Rick Wakeman – Country Airs. Piano Solos
Жанр: New Age, Ambient, Classical
Носитель: LP
Год выпуска: 1986
Лейбл: Coda Records / NAGE 10
Страна-производитель: US
Аудио кодек: FLAC
Тип рипа: tracks+.cue
Формат записи: 24/96
Формат раздачи: 24/96
Продолжительность: 38:23
Треклист:
A1 Dandelion Dreams
A2 Stepping Stones
A3 Ducks And Drakes
A4 Morning Haze
A5 Waterfalls
B1 Quiet Valleys
B2 Nature Trails
B3 Heather Carpets
B4 Lakeland Walks
B5 Wild Moors
Источник оцифровки: LP Rip & Full Scan LP Cover: Fran Solo
Код класса состояния винила: Ex+
Устройство воспроизведения: Technics SL-1200MK2 Quartz
Головка звукоснимателя: SHURE M97xE With JICO SAS Stylus
Предварительный усилитель: Marantz 2252
АЦП: E-MU 0404
Обработка: Manual DeClick with iZotope RX5
Спектр
АЧХ
Уровень записи
DR14
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Analyzed folder: /Rick Wakeman - Country Airs (LP)
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DR Peak RMS Filename
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DR16 -3.55 dB -23.11 dB 01 Rick Wakeman - LADO 1- Dandelion Dreams.wav
DR16 -3.93 dB -23.73 dB 02 Rick Wakeman - Stepping Stones.wav
DR15 -1.31 dB -20.40 dB 03 Rick Wakeman - Ducks And Drakes.wav
DR13 -2.40 dB -18.53 dB 04 Rick Wakeman - Morning Haze.wav
DR13 -0.19 dB -20.12 dB 05 Rick Wakeman - Waterfalls.wav
DR16 -2.61 dB -22.26 dB 06 Rick Wakeman - LADO 2- Quiet Valleys.wav
DR15 -1.86 dB -21.81 dB 07 Rick Wakeman - Nature Trails.wav
DR14 -3.29 dB -20.07 dB 08 Rick Wakeman - Heather Carpets.wav
DR15 -3.91 dB -22.83 dB 09 Rick Wakeman - Lakeland Walks.wav
DR12 -0.12 dB -18.64 dB 10 Rick Wakeman - Wild Moors.wav
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Number of files: 10
Official DR value: DR14
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About
Eng
A sublime collection of wonderful timeless music to treasure.
Upon seeing the `New Age Collection’ tag on the front cover of Rick Wakeman’s `Country Airs’, I expected to find a disc full of faceless digital synths to backing sounds of nature and stormy rainforests. What a pleasure to find not a single cold machine, instead a stunning collection of solo piano pieces.
On the first of a trio of piano albums by the artist, it’s wondrous to hear Rick work in this style, ditching the mini-moogs and mellotrons of old for a subtle, restrained and moving work. It’s a real jewel in the artists’ wide and numerous discography, and stripped of his usual army of keyboards, Wakeman has never sounded so heartfelt, warm and human.
Comprised of 10 pieces full of endless lovely melodies, the 37 minute album could easily appeal to classical fans, but it’s never bombastic or overly complex, and there’s certainly no classical themes or interpretations worked into this music. But best of all, not for one single second is the album schmaltzy, sappy or bland. This is no elevator muzak, or some shopping centre food court piano playing, rather it’s the work of a true artist sounding like he never has before, revealing subtle intricacies and new possibilities.
Despite being written and performed only on piano, the album manages plenty of variety. There’s darker, more reflective pieces, such as the low-key and fragile opener `Dandelion Dreams’ that sets the tone for the rest of the album. The majestic `Ducks and Drakes’, haunting `Waterfalls’ and the stunning contemplative `Quiet Valleys’ are all standouts. The tiptoeing `Lakeland Walks’ sounds like the soundtrack to a ghost story of lost love, full of yearning and longing. There’s also softer romantic pieces, like the pretty `Morning Haze’, optimistic and heartbreaking `Nature Trails’ and the protective and comforting `Heather Carpets’. A nice surprise is the final track `Wild Moors’ that almost brings a brief taste of the usual epic trademark sound of the artist. Full of dramatic passion and rising triumph, it ends the album in a grand way while not sounding at odds with the rest of the album.
I remember a striking image of electronic artist Adelbert von Deyen on a beach, looking like a messiah figure surrounded by his bank of keyboards inside one of his LP sleeves. It’s not much of a stretch here to imagine Mr Wakeman performing alone at his piano in a tranquil forest like the one on the album cover here too.
Highly recommended, and `Country Airs’ has quickly become a very special album to me! Hope you fall for it as much as I did.
Review by Aussie-Byrd-Brother, progarchives.com
Rick Wakeman, tucked into a New Age label … What happened to you, maestro? I have nothing against the “New Age” music (I think talked about it on more than one occasion), is that it calls attention to this, one of the wonders of the symphonic-rock genre. In any case, always glimpsed Wakeman as a great composer, influenced by Chopin and Franz Liszt on the piano. This work is very exquisite, dedicated only to the piano.
I advise listening with a bottle of wine harvest of 1810.
Fran Solo, MMXII
Rus
С приходом 80-х Рик бросает пить и обращается к музыке нью-эйдж. Самой лучшей его работой в новом направлении принято считать «Country Airs», продержавшийся в топ-чартах более 5 месяцев. После записи альбома «Time Machine» Уэйкман издал серию работ в стиле эмбиент. В 1994 году по случаю благотворительного концерта, был издана пластинка «The Piano Album», где Рик продемонстрировал все мастерство игры на рояле. Как и прочие музыканты Уэйкман не обошел вниманием миллениум и записал в честь этого события альбом «Preludes To A Century».
Доп. информация
US version marketed by JEM Records
Cover has embossed letters NEW in upper left front cover and AGE in upper right hand front cover with LANDSCAPE SERIES embossed on lower middle back cover
Coda labels read “Marketed by JEM Records Inc. South Plainfield. NJ 07080 Printed in U.S.A.”