 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
"The Back of Beyond" is Frank's first solo album since 1998! In the meantime he's released a collaboration with the French naive duo Klimperei & an album with Scavenger Quartet. Both groups make appearances on this album, along with the usual suspects, expert Pahlologists such as Marko Novachcoff, Terri Sarris & Bobbi Benson. The Back of Beyond is more focused than In Cahoots (1996) or Remove the Cork (1998) as it sticks to the instrumental format & Pahl has refined his art. His music mostly consists of precious little melodies performed on an assortment of toy & unusual instruments: ukes, euphonium, harmonium, zither, melodica and an array of self-built automated devices. Each of these short pieces feels like a bonsai. Under its apparent fragility lies a world of small details and precise gestures. Yes there is something Japanese in the refinement of this music, despite or even because of the cling-clang of its misfit toys. The sound world of Pascal Comelade once more comes to mind, although Pahl's music is also rooted in Americana. Epilogue has a country folk buried deeply in its core. And what about his interpretation of an old tune from the Little Rascals television series (Good Old Days)? Only Pahl could dig that up and make it sound timeless. In recent years the humorous singer-songwriter of Only a Mother has turned into a composer of finesse for unlikely orchestras. You can prefer one over the other, but you can't deny the irresistable charm of The Back of Beyond. - Francois Couture, All Music Guide Check out the artist's website: http://www.frankpahl.com Track List: 1. prologue 2. watergirl 3. tenor 4. good old days 5. blues for harmonium 6. scavenger dessert 7. ode to a $2, 3-stringed uke 8. double doorbell quartet 9. typhoid clown 10. pimm's 11. surface noise 12. homage to rotisseries 13. warped #16 14. binary plonsey 15. dirge #20 16. swollen air 17. ode to a tiple 18. mikey can't sleep 19. one man band 20. trio of the vanishing gods on their cloud 21. ode to a celestaphone 22. string quartet #1 23. epilogue Other Genres:
|