CHRIS SNIDOW

Daughter of God: Joan of Arc

Cowrind (2004)

review by Bill Binkelman

Keyboard player Chris Snidow musically transcribes the life of Joan of Arc, one of the most celebrated figures in history, on his latest release, Daughter of God: Joan of Arc. While there is no mistaking that this is a concept album of sorts, don't come here expecting music from the historical period during which Joan of Arc lived. Instead, you will be treated to a wide assortment of rhythmic and melodic keyboard and percussion pieces, varying in mood and tempo, but all of them seated comfortably under the wide umbrella term "new age music" (or adult contemporary, if you prefer). At times, the music can contain more overt electronic music elements, but the overall dominance of melodic refrains and defined structure (refrains and bridges) to the compositions, as well as their undeniable accessibility, is why I would certainly not classify this as ambient or EM.

While I certainly enjoyed this album, I do have to issue a caveat to readers. Starting with the first cut, every odd-numbered track is actually a spoken word (with sound effects and backing music) introduction to the song itself. The voice (in almost every case) belongs to Chris' wife, Catherine Henon, who speaks in French (the words are quotes by Joan of Arc, of course). As a result, there are two ways you can listen to this album. You can program out the odd-numbered tracks, leaving just the very good music, or you can play it "as is." Since the spoken word intros are usually brief (one minute more or less), I suggest you at least try it as it was intended. In the latter case, the CD works very well, unwinding (as it should) with the pace of a story being told. I happen to think French is among the most beautiful of all languages to hear spoken and Catherine Henon does have a delightful accent.

The music is a further refinement of Snidow's most recent effort, the excellent and overlooked Number Our Days. Snidow is one of those artists who, album after album, hones his skills to a finer degree every time. Here, he takes the level of musicianship, composition, and engineering to a still higher level than before, blending his keyboards (whether overtly electronic or orchestral instrumentation in nature) to yield rich sonic tapestries of strong emotional resonance (and some catchy melodies too). There is no need to "tune in" to the life of Joan of Arc if one doesn't want to (although the copious liner notes make for a fascinating read if you are unfamiliar with the Maid of Orleans, including an essay on her life by no less an author than Mark Twain). Just the same, this is a CD that can also be savored and appreciated simply for the music (by the way, Snidow is occasionally assisted by another keyboardist, Clark Rice, on several songs as well as Rice co-authoring some pieces).

From the harp arpeggios, lush strings, and percussion of the opening "With You," to the dramatic neo-classical romanticism of "Voices in the Light," to the overt new age stylings of "The Court of Chinon" (twinkling bell tones and wood flute samples) to the thumping beats and powerful keyboards of "Orleans," then moving into later tracks such as "Conduit" which carries an air of subtle majesty in its lower and upper register strings and "Floater" which weds percolating synth-organic percussion, fluid bass lines, and spacy washes of keyboards, Snidow has obviously poured his heart and soul into every minute of Daughter of God. It shows. Production is near meticulous and the recording is both ambitious and accomplished. While I won't judge the religious aspect of the album (I believe it is too personal a matter for a critic to intrude on), I do admire Chris Snidow's obvious devotion to his faith and his desire to paint this musical portrait of France's patron saint. Purely as a piece of music, I can certainly recommend it to those who enjoy well-done electronic keyboard music that is structured (as opposed to ambient in nature), accessible, dramatic, and conveys a variety of moods. If you are a devout Catholic, I would imagine the rewards of the CD are intensified appropriately.