Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not half bad, 7 Oct 2000
By A Customer
Songs From Liquid Days has never rated, to this listener at least, as one of Glass's finer works; it's from that period when he seemed rather to lose his way, after the purer minimalism had worked itself out and before the more deeply colourful works of recent years had emerged. Nowadays Glass can marry strong rhythmic undercurrents with lush harmony and grand orchestral or choral flourishes. But then... Let's just say that, if not actually mediocre, Songs From Liquid Days is at best fair to middling.That said, it's worth another visit in this recording, which features a revised orchestration and the driving energy of the (on this evidence) skilful and versatile Crouch End Festival Chorus, who make a fine job of the material. Some of the Songs emerge simply as different in tone from - and for that alone interesting in comparison with - the original Glass recording. Some are definitely better. The finale is something truly majestic. The disc also features a rendition of Vessels from Koyaanisqatsi (somewhat weaker than the original, missing some lower registers) and, maybe the primary selling-point for Glass aficionados, a recording of Three Songs for Chorus a Capella. These supply the most intriguing and enjoyable moments on the disc. Just as well they come first!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Minimalist music given a fresh texture by choral performance, 15 Jan 2002
Philip Glass is a taste I have very gradually acquired. Having heard this distinctive music first incidentally featured in radio and television programmes, it has gradually seeped into my musical consciousness. The more I hear, the more skilful I realise it is, and this surprising CD has further enhanced my appreciation of it. I wouldn't have heard it had I not attended a Barbican concert on 12 January 2002, where this choir performed Glass's invigorating Itaipu; that led me to this CD. I find I have had to give time to Glass. The slowly changing harmonics under what at first hearing appears purely repetitive melody is curiously seductive and restful. It is not, I imaging, easy to perform; the Crouch End Festival Chorus is, like almost all large choruses, amateur, in that they are not paid. But the standards are most certainly professional, from the evidence of this (and the concert). And the recording is 'as live', which adds undoubted energy. Give it a try.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
astonishingly affecting, 4 Feb 2002
I have to say that I'd never heard the original recording of this song cycle, but the presence of lyrics by David Byrne, Suzanne Vega, Laurie Anderson and Paul Simon persuaded me that this updated version might well be worth a listen. As it turned out, I was utterly spellbound. These may not be Glass' most complex creations, but the combination of words and music and the CEFC's evident live performance energy have made this one of my most treasured CDs. One small confession to make is that I do have a completely alternative set of lyrics to 'Lightning' due to the amount of reverb in the venue in which the piece was recorded, but this doesn't detract from my enjoyment! If anything, it adds a neat little twist. I'm sure it wasn't intentional though... :) Oh, and the soloists Wills Morgan & Najma Akhtar are both superb. The other pieces are a moderately rewarding listen (though Vessels is the least successful thing here) but it really is worth buying for ...Liquid Days alone. Go on, immerse yourself.
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~ Philip Glass
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