Just Listen

Record Review: Rhythms of Aqua

musiclovinggroovosophizeristicologisticizers!

Here's a music review of a cd I heard recently, self-titled Rhythms of Aqua, by the Rhythms of Aqua trio.

This music is charming and infectuous. I recommend everybody check it out. It is a big change from the standard instrumentation I've been used to listening to recently, plus there is NO drumset on the cd which is great in terms of diversity of my listening habits.

I have been listening to lots of drum n bass music which is all about machines computers drums etc plus volume and dancing.

Don't get me wrong! :-)

I have seen this group live- and while the people definitely DO dance, this music stimulates other brains other than just the body brain! :-)

Track one starts off with acoustic guitar. Funky rhythm around q = 100. Aimee Sims plays the back beat on the acoustic guitar.

In comes the violin of Heidi Goertzen and then the percussion of Myriam Pierre-Louis.

What emerges is an organic and very human sound. Not overbearing or loud. Nice nicely mixed into a cohesive band sound.

But surprise. Listen to the lyrics. They are committed and strong this is not just gentle meditative music. Witness "I gotta fight for something or I'll die for anything"
I gotta stand for something or I'll fall for anything. Clever lyrics which exhibit a strong principled sense of committment. The provocative question of this piece is "Do you belive that there's something to believe in!"
"We believe in we believe in we believe that there's something to believe in."

I didn't understand why they have the abrupt jagged stops in the arrangements from time to time, but in a sense it gives me something to remember about the music. :-)
Quoting bob Marley "Don't give up the fight" the song exhorts us "Ya gotta live ya gotta live WAKE UP WAKE UP!" :-)

wait that's it ! Maybe that's why they use the abrupt arrangement on this tune so we can WAKE UP! :-)...

Rhythms of Aqua, Detroit Jam

and so the cd starts off with a bang

track two... although technically there's a tiny bit of sharpness on the opening flute dominant e note in this intro, there's nothing out of tune about the beautiful harmonius workings of these three beautiful women.

again an inspiring positive message do not stop ‘til you're done..

what a charming and personal treatment of the lyrics do not stop til you're do-one.

fantastic. We think they're done when they reach the tonic in the melody, but brilliantly they complete the word done on beat four.

Nice. When the violin comes in again what might seem off key in the beginning actually is quite beautiful and organic.

Track 3. I don't have a list of the titles of the tracks on this demo, but this track is obviously about that ubiquitous subject: love. :-) But unlike 90% of the love songs, this one's about commitment not just sexy romance :-) uhh the operative word is "just". Not JUST sex and romance. :-)

It's all in there another funky groove without needing a drummer "The way that you love me" I will never find another to love me the way you do- as long as I'm your lover I'll be faithful I'll be true.

Nice energy here and creative vocal harmonies. Not just formalized. They switch deftly between unisons and counterpoint and harmonies.

The vulnerable ending only reminds me that music and life can still be fantastic and meaningful without all the polish and money found in many music productions today.

track 4 If I let you into my dreams do you promise not to tell me that they can't come true

and if I let you under my skin do you promise not to be surprised that there is a woman here.

This music is very proud and very feminine. :-)

Nice sound bite. Rhythms of Aqua says it and we believe it: there is a woman there! :-)

nice woodblock work by Myriam. Somehow the violin sounds a bit like a string section instead of one violin. Nice.

Hey track 5 is in some beautiful African sounding dialect. Pure harmonies Very triadic. But as the ending reveals, this is not typical western triadic harmony. :-)

#6

united we stand divided we fall there is so much work to be done...

take my hand and walk with me... These women are confident and vulnerable at the same time fierce. I like the way the instruments drop out and all that remains is congas and trio vocals. This is an effective arrangement.

Then Heidi takes off on the violin. Joyful solo! :-)

this is an adventuresome arrangement.
To me this is the most catchy of the songs
"Take my hand and walk with me"

track 7 Lead vocals start off this one

pure mode alternating back and forth between gut wrenching blues riffs and back to major third Ionian mode

Am I the only one that finds it hard to be here in a world that's free for buisiness men and office types?

but I -------- was born with something that makes it hard to keep from singing.

Beautiful piece. I can't hear all the lyrics but I understand the conflicted predicament that many of us feel living in a materialistic world but with human and artistic sensibilities.

Track 8... what a free flowing jam!!!! They let it all hang out on this up tempo reprise of "Take my Hand and Walk with Me" If you could hear this cd you'd be walking like I am in lockstep with RHYTHMS OF AQUA! :-)

PEACE! :-)

I HOPE THEY RELEASE THIS MUSIC, polish it up and leave the rough edges too! I'd say there will be plenty of folks walking walking riding running flying and taking busses trains and cabs to the record store for this one. u go Rhythms of Aqua! :-)

Peace! :-)

I give this one 86 technically plus x point #2 for a clever use of lyrics and juxtaposition of gentle vulnerability and fierce selfhood and commitment to principles. :-)

84% - 86% = good = "B" This performance warrants a solid "B" a good quality performance. Just advance forward.

"X#2" = Exhibiting some measure of ingenuity or genius. Humble thanks for your genius example. To me, Stevie Wonder is a wonderful example of musical genius.
-The boy wonder burst onto the music scene when he was just ten years old, and his mission ever since has been to bring joy into people's lives. "He has been pop music's unquenchable optimist for nearly a generation," said The New York Times in 1986. "His skills at writing sinuous melodies and gently uplifting harmonies, and his cheerful yet determined eclecticism - from funk to ballads, bossa nova to quasi-showtunes - have made Mr. Wonder a one-man Tin Pan Alley through two decades of rock."

peace y'all... let's Just advance! :-)

PEACE! :-)