Home
On the Leopard Altar
On the Leopard Altar in Bloomington, MN
Current price: $18.99
Loading Inventory...
Size: OS
On the Leopard Altar
is an interesting recording that finds the composer perched midway between his earlier, energetically
minimalist
style and the increasingly
new age-y
tendencies of his later work. The sprightly
"Is It Love"
that opens the album, while immediately reminiscent of
Philip Glass
circa
Einstein on the Beach
, has its own quirky charms. The chorus is never very many steps away from a blatant
pop
sound but, when set over the percolating electric keyboards, an oddly off-kilter sound world is established that the listener cannot help but enjoy.
"Lascaux"
(which was later released on disc as part of
Missa Umbrarum
on
New Albion
) is a very successful foray into one of
Lentz
' central preoccupations: the range of potential sounds to be generated by rubbed or struck wine glasses. The wonderfully dense harmonics achieved here stand perfectly well on their own without the need for any superfluous embellishment. The title track is a very lovely song, softly cooed by
Jessica Lowe
with a text using varied phonemes over a correspondingly varied keyboard line. It comes this close to being overly precious but manages to stay on the "right" side of that line.
"Wolf Is Deadâ?¦"
returns listeners to a
Glass-ian
minimalism
which, while having a superficial attractiveness, has come to sound rote and not particularly inspired. Additionally, a sense of queasiness may occur if the listener opts to follow the rather insipid lyrics.
closes with a gentle
lullaby
,
"Requiem,"
guaranteed not to offend. Though still worth hearing, it appeared that
' best work was already, unfortunately, behind him at the time of this recording. ~ Brian Olewnick
is an interesting recording that finds the composer perched midway between his earlier, energetically
minimalist
style and the increasingly
new age-y
tendencies of his later work. The sprightly
"Is It Love"
that opens the album, while immediately reminiscent of
Philip Glass
circa
Einstein on the Beach
, has its own quirky charms. The chorus is never very many steps away from a blatant
pop
sound but, when set over the percolating electric keyboards, an oddly off-kilter sound world is established that the listener cannot help but enjoy.
"Lascaux"
(which was later released on disc as part of
Missa Umbrarum
on
New Albion
) is a very successful foray into one of
Lentz
' central preoccupations: the range of potential sounds to be generated by rubbed or struck wine glasses. The wonderfully dense harmonics achieved here stand perfectly well on their own without the need for any superfluous embellishment. The title track is a very lovely song, softly cooed by
Jessica Lowe
with a text using varied phonemes over a correspondingly varied keyboard line. It comes this close to being overly precious but manages to stay on the "right" side of that line.
"Wolf Is Deadâ?¦"
returns listeners to a
Glass-ian
minimalism
which, while having a superficial attractiveness, has come to sound rote and not particularly inspired. Additionally, a sense of queasiness may occur if the listener opts to follow the rather insipid lyrics.
closes with a gentle
lullaby
,
"Requiem,"
guaranteed not to offend. Though still worth hearing, it appeared that
' best work was already, unfortunately, behind him at the time of this recording. ~ Brian Olewnick
Shop Similar Products
