Spotlight: From the Darker Seasons by Jeff Pearce

From the Darker Seasons continues in the signature ethereal-ambient, electric guitar style of music that Jeff Pearce triumphantly re-embraced in 2014 with his album With Evening Above, which was subsequently followed up by his 2016 album Follow the River the Home. The last album in this style that Jeff recorded before taking a hiatus for over a decade was his landmark 2002 release, Bleed, which preceded some lovely albums recorded on Chapman Stick followed by one piano album. As the album’s title and captivating artwork suggest, the eight compositions spanning nearly an hour that make up From the Darker Seasons was inspired by autumn and winter, which Jeff states are his favorite times of the year (and mine too!). As with his previous two ambient guitar recordings, as well as those of his from the 1990’s and early 2000’s (of which this album was similarly created in the image), From the Darker Seasons mostly exudes a nocturnal essence comprised of drifting ambient melodies and enveloping atmospheres, which possess melancholic underpinnings.

“A Walk Through the Leaves” opens the album with a haze of billowing chords comprised of a gentle melody set against a backdrop of encircling, layered guitar loops. As if drifting along in slow motion, the piece effectively illustrates that of autumnal scenery at dusk or dawn as changing leaves lightly flutter about in the cool breeze. This mood continues with “Sun on Frost”, which seemingly guides us into a deeper state of wistful contemplation. Slipping into a more spacey mode is “Constellations”, a beautifully magical composition defined by suspended layers of guitar notes that float and weave about like gossamer streams of color and starlight. Equally gorgeous, “The River in Late Autumn” bears some resemblance to both the title tracks from Jeff’s albums Follow the River Home and With Evening Above. Moving at a languid pace, its somewhat forlorn melody is softly sustained in the lower registers like that of a gently flowing river, as the sparsely-placed higher notes seemingly mimic that of moonlight reflecting upon the water. The ensuing “Downdrift” could be likened to a sequel of sorts to “Downstream” from Jeff’s previous release. Employing similarly processed effects, the piece seemingly embodies the very essence of a cold wind blowing, with its swirling sound patterns of icy metallic textures. “Midnight Snow” follows next with gurgling timbres and hazy distortion gently bouncing outwards, effectively bringing-to-mind that of trekking across a frozen landscape beneath the dim light of a shrouded moon. At 17:45 minutes, “A Long Winter’s Sleep” is a deeply atmospheric, ambient-space piece in the long-form style of Steve Roach, although still unmistakably Jeff. A beautifully dreamlike piece that evokes the darkest phase of winter, I’m able to imagine the mysterious aurora borealis shimmering above a vast northern landscape, as its tonal colors encircle and phase in-and-out of the listening space. Easily mistakable for synthesizers in its entirety, Jeff is simply unparalleled in his ability to craft such dimensionally-layered soundscapes using just electric guitar with processed effects. Concluding the album is “Cold Comfort”, a subtly melodic piece that conveys a sense of solitary serenity; its title aptly illustrating Jeff’s ability to create pieces that somehow feel paradoxically emotive and evasive.

Another impeccably gorgeous album from Jeff Pearce, it not only debuted in the top ten on Billboard’s New Age Chart soon after its release, but I was subsequently delighted to see Jeff perform live at The Gatherings Concert Series in Philadelphia, PA – a spectacular event produced and coordinated by Star’s End Radio host, Chuck Van Zyl. Perfectly capturing the enchanting beauty and mystery of the darker, colder months of the year, From the Darker Seasons is yet another ambient-guitar masterpiece full of haunting aesthetic emotion and wistful reflection! ~Candice Michelle

For more information please visit the artist's website. This album can also be purchased at Bandcamp, Amazon, iTunes, CD Baby and Google Play.

This review was originally published on Journeyscapes Radio on 10/12/17.

Album Review: Follow the River Home by Jeff Pearce

Follow the River Home is the highly anticipated follow-up to the award-winning album With Evening Above by Indiana-based ambient guitarist, Jeff Pearce. Mastered by Tom Eaton for Imaginary Road studios, the album is comprised entirely of electric guitars that often resemble a surround-sound of both guitars and synthesizers resonating throughout a cathedral.

