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review by Dene Bebbington I was surprised to learn that this self-released album is actually Wayne Kelling's first, because musically it is superb - in my opinion it exemplifies some of the best qualities that the new age genre has to offer. Also, the packaging is nicely presented with the liner notes having woodland scenes painted by Dorothy Buck (the musician's Aunt), and prose or poetry for each track. Over this modest length album of a little under forty minutes there are fifteen short tracks - the longest is less than five minutes long. Each track takes a musical look at an aspect of a forest; instrumentation is mainly sweeping synth string chords, some choral effects, piano, and acoustic guitar. The synths with their reverential undertones are the most pervasive sound on the album, and are somewhat orchestral in their delivery. A few of the tracks, particularly the four parts of "Faces in the Pond" are based around piano and invite comparison to Kevin Kern's The Winding Path. Warm and evocative synth chords begin the listeners musical journey into the woods on the track "At the Edge of the Forest". About halfway through the synths breath some majestic and sunny tones as though announcing the forest's glory that we now behold on the journey. In the next track "Dance of the Dewdrops" piano makes its first appearance, here the piano and gentle bell sounds pitter-patter across the soundscape like dewdrops falling. Sometimes the string effects conspire to form a subtle melody. The piece "Sunrise on North Face" evokes a spectacular scene as deep synth chords and high pitched but restrained choral effects play out in short bursts separated by a brief silence. The only thing letting the album down is that on a couple of tracks ("Morning Flowers" comes to mind) the stereo imaging is so extreme that one channel just has the synths and the other an acoustic guitar. On earphones this is rather distracting since it feels like one is trying to listen to two pieces of music at the same time. Plus, some tracks, notably the piano based pieces around the middle of the album, seem to suffer from background tape hiss. Minor criticisms aside, Observations in the Woods is an aurally picturesque, melodious, and serene album that I can highly recommend. It works especially well for lazy day listening when you may not physically be in the woods, thankfully this music will take you there in your mind. |
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