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| Friday, November 27, 2009
Music > Acoustic Tendencies by Ebenezer John Writer: Daniel AngBeing a guitarist and music arranger, this is Daniel's first foray into writing reviews. Here, he provides not just a general overview of, but also a track-by-track commentary on, Ebenezer John's album Acoustic Tendencies.  Ebenezer John's (EJ) music displays strong blues and jazz techniques, similar to what Fourplay, a more well-known group, would do. But a close listening of the album seems to indicate that he could have directed and produced this album all by himself, as opposed to working with a band. He does credit two individuals, Vinay Vincent for drum programming and percussions and Jeevan for keyboard sequencing in I will Lift Up My Eyes (courtesy of Integrity Music). I suspect that EJ treated each individual song as a separate project while writing and recording them, never really seeing them as a whole. And when he decided to compile an album, he simply put them all together. The result is that the first few tracks, although quite upbeat and "happy", are also too similar and can get tiring to listen to. It's Track 9 that I feel is EJ's real achievement -- it could have been his last, and therefore, the culmination of all the knowledge gained from producing the rest of the album. There are a couple of other setbacks: Towards the middle of the album, somehow my take-good-sound-for-granted ears get really tired. I am pretty sure he's using synthesizers and/or MIDI sounds instead of real instruments, and the MIDI-sounding drumming is possibly produced by earlier soundbanks in music equipment. There doesn't seem to be a good balance in the sound that he's getting in his recording (most likely to do with the mix), especially when you consider that the sounds are very 90s influenced. That said, EJ does in fact show some outstanding electric guitar soloing, though it wouldn't be fair to compare him with virtuosos like Steve Vai for example. I appreciate the effort and passion that has obviously been put into producing this album, and also for EJ's effort in trying to say what he wants to say about his faith while showcasing his unique techniques. Track 1: Akolothos Christou This piece immediately throws the listener out of any possible known genre as it paints a grand picture of possibly something big entering your presence. One assumes that the piece is meant to depict the ushering in of God's presence or something similar. Christou mens "Son of Christ" in Greek, and while I discovered that akolothos is derived from either Greek or Sanskrit, I was unable to find any clear meaning that EJ could have drawn his inspiration from. Track 2: Mission Possible Has a similar effect to Akolothos Christou, though it makes a quicker transition into the album's main genre (blues and jazz). Track 3: Horses And Chariots Obviously derived from or inspired by an old praise and worship chorus (Some may trust in horses/Some may trust in chariots/But we will trust in the name of the Lord...), EJ's excellent guitar soloing here calls out the energy of a racing horse and even emulates the whinnying it might make. But because the overall sound is not very current, the general effect is not exactly positive effect; one might feel less able to connect with the music because of the sense that it comes from a different era. Track 4: Serenade Of Silence Here's where you'll find some well controlled guitar playing. EJ does his best to emulate a serenade and does pretty all right -- it's just that the drumming turns out rather mechnical. He more or less makes up for this in the piece's melody, which calls forth a quiet time of contemplation, lifting the listener to a place of peace and thanksgiving. Track 5: Souls For All Seasons I love the dark sounding jazz chord progression on this track. The effect is ambiguous and contemplative, showcasing his unique tapping technique. It seems to me that he slowly includes different guitar sounds to represent the different seasons, ending off with some really creative tapping. Track 6: Spanish Sunday This track will put a smile on almost any listener's face as it certainly showcases Ebenezer's abilities with a wide range of genres, and very accurately too. And while the trumpeting sounds are very likely MIDI effects, they are placed quite well. Track 7: Lean On Me A cutesy cover (probably of an original by Bill Withers) that strangely reminds the listener of Tommy Emmanuel's style! At just two minutes, this is a short track but it's a pleasant rendition. Track 8: I Will Lift Up My Eyes This track sports an extremely late 80s pop feel intro. You can tell that EJ likes to make things interesting by changing the feel rather tremendously in each of the song's different sections. To me, this might be the most enjoyable tune in the album. Track 9: Dream On From the very beginning of this piece, one gets the strong impression that EJ recorded it progressively over a period of time. The quality of the drumming and the bass tones are much more attention grabbing in this track. Even the guitar tone (probably recorded from a mic) was much richer than in the other tracks! This piece is a great showcase of the jazz fusion feel which EJ is so well versed in. I might have to take back my statement on I Will Lift Up My Eyes being the best track in the album! Ebenezer John on Acoustic Tendencies
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