depth and realism, convincingly creating a mood of being in the forest on a Spring day. So, if you're an audiophile, it's well worth a listen. For fans of Chip Davis' Fresh Aire series, my recommendation isn't quite as enthusiastic. Overall, the tone and feel of the music here is comparable with some of the early Fresh Aire stuff (track #6 could very easily have fit on Fresh Aire 3 as an interlude.) But I have to wonder if Chip's music skills are deteriorating with age. Okay, that sounds cruel, but keep in mind that Chip Davis is the man who once wowed many of us with his beautiful rendition of Silent Night, and his orchestral works like "Come Home To The Sea," and "Earthrise." He also had great success with such memorable pieces for smaller ensembles like, "Mere Image," "Dancing Flames" and "Going To Another Place." But nothing on this album even hints at the greatness of those pieces. He kind of makes an excuse for himself by stating on the album cover that "This album is intended for passive listening." In other words, "don't pay too close attention, or you'll realize that I wrote this in about ten minutes."For passive listening, it's still a mixed bag. Chip does not employ even one "real" instrument on this entire recording. It's all computerized. That would be fine if the sounds were very rich (think Richard Burmer), but Chip chose some particularly feeble instrument patches. Even the piano is painfully fake, it sounds like an old Casio keyboard!WHY?I wish I could give this a better review. I've always enjoyed Chip Davis' music, and I always look forward to what ever new albums he releases. If you're a longtime fan of Chip Davis, pick this album up and complete your collection, but don't hold any grand expectations. If you've never heard of Chip Davis or Mannheim Steamroller, do yourself a favor and buy one of the Fresh Aire albums first. So why even 3 stars? Well, because I can't give 2 1/2, and also because as purely background sound (I hesitate to say "music"), it can be quite pleasant. I just know it could have been better."

I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane...and Giving this Only 2 Stars

Deanna Weber Prine | Pennsylvania | 07/15/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this from a store because of the Chip Davis name and my desire for a soothing background CD. I put it in and hit the replay button for continuous loop play. Initially, I thought that the jet airplane noise recorded with the birdsong was just an unusual plane flying overhead, but realized with the third loop that it was on the CD itself. You'd think that when Mr. Davis reviewed the ambience soundtrack prior to releasing it, that he would have noted this. It feels sloppy, somehow, as if someone left machines to record in a bird-filled wooded area and then just transferred the recording to CD without checking the quality. Instead of the soothing ambience I was hoping for, I find myself waiting for that bloody jet airplane noise. Just ruins the effect for me.



See the "More Like 2 1/2 Stars" review below as well..."

Wailing synth!

Dr. P. M. Emerson | Atlanta, GA USA | 04/29/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"My iTunes classifies this CD as 'New Age'. Rightly so. In addition to the pleasant sounds of nature that I thought I was buying, there has been an attempt to overlap musical notes generated by a synthesizer. I don't really care for it. If you are looking at a 'sounds of nature - birdsong' CD this is not it. If you are fond of the New Age wailing synthesizer, go ahead."