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review by Bill Binkelman Despite the cover photo (I assume it's the artist jubilantly running along a beach), the music on Laura Sullivan's eponymous CD of solo piano music is more somber and reflective than many piano recordings I receive for review. This is not a bad thing in the least. In fact, I think the piano is ideally suited (as an instrument) for painting melancholic musical portraits, and Ms. Sullivan sure can do just that, although, melancholic may be too severe a word to use for some of the lighter pieces here. Perhaps a better choice would be to label her songs as "introspective journeys." While there are some uptempo numbers (such as the opener, "hope for the sun") many of the tracks on the album are soundtracks for late autumn walks down deserted streets or while strolling through a cathedral of barren trees. "dreaming underwater" is delicate, Sullivan showing a solid command of changing time signatures as she moves from quick to relaxed tempos throughout the song, yet avoiding any trace of confusion or "chaos" in the song. I liked "selling water by the river" a lot - it has a rolling sense of sparkling quality to it, even as the overall mood of the cut is pensive (nice use of minor key notes to counterbalance the song's brightness). The dramatic centerpoint of the album is undoubtedly the almost funereal song, "sleepwalking (on a tightrope)," a slow and deliberate excursion into minor key sparseness of notes and chords. It's a deeply evocative piece. The placement of Debussy's "Claire de Lune" (immediately proceeding "sleepwalking") can be interpreted as either jarring or soothing and Sullivan offers a fine, if not particular challenging, reading of the classical piano standard. "calls to spirit," the next song, is far and away the "happiest" track on the CD. The opening salvo offers a burst of joy and cheer and the majority of what follows is a fast tempo display of Sullivan's adroit technique, as well an indicator of her passionate playing (some of those keys take a real pounding). Other tracks include another sorrowful one (aptly titled "brave mourning"), the lovely and flowing "of land and sea, of mortal and divine," and the last two songs which are perfect closing numbers: "the voyage home," (a subdued and "wintry" feeling piece) and "in last hours," the bleakest and most intimate song here on which Sullivan explores subtle dissonance and minimalism while still retaining her natural warmth and accessibility. Laura Sullivan's self-titled CD ranks among the better solo piano recordings I've heard recently. I especially like the sadder pieces but the entire album (even "Claire de Lune") is well-performed and proficiently recorded. All in all, it's a solid debut from a promising talent, showcasing not just her technical abilities, but also her willingness to compose pieces that are rich with emotion while taking some risky steps away from the standard "new age piano" formula. Recommended. |
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