MP3 Raymond Scott Woolson - Accidental Grace Notes

Ethereal, atmospherical guitar instrumentals somewhere in the shoegaze / dreampop universe.

8 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Instrumental Rock, ROCK: Progressive Rock



Details:
....Iâve followed Raymond Scott Woolson now for some time. Iâve been absorbed by his passionate and soothing post-rock instrumental orchestrations, composed entirely by guitar and percussion. Iâve also been a little frustrated for Woolson, too, because, even though he clearly creates music for the love of it, he labours in complete obscurity (or so it seems). From his almost self-depreciating website, to his willingness to openly express the hardships of being an uber-indie artist, and when viewed in light of his often gorgeous music, one can almost taste the sense of dissatisfaction that Woolson possesses about the press his music receives. Nevertheless, at the end of the day, Woolson vents his feelings by sitting down and creating flowing atmospheric songs that whisk the listener away to blissful echelons.

On his latest release, the 8 song Accidental Grace Notes, Woolson corrals his favourite tracks from his three previous full-lengths, Atmospherium, Legendarium, and The View From Boggins Heights, remixes them, and presents them as a collection of songs tied together by found samples, new guitar parts, and a keen ear for detail. Accidental Grace Notes portrays an artist refining his craft, and the instrumental songs flow gracefully into each other tied together by Woolsonâs excellent production. What results is a highly cohesive listen (despite the varying sources of tracks) that will serve as a great introduction to this overlooked artist.

To call Woolsonâs music âambientâ is not quite correct. While the music found on Accidental Grace Notes is constructed entirely of guitar (and often echoed and delayed guitar sounds) and various drum machines and percussion, Woolsonâs songs all have a definite structure to them. In the past, Iâve likened Woolsonâs work to Hammockâs songs, or perhaps a mellowed out Explosions In The Sky, and these comparisons fit for Accidental Grace Notes as Woolson creates songs that are moody and atmospheric, but still retain a strong sense of structure and melody. For instance, âJubilate Deoâ (originally off of Atmospherium) starts off Accidental Grace Notes with a driving bassline that propels a melody played by spacey guitars. On this song, Woolson is able to combine those atmospheric elements of echoing layered guitars with a sense of melody and songwriting. âJubilate Deoâ is a wonderful space-rock introduction to the CD, and it eventually fades away to the sound of children playing outdoors, which heralds the soft strains of âSelinaâs Bonfireâ. Though gentle in spirit and mood, with soft guitars playing a delicate melody, âSelinaâs Bonfireâ gradually takes on a more shoegazing approach, as distant guitars saw their way into the mix.

âSelinaâs Bonfireâ blends beautifully into âThe Audubon Printâ courtesy of the sound of a jet landing and haunting background drones. After beginning as a mellow meditation a la Windy and Carl, the song launches into a space-rock jam with full percussion and a blazing wall of guitars. This song is fused with the next âAwake and Dreamingâ, via the sound of crickets. âAwake and Dreamingâ comes across as dream-pop lite, which isnât necessarily a bad thing. The song, featuring almost jazzy guitar arrangements and light percussion, floats in a sophisticated way over the listener. The dexterous guitars intertwine nimbly with each other, demonstrating Woolsonâs skill goes beyond mere atmospherics. Various insects and frogs appear as âAwake and Dreamingâ fades, and are interrupted by strange sounds that eventually lead to âWhile The Heavens Wheeled Above Usâ. This song is a more dark and subtle affair, with liquid guitars pouring over subtle percussion and bass.

âCantate Dominoâ is likewise a mellower affair that builds with various washes of white noise that engulf the pristine guitar arrangements. âAt Length For Hatching Ripe He Breaks The Shellâ is a more upbeat track, with distorted guitars giving the song a more aggressive and rock-oriented feel compared to the rest of the tracks. Finally, âAnd The Loneliest Road Is The One That Leads Homeâ is a mid-tempo rumination with strong melody, more great guitar work form Woolson on various parts, and a light rhythm section keeping the song from floating away.

Accidental Grace Notes is full of mesmerizing moments of âshoegaze blissâ that will certainly please fans of the genre who want to float to the music, while the songs that Woolson has constructed are strong enough to hold the attention of those interested in listening more closely. Overall, the CD adds up to being more than the sum of its parts; with itâs nice sequencing and sense of cohesion, it presents itself as more than just a collection of Woolsonâs favourite songs. Hopefully, with this very strong release, Woolson will receive more of the kind of positive attention Accidental Grace Notes warrants....