John Metcalfe, Absence Review
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John Metcalfe is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, producer and arranger from New Zealand. Metaclfe is known for his creative collaborations with a huge range of artists from pop, electronica and classical to his work in radio/television. His collaborations include the likes of U2, Coldplay, Peter Gabriel and Blur. He also tours and records with his own band and as a violist with the renown classical Duke String Quartet. He was a member of the cult band Durutti Column and alongside Tony Wilson launched the pioneering Factory Classical on Manchester’s legendary Factory label. He also performs and records with the Max Richter Ensemble. His outstanding musicality and passion for creative sounds has made Metcalfe is one of the most sought-after musicians in the business.
Metcalfe released his fifth studio album titled, Absence on the Neue Meister label. For the new album and upcoming live shows Metcalfe has assembled an incredible line-up of musicians from the worlds of post-classical, electronica and pop: the crisp, jazz-influenced beats from Daisy Palmer (Paloma Faith, Rae Morris) offer a deeply felt groove and lyricism from Red Snapper’s bassist Ali Friend and the exquisite voice of Rosie Doonan (Peter Gabriel, Birdy). The album contains ten compositions that are explorations into the process of separation, which can be interpreted as a set of stages and conversations, real and imagined, through which two people might travel when one of them is dying. Although mainly set in the present the music also addresses the past and life beyond loss. Absence is a profound exploration of a subject that affects everyone of us. However, Metcalfe explores the subject with a message that is about love, hope and the ways we carry loved ones with us throughout our entire lives.
Positives:
Metcalfe is a wonderful creator of emotions within his compositions. Through ostinatos and gorgeous orchestration, the listener is transported through the music. into a sphere of emotions.
Bottom Line:
Metcalfe deals with a subject that is a part of life. His compositions offer unique instrumentation graces on every track - a first for Metcalfe to include vocals throughout an album. The male and female voice of the opening track, “So Clear” is beautiful. With a sustained chordal pattern of strings, the music evolves over time, creating an atmospheric collage of musical colors that swell in and out of existence. Doonan’s heart-rendering voice is throughout the album. “Feel The Land” has a rhythmic ostinato that provides the backdrop for Metcalfe’s outstanding contrapuntal writing for the multiple vocal melodies. The instrument layers continue to layer in, as the counterpoint grows, the composition never loses focus or the clarity of each individual melody. “See Me Through” is a beautiful tapestry of acoustic and electronic instruments and vocals that create bubbling rhythmic motifs that Metcalfe develops over the course of the tune. The vocal harmony is rich, as is the strings. Metcalfe gives the music shape and clear phrases, with each one building energy and developing the motifs. Absence is a beautiful collection of compositions that will appeal to a wide range of audiences. That's the short of it!