Sing Me a Love Song, Dear
Now I know I'm no reviewer for music, but I do feel my favorite artists need to be promoted somehow, even a little bit.
I received Vienna Teng's new album. And by Vienna Teng, I really mean she and her band. This new album is *AMAZING*. If you haven't heard Vienna Teng's previous stuff (Waking Hour, Warm Strangers, Dreaming Through the Noise) then you're missing out on good folk-y piano music. This new sound is... well it's new. You know how Metallica had to try and reinvent their sound for new generations of rock music listeners and ended up alienating previous fans each time? Vienna Teng's band doesn't seem to go through that odd alienation. If you had listened to her prior albums, you'd hear each one of those experiences within these songs. The softer, dreamier songs are from Dreaming Through the Noise--a jazzier, more personal album. The upbeat songs are very reminiscent of Warm Strangers, where story-telling poetry was key, in addition to infectious melodies that was likened to biting into a fresh, sweet ripe orange. Every here and there is a hint of hauntingness in her music, too, and I think Waking Hour sort of shines in there, but also the tranquility-inducing piano and soft vocals seem to really point in that direction.
Basically Inland Territory is a great big amalgamation of Vienna and her band's past experiences and memories. With songs that deal with friendship/companionship, true love, loss, family, growing up, and what I interpret as the atomic bombing, this album has an amazing variety of stories and poetry. It's like looking at the band's life itself when reading the lyrics, but listening to the music is like living those same lives. It's everything I could have asked for in music. It was worth the $20 pre-order I had from early March.
Upon first listening of the first track, I was a little worried. I expected another Dreaming Through the Noise, which first had to grow on me for me to really appreciate. I'm not very into the poetic jazzy sound that album provided, but eventually really grew to love it as much as the other two albums. But I listened to the lyrics and read them in the book, and knew I was in for something other than a couple listen-throughs. As the cd played on, I liked each track more and more and more. The sound is so different. There's a more prominent emphasis on percussion instruments and woodwinds and backup vocals--thus causing me to indicate it's Vienna and her *band*. There's even one that's solely a capella, with clapping and violin (or something) and some sort of bongo as the only other noises in the song. This song in particular has a more traditional gospel kind of sound to it. It's highly unusual for Vienna, but as different as it is, she doesn't seem to have a problem venturing into that territory. She sounds great!
Here's the first song off Inland Territory, because I believe it's kinda pretty.
"The Last Snowfall" by Vienna Teng
if this were the last snowfall
no more haloes on evergreens
if this were my last glimpse of winter
what would these eyes see
if this were the last slow curling
of your fingers in my palm
if this were the last I felt you breathing
how would I carry on
this is not the last snowfall
not our last embrace
but if I were that kind of grateful
what would I try to say
I received Vienna Teng's new album. And by Vienna Teng, I really mean she and her band. This new album is *AMAZING*. If you haven't heard Vienna Teng's previous stuff (Waking Hour, Warm Strangers, Dreaming Through the Noise) then you're missing out on good folk-y piano music. This new sound is... well it's new. You know how Metallica had to try and reinvent their sound for new generations of rock music listeners and ended up alienating previous fans each time? Vienna Teng's band doesn't seem to go through that odd alienation. If you had listened to her prior albums, you'd hear each one of those experiences within these songs. The softer, dreamier songs are from Dreaming Through the Noise--a jazzier, more personal album. The upbeat songs are very reminiscent of Warm Strangers, where story-telling poetry was key, in addition to infectious melodies that was likened to biting into a fresh, sweet ripe orange. Every here and there is a hint of hauntingness in her music, too, and I think Waking Hour sort of shines in there, but also the tranquility-inducing piano and soft vocals seem to really point in that direction.
Basically Inland Territory is a great big amalgamation of Vienna and her band's past experiences and memories. With songs that deal with friendship/companionship, true love, loss, family, growing up, and what I interpret as the atomic bombing, this album has an amazing variety of stories and poetry. It's like looking at the band's life itself when reading the lyrics, but listening to the music is like living those same lives. It's everything I could have asked for in music. It was worth the $20 pre-order I had from early March.
Upon first listening of the first track, I was a little worried. I expected another Dreaming Through the Noise, which first had to grow on me for me to really appreciate. I'm not very into the poetic jazzy sound that album provided, but eventually really grew to love it as much as the other two albums. But I listened to the lyrics and read them in the book, and knew I was in for something other than a couple listen-throughs. As the cd played on, I liked each track more and more and more. The sound is so different. There's a more prominent emphasis on percussion instruments and woodwinds and backup vocals--thus causing me to indicate it's Vienna and her *band*. There's even one that's solely a capella, with clapping and violin (or something) and some sort of bongo as the only other noises in the song. This song in particular has a more traditional gospel kind of sound to it. It's highly unusual for Vienna, but as different as it is, she doesn't seem to have a problem venturing into that territory. She sounds great!
Here's the first song off Inland Territory, because I believe it's kinda pretty.
"The Last Snowfall" by Vienna Teng
if this were the last snowfall
no more haloes on evergreens
if this were my last glimpse of winter
what would these eyes see
if this were the last slow curling
of your fingers in my palm
if this were the last I felt you breathing
how would I carry on
this is not the last snowfall
not our last embrace
but if I were that kind of grateful
what would I try to say