Flightsafety

by

Shannon Wright

Edit

On the word of several reviews, I went out and bought this album yesterday - a dark rain-threatened day, which was perfect for my first listen to flightsafety.

I struggle to describe this album, though other reviewers have done it eloquently. I will say that I do NOT think shannonwright sounds 'like a cross between Tori Amos and Chan Marshall', and I do listen to quite a bit of both. No, her sound is more stripped down, more melancholy, less angry (or anguished) than Cat Power. The songs on flightsafety gave me chills. I felt like I was listening to secrets. The instrumentation is gorgeous and spare, with hints of other instruments creeping in between guitar and piano - I especially love her use of the Wurlitzer organ.

In trying to describe this cd to a friend I said, "Yes, there is a little Sonora Pine (another amazing Quarterstick band), a little Cat Power, maybe, but mostly I just think this album sounds like Edward Gorey drawings - dark, imperfect, classically gothic, every sound hinting of something unsettling going on."

In short, I highly recommend this album. If you love the instrumentation, I would also check out Pullman's "Turnstiles and Junkpiles". It is another gorgeous piece of work; less sad, maybe, but equally as isolating.

I can't get over the difference between this CD and Maps of Tacit. That one had more raw emotion pouring out of it, while this one seemed more run of the mill, and to be perfectly honest, boring. The only song I really got engaged into was "Heavy Crown", which is also on Tacit (more raw and emotional).

I guess the problem is that the first three songs (besides the lyrics) are almost the same sounding song... with the accoustic guitar start that builds up to drum angst later on.

You're the Cup starts off promising with the organ, but then returns to the same tired theme from the first three songs.

Twilight Hall is an interesting song, but nothing super engaging.

Captain of Quarantine: see first three songs.

Holland is instrumental, and decent enough for that sort of thing. I'm more interested in hearing Shannon sing.

Hobos on Parade is accoustic guitar only, but later on a subtle rumbling from some sort of percussion chimes in. Which is basically the same formula as the first three songs again.

William's Alabama has a piano instead of a guitar. But the same tired drum beat. So boring. The singing was a little more engaging on this song, and moved the CD from a 2 to a 2.5 star rating.

Yard Grass: Thank you for a guitar song free from that annoying drum beat.

Heavy Crown is a good song. Not a mover like it is on Tacit, but it works out okay with piano music, and no drumming. I like it.

Overall, about a 2.75-3 rating.