Search - Various Artists :: Waters of Yellowstone

Synthesizers?! Make them stop!

zlexandu | United States | 05/04/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The cover shows, I believe, Steamboat geyser erupting. The nature recordings, all of which are clear if repetitive, were done by Richard Hooper. This album has 2 tracks, both 30 minutes & BOTH containing MUSIC (I use the term LOOSELY). Below is a summary of songs (the times indicate the music's duration)& sounds.Track 1 starts with bubbling, spraying, and crickets.
1:27-6:37 Synthesizers, piano, & flute combine in a very cheesy, repetitive melody. Barf! The nature sounds stop during this piece (the worst "song" on the CD) except for the shrill crickets. Afterwards, the insects quit, & the spewing water resumes.8:17-9:53 A blast of wind starts this song-which contains drums, a tambourine, & synthesizers striving for an ethnic feel. Yuck! After the tune, there's vigorous spraying, & the boiling sounds deepen dramatically.12:58-15:58 More synthesizers & "tribal" drums are followed by churning sounds.18:23-24:01 Faint Indian singing, drums, & synthesizers are followed by a wolf howling. More bubbling, spraying, & splashing fill out the rest of Track 1.Track 2 is somewhat better musically, which is why I gave this thing 3 stars. It begins with disturbing splashes, as if someone is playing in the bathtub.
:41-3:57 Quiet drums & an Indian flute are played over cawing birds & splashing water. This is the only tune on the CD that actually sounds Native American, & it is pleasant. Afterwards, there is some light wind & almost violent (certainly comical) splashing.4:49-6:47 Drums & a tambourine only are heard over splashing water. Cawing birds, more violent splashing, & light wind follow.8:18-11:34 A quiet ticking, then a loud burst of percussion start this song, which includes an Indian flute & wordless singing. The singing is actually rather good & unobtrusive. Several different birdcalls (finally some variety) & gusts of wind follow.14:55-19:27 A drum, tambourine, & loud geese begin the tune-which contains synthesizers (Ach!), an Indian flute, shakers, strings. This plays like a pop song & is the catchiest piece on the CD. Nature sounds are virtually inaudible during the music (except for a hawk with very contrived timing). After the song come rain, wind, loud geese, running water, & some really ODD grunting animal.21:07-24:59 Drums & synthesizers (Puke!) make for a cartoonishly native sound. Little birds follow.25:25-30:00 This song, which goes to the end of the CD, contains a drum, piano, Indian flute, synthesizers (Why?) & a little more wordless singing in a clumsy composition. The crickets make a cameo appearance, but the howling wolves add the only bit of interest to this very disappointing conclusion."