PATRICIA BRENNAN “Of the Near and Far”

ARTIST

Patricia Brennan

ALBUM TITLE

“Of the Near and Far”

LABEL

Pyroclastic Records

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Patricia Brennan’s new album, following the highly acclaimed and award-winning Breaking Stretch, sets off decisively and with considerable force. It features an ambitious ensemble: a quintet augmented by a string quartet and a conductor. Contemporary music-making today moves in many directions, beginning with jazz but also drawing from the saturated textures of rock and venturing even further afield. Alongside these elements are broad melodic lines and enveloping arcs of sound that captivate the listener despite their substantial complexity.

This is what underlies the album’s bite, a blend of fullness, luxuriance, and at times aggressive propulsion. These qualities give the record many assets and many ways to dazzle us, allowing the listener to wander as if through a dense forest of sonic presences and encounters. The album comprises seven tracks, all written by the vibraphonist. Particular highlights, in this writer’s view, include the opening piece, Antlia, an emblematic calling card for the album’s entire aesthetic; Lyra, especially notable for its intricate design; and Aquila, the most chamber-like moment on the record, at least in terms of prevailing tone.

Within this fabric, Brennan often conceals herself, at least as a soloist. Where does she hide? Behind her pen. This is, unmistakably, a fully authorial work.

Alberto Bazzurro

DISTRIBUTED BY

www.pyroclasticrecords.com

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