Eyvind Kang: The Yelm Sessions
Our Price: $16.98
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $7.79 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more new music releases
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Music CD Cover
Performer: Eyvind KangPerformer: Wolfgang Heiler
Performer: Gretchen Yanover
Performer: Doug Wieselman
Performer: Hans Teuber
Composer: Eyvind Kang
Conductor: Aldo Sisillo
Conductor: Joshua Kohl
Performer: Scott Schaafsma
Performer: Don McGreevy
Performer: Shahzad Ismaily
Performer: Barbara Fasching
Performer: Taina Karr
Performer: Nikolaus Vogelhofer
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2007-11-20
Music Label: Tzadik
Free Music Notes for Eyvind Kang: The Yelm Sessions
Free Music Review: Not Kang's best, but still...
Hit: 5 Stars
When I first heard Eyvind Kang's Tzadik debut 7 NADEs I was absolutely blown away by the ideas this guy was coming up with - through this album as well as the following two, Theatre Of Mineral NADEs and The Story Of Iceland, he seemed to be distilling the history of various strands of classical, world, avant garde, and rock musics into a brand new beast. Obviously there are some familiar elements, but at the same time there is always something totally fresh and new about it.
Kang continued to amaze me with the more quiet and atmospheric Virginal Coordinates, and the darker, vocally-driven Athlantis. He was exploring similar territory but there was always a fresh approach, whether it was through the hypnotic minimalism of The Story Of Iceland or the "oratorio" vibe of Athlantis.
Enter the new Tzadik album, The Yelm Sessions. A great selection of pieces, which, judging from the liner notes, features a bit of a mish-mash of recording sessions and approaches. For example on the opening track 'The Clown's Song' Kang layers all violin, viola and cello parts himself, while 'Asa Tru' features the Orchestra Del Teatro Communale Di Bologna with violin soloist Kala Ramnath. Both of these tracks surprisingly create a similarly beautiful wash of strings.
As previously stated this is a great selection of pieces, and if I have one small criticism it's that it doesn't necessarily sound like an "album". It also seems that for the first time I can recall, Kang is noticeably repeating himself. 'Hawks Prairie' echoes parts of The Story Of Iceland, with its sporadic discordant horn stabs layered over an ominous drone. And 'Asa Tru' is quite reminiscent of 'Sweetness Of Candy' from that album, which also features violinist Kala Ramnath. There are also melodic fragments and other bits and pieces which hark back to Kang's earlier work.
In effect, it seems that Kang is kind of "treading water", and this album could almost be seen as something of a "best of". Though I don't think it would be a great introduction to his work - I would imagine anyone interested in this kind of music would be better served by hearing something more challenging like 7 NADEs or The Story Of Iceland first (or Virginal Coordinates for the more mellow listener).
I don't want to give too negative an impression here, this album is certainly full of beautiful music, and there are some highly original pieces here, including 'Enter The Garden', probably one of the most light and playful tunes Kang has done, driven by Jessika Kenney's exotic vocal line; and 'The Yelm Sessions', something of a prog-rock epic in under 3 minutes, featuring analog synths, layered horns and huge drum fills.
I'd probably give this album 4.5 actually, but feel I'd be doing it a disservice to round it down rather than up. Kang is still one of the most interesting musicians around, and even when he treads water the results are brilliant.
Classical Music CDs
Music Genres
Top music charts in Classical Music CDs
Air on a G StringRelease date: 2008-03-04; Music CD
Best price: $12.27
Price in other shops:
Celtic TreasureRelease date: 2007-03-13; Music CD
Best price: $11.34
Price in other shops:
Lullaby for My Favorite InsomniacRelease date: 2008-04-01; Music CD
Best price: $11.88
Price in other shops:
![Vivere Live in Tuscany [DVD/CD] Image](/images/Vivere-Live-in-Tuscany-DVD-CD-B0010YPTGU-X.jpg)
Vivere Live in Tuscany [DVD/ CD]UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP DISTRIBUTION; Release date: 2008-01-29; DVD
Best price: $15.99
Price in other shops:
Baby Einstein - Baby Mozart - Music Festivalby Disney
BABY EINSTEIN; Release date: 2002-03-12; Published: 2004; DVD
Best price: $9.98
Price in other shops:
Andrea Bocelli - The Best of Andrea Bocelli: VivereBOCELLI,ANDREA; Release date: 2007-10-30; Music CD
Best price: $5.98
Price in other shops:
Chris Botti - ItaliaRelease date: 2007-09-25; Music CD
Best price: $8.88
Price in other shops:
Gaetano Donizetti - La Fille du regiment / Dessay, Florez, Palmer, Corbelli, French, Campanella, Pelly (Royal Opera House 2007)Release date: 2008-04-15; DVD
Best price: $16.99
Price in other shops:
Paul Potts - One ChanceRelease date: 2007-09-18; Music CD
Best price: $9.34
Price in other shops:
Chant: Music For The SoulRelease date: 2008-07-01; Music CD
Best price: $12.07
Price in other shops:
Top Rated Albums
Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog - Party IntellectualsRelease date: 2008-06-24; Music CD
Best price: $10.97
Price in other shops:
Secret Chiefs 3 - Xaphan: The Book of Angels, Vol. 9Release date: 2008-04-15; Music CD
Best price: $10.63
Price in other shops:
LiveRelease date: 2007-11-20; DVD
Best price: $10.16
Price in other shops:
Bar Kokhba Sextet - Lucifer: The Book of Angels, Vol. 10Release date: 2008-03-18; Music CD
Best price: $10.52
Price in other shops:
Richard Crandell: Spring SteelRelease date: 2007-11-20; Music CD
Best price: $10.76
Price in other shops:
A Perfect PlaceRelease date: 2008-03-11; Music CD
Best price: $11.74
Price in other shops:
John Zorn - The DreamersRelease date: 2008-03-18; Music CD
Best price: $10.23
Price in other shops:
Film Works, Vol. 19: The Rain HorseRelease date: 2008-01-22; Music CD
Best price: $10.06
Price in other shops:
Virginal Co OrdinatesRelease date: 2004-05-04; Music CD
Best price: $11.50
Price in other shops:
AthlantisRelease date: 2007-07-10; Music CD
Best price: $12.06
Price in other shops: