Music |
Time Without Consequence
Alexi Murdoch
By
Published: Jan 01, 2006
Category:
Rock
Can you hear that crinkling sound?
That’s me, shredding through cumbersome cellophane wrap.
And that other sound?
That is my car’s stereo swallowing my new CD.
What do you hear now?
The delicate, precise finger picking of an acoustic guitar, the drone of a viola slowly gaining momentum, a deep, English-accented voice — the sound of Alexi Murdoch. Better yet, the sound of a new Alexi Murdoch CD.
I’m not leaving this car for a solid hour.
Murdoch fans know what I’m talking about. You know how we’ve waited for two years, scouring the Web for information about this man from across the pond’s first full-length album — an hour’s worth of songs to add to our morning jog soundtrack, or our ‘missing you’ mix tape or maybe our nighttime dream music. The only people who haven’t anticipated this are the people who haven’t heard of Alexi Murdoch. Sadly, that’s a lot of you.
So let’s start at the top: Alexi Murdoch occupies an exclusive niche in today’s singer/songwriter scene. Much as Nick Drake sat in Bob Dylan’s enormous musical shadow 30 years ago, Alexi’s in the shadow of John Mayer and David Gray.
Like Mayer and Gray, Murdoch’s music is built on acoustic guitar, but his sound is more folk. And country. And alternative. Some Middle Eastern, too. Heck, he sounds like everything familiar and, at the same time, like nothing you’ve heard before. You can’t categorize this brand of music, especially once you hear his best instrument, his voice.
The combination is arresting — Murdoch ‘s soothing voice and gentle finger picking are mind-and-mood altering. His songs don’t just ease your worries when you’re late for work; they make you wonder, "Why work at all?"
But back to the new CD, "How does it stack up?" you naturally ask. How was that hour in my car? Well, like many new love affairs — it started out promising, veered toward disappointment, then found redemption.
You see, Murdoch ‘s first CD, Four Songs, is a modern day acoustic
guitar-and-songwriting masterpiece. The CD captures you immediately and by the closing track, ‘Orange Sky,’ Murdoch has set a new standard, bringing you to the peak of serenity, stopping time, and leaving you wanting more.
When I tossed ‘Time Without Consequence’ into my CD player, I hoped to pick up where ‘Orange Sky’ let off. I wanted more of the same brilliance of ‘Four Songs.’ Didn’t I deserve it after my two-year wait? And it definitely started on a good note. The first track, ‘All of My Days,’ is breezy and sweet, with a melody that would be a good companion on a winding road car ride. But many of the next 10 songs just couldn’t grab hold of me.
With this album, Murdoch appears to be going in new directions, and I’m not sure how eager I am to follow. His songs are a bit darker, heavier in tone. He furthers his own unique style by infusing a World music feel to it, focusing his sound with more Middle Eastern tones. I was accustomed to a lighter Murdoch, with lyrics that pushed me to recline my car seat a little farther and ease up on the gas. Now I was being treated to a deep poet, whose songs made me feel a bit wary and defensive.
I was also unnerved to note that Murdoch re-recorded, with different tempos, three of his songs from the initial EP on this album. To purists like myself, this action is comparable to tracing the Mona Lisa. You just can’t tinker with perfection. Trying to do so always leaves you feeling as if you’ve just sampled the low calorie version of your favorite dessert.
And yet ‘Time Without Consequence’ never suffers from a bad song. Although remarkably different in style, it is still music that is far superior to most singer/songwriting CDs. For lovers of ‘Four Songs,’ the first full-length CD from Alexi Murdoch automatically invites a comparison. For new listeners, ‘Time Without Consequence’ will be like a great first love. Either way, we’re blessed.
— by Marc Cutillo, Guest Butler. Marc works as a graphic designer for Sirius Advertising in Avon, New Jersey. He spends his free time playing guitar, anticipating new music releases on Tuesday, and teaching art.
To buy ‘Time Without Consequence’ from Amazon.com, click here.
To buy ‘Four Songs’ from Amazon, click here.
