NTTR - No Time to Review

This is a warm, elegant record with real chemistry between the two musicians, but it stays too close to the same emotional register for me. Rita Payés and Lucía Fumero sound completely natural together. The voices, piano and trombone never fight for space, and the arrangements are consistently tasteful. There is a real sense of intimacy throughout. “Meu lugar” is my favourite. It has the best balance between melody, atmosphere and emotional weight, and it stands out a little more clearly from the rest of the album. “Primavera” is another strong track because it has enough room to breathe, while the title track captures the duo format well and gives the record some of its strongest interplay. The main problem is that the album is too uniform. The mix of jazz, bossa, bolero and folk is pleasant, but too many tracks sit in the same soft, restrained mood. That makes the record easy to listen to, but also easier to forget. I appreciate the craft more than I feel pulled back toward individu...

Pete Roth Trio feat. Bill Bruford – Group Chat — 67/100 The interaction is the main strength. Pete Roth, Mike Pratt and Bill Bruford really do sound like three equal musicians reacting to each other rather than a guitarist with a rhythm section. That gives the album a lot of life, especially on the more open pieces. “Group Chat” is still my favourite. It has the best balance between structure and freedom, with enough dissonance and movement to keep the improvisation from becoming vague. “Looking Forward To Looking Back” is another strong track because it has more groove and a clearer shape than some of the rest. The Dvořák improvisation is interesting too, mainly because it changes the colour of the album and gives it a more chamber-like atmosphere. The problem is that I remember the playing more than the compositions . Several pieces are enjoyable while they are happening, but leave less behind afterward than I would want from a 70+ jazz album. Bruford is excellent, but that alone c...

The best part is obviously Juan Gabriel himself. He has huge personality, and he knows how to make familiar songs feel alive by stretching phrases, changing the pacing and using the audience and orchestra as part of the performance. “Hasta Que Te Conocí (Popurrí)” is still my favourite. It is the one track where the length really helps. The medley keeps changing shape, moving through different styles and moods, so it feels like a real journey rather than just an extended version of one song. “Amor Eterno” is the emotional highlight. It is much simpler, but that actually works in its favour because the song does not need much decoration. “Querida” is another obvious peak because the melody is so strong. The problem is the album as a whole. At more than an hour and a half, there is too much material that I admire more than I actively want to replay. The orchestral arrangements are often beautiful, but they can also make everything feel equally important and equally grand. That reduces t...

This is a strong The Ocean album, but I don't think the full record is as consistent as its best moments. The main thing that works is the scale. The long tracks actually feel ambitious rather than just long for the sake of it, and there is a real sense of movement between heaviness, atmosphere and the more electronic passages. The new vocal setup also gives the album more contrast than I expected. “Simulacra, Part III” is my favourite track. That is where the whole album clicks best for me. The tension, the build, the atmosphere and the final payoff all feel properly earned. It has the density and darkness I want from The Ocean, but also enough detail and progression to avoid becoming another generic post-metal crescendo. “Ultima Esperanza” is another highlight, and “Light Pollution” works very well too. The electronics are especially useful because they give the record another dimension instead of just adding background texture. The Tangerine Dream influence near the end is one ...

This is a very good live document, but I think 66 is much more realistic for me than the 72 I initially predicted. The biggest strength is still the fact that this actually sounds live. Orbital are not just replaying the studio versions with crowd noise around them. The tracks breathe more, the transitions matter, and there is a rougher edge to the whole thing that suits this period of electronic music very well. The middle of the set is where it works best. “Impact” , “Remind” and “Are We Here?” all gain something from the live setting. There is more movement, more tension, and a stronger physical feel than on record. “Are We Here?” is still my favourite track because it has the best balance between atmosphere and progression. It is long, but at least it feels like it is going somewhere. “Chime” is obviously a strong closer too. It is simple, direct and still works perfectly in a live context. But I don't think the set is equally strong from beginning to end. That is the main ...

This is impressive, but I think I admire it more than I love it. Sheila Chandra’s voice is obviously extraordinary. There are moments here where it feels like one person is creating an entire ensemble by herself, just through rhythm, resonance and phrasing. The “Speaking in Tongues” pieces are probably the clearest example of that, and hearing them live makes the technique even more impressive. What I like most, though, is when the technique disappears a little and the emotion takes over. “Lament of McCrimmon / Song of the Banshee” is probably my favourite because it has more atmosphere and more of a real journey. “Ever So Lonely / Eyes / Ocean” is more immediate, while “Nana / The Dreaming / Fine Horseman” is probably the piece where the voice-and-drone format feels most complete. I also like the fact that these performances were chosen for feeling rather than perfection. That gives the album a real live character, and it stops the whole thing from becoming a sterile vocal showcase. ...