“Under Summer Stars” opens the album with an enveloping soundscape of gently melodic guitar amidst layers of tenebrous chords. Conveying a pensive mood with a touch of melancholy, this atmosphere is conveyed throughout most of the album. Carrying us into the next piece, “Downstream I” is a classic ambient-space composition, characterized by low drones, high timbres and mid-range tones, as the collective guitar washes mimic a choir of voices. “Outpost” soon emerges from the shadows, where misty chords morph and swell around a looped guitar melody at its center point. “Snowfall” follows afterwards, a composition I was especially delighted to see included on here. A live recording of this song originally aired on the syndicated radio program Echoes, and while I’ve long known that Jeff could seriously rock, this is the first time he’s included a noticeably rock-influenced composition on one of his albums. The piece begins with cascading guitar loops that are soon followed by a soaring, sensual electric guitar riff, creating an exquisite fusion of ambient-space and classic rock music. On “Downstream II” Jeff once again delivers a composition that deviates somewhat from anything he’s recorded in the past. Ethereal guitar chords open this piece, followed by spinning layers of guitar loops that eventually dissipate into a pool of billowing atmospheric tones, reminding me somewhat of both Steve Reich and Tangerine Dream. The album’s lengthiest track, “Gathering Stars”, is quite possibly one of the most beautiful pieces of ambient-space music I’ve heard in years! Bathed in obscurity, this metamorphic composition emerges with spacious chords that gently rise and fall, and expand and contract, until scattering like particles of light upon the darkness. Closing out the album is the title track, “Follow the River Home”, a comfortingly warm piece that feels intimately connected to hearth and home. Led by a gentle, down-to-earth guitar melody with spacey timbres hovering in the background, it serves as a tender reminder that ultimately, home is indeed where the heart is.

Follow the River Home just might be Jeff’s crowning achievement, even among his other seemingly unsurpassable albums, including With Evening Above (2014), Bleed (2002), and To the Shores of Heaven (2000). As someone with a particular affinity for both ambient music and the electric guitar, I’ve been an avid fan of Jeff’s music for many years. It feels observant of nature and the cosmos; often alluding to natural landscapes and the skies above, all while exuding an ever-present yet concealed intense emotion. Gorgeous, haunting, and simply incomparable, Follow the River Home is already a top contender among this year’s best recordings! ~Candice Michelle

For more information please visit the artist's website. This album is also available at Bandcamp, CD Baby, Amazon and iTunes.

Review originally published on Journeyscapes Radio on 06/03/16.

Album Review: With Evening Above by Jeff Pearce

With Evening Above is Jeff Pearce's first ambient guitar album since 2002's Bleed, having since released a few Chapman Stick albums – including 2008's Rainshadow Sky – and a beautiful piano album in 2012 titled In the Season of Fading Light. Although Pearce has released a string of remarkable recordings since the mid-1990's, two of them in particular – Bleed and 2000's To the Shores of Heaven - have long stood-out as my personal favorites. With Evening Above is highly reminiscent of those two albums in both musical style and atmosphere, having fused the strongest elements of each while at the same time presenting a fresh and innovate sound.

With Evening Above is a landmark ambient/space recording composed entirely of processed and layered electric guitars that are warm, enveloping and in many parts could easily be mistaken for synthesizers. Essentially, it is electronic music that also feels organic, evoking images and sensations of being outside in open spaces under clear, starlit skies. There's also an underlying yet ever-present emotionally-stirring quality about the music that subtly tugs at the heart as it transports the mind.

The album opens with the title track, "With Evening Above", a warm, melodic piece conveyed by Pearce's signature guitar-scapes which gently cascade about and engulf the listening space. About half of the album's tracks are imbued with more melodic structure such as this one, and gently alternate with more expansive atmospheric pieces, as exemplified on the closing track "No Matter How Far", a drifting long-form piece over twenty minutes long that is sure to send the listener into dreamland. At its darkest, the music is still tender and elegant - at its brightest, still melancholy and mysterious.

One particular highlight is the track "After Dark", a deeply hypnotic and nocturnal-sounding piece that feels beautifully esoteric, making it my personal favorite. This one should definitely be listened to on headphones in order to experience its full immersion, as there is a whole lot going on beneath the surface of this track that might not be immediately evident with casual listens.

In a way, With Evening Above seems to have come out of nowhere, proving itself to be a stunning return to form and quite possibly Pearce's most impressive album to date. Timeless, ageless, and destined to become a classic, all eight tracks are magnificent from beginning to end, making it one of the absolute best recordings to bless my senses in a very long time. This one is a definite must-have! ~Candice Michelle

For more information please visit the artist's website. This album is also available at Bandcamp, Amazon, iTunes and CD Baby.

Review originally published on Journeyscapes Radio on 01/05/15.