CD REVIEW
3.5 stars
THE predominant feature of _motion‘s debut album is beauty, whether in the poetry of Andrew Brooks‘s saxophones, bell-like peals from Berish Bilander‘s piano, the delicacy of Hugh Harvey‘s cymbals or luminosity of guest Gian Slater‘s wordless vocals.
Lyrical reedman Graeme Lyall was teaching in WA when Brooks, Bilander and bassist Nick Abbey were students there and it’s easy to imagine his presence on this outing.
But on eight originals by Brooks and Bilander, expressive ballads such as Here, Now and Missing are augmented by passages of quiet strength and slow-built tension (Circle), unexpected turns (Pendulum) and robust, piano-driven rhythm (Presence).
_motion delivers emotion, subtlety and strength.
File between: The Necks, Graeme Lyall
Download: Missing, Circle
ROGER MITCHELL
Review published in Sunday Herald Sun liftout Play on August 8, 2010.
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