Patrick O' Hearn - Rivers gonna Rise (24/96 Stereo Rip)

This is one of the two only albums I own from this nice bassist and keyboardist. There is a feeling of joy and freshness in every track of the album. The quality of the sounds is amazing and the variety of percussions is probably the biggest I've found.

The first track, `Homeward Bound', is a very groovy and happy tune, with nice electric guitar and synths. The perfect beginning for an optimistic album, with a very airy and dynamic feel. It's like a joyful travel home…

`The Stroll' is a very clever, quieter tune, with predominant synths and bass, and some strong percussion crashes. Sounds like a very urban song, one of those ones that make you feel you've got lost in an unknown district and you enjoy discovering new places.

`Glory for Tomorrow' is one of the best tunes, including the very personal style from the guest trumpet player Mark Isham. A very nice guitar riff gets followed by the rest of the instruments, and Isham's mute trumpet draws a very quiet melody, with some nice ascending scales. Then comes a big part where a normal trumpet and the synths scream a very simple but effective melody.

I've always loved those synthesiser chords at the beginning of `Acadia'. It's like the drawing of a deep landscape after which comes the very driving rhythm of the song. This is another very happy song, with nice sounds and a very nice and simple melody on the `chorus'.

`Forgiveness' is a very melancholic, slow and deep song with nice synthesisers again and a very heartfelt fretless bass melody. It's a short song but works in balancing the mostly dynamic and rhythmic feel of the album.

`April Fool' is a very fast song with full percussion and strange synthesiser sounds. The whole song is crazy because it's full of strangeness and unexpected sounds, like the `Ooooh's' that seem to come from a tribe somewhere in the world.

`Reunion' seems to be a continuation of Acadia because it starts with the same synthesiser sound but describing a melody that's happy and melancholic at the same time. This song is a very positive one, with all those curious synthesiser sounds, and a funny melody from the bass.

`A Brief Repose' is similar to `Forgiveness' but even more static and almost silent. Isham's trumpet describes a really meditative state and the quality of it is outstanding… a very remarkable song.

`Subtle Persuation' sounds darker than the rest of the songs, but is very interesting as well. The electric guitar from Alex Acuña unfolds a very elegant and captivating melody… and at the end sound the opening melody of `Homeward Bound'…

The last song, `Portobello Docks' describes a very sunny and shiny place and at a whole it's a great end for the overall happy feeling of the album. Peaceful and serene, just like a morning after a stormy night, adds as well a certain nostalgic feel…

This is surely the best choice for getting into the music of Patrick O'Hearn… listen to it and if you like nice instrumental music this will light your day.

Javier Navas - review in Amazon.com

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