Customer Reviews

Deep Breakfast

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've been listening to Ray Lynch for over 10 years. I heard him first on the old public radio show, Music from the Hearts of Space. I bought this recording first in cassette form when my kids were all very small. I would take it to work with me and listen to it there. They wore it out listening to it at bedtime. So, I had to purchase the CD and am listening to it now in the background as I write this review. Lynch has produced some of the most soothing music I've heard and, in my opinion, is responsible for much of the space music genre.

This is music to put in the deck, get a cup of something hot, and sit back and relax. It is not exciting music; it is a soothing and loving experience. I have two more of his recordings and they are all good.

If you're looking for something peaceful to listen to in a hectic world, this recording (and his others) will fill the bill.

In the mid-eighties, I operated a small picture framing/gift shop. Because of my passion for music, I decided to also offer LPs and cassettes so that customer's could purchase what they were hearing in the store. My selections included Tangerine Dream, Kitaro, Jean Michel Jarre, and other "Electronic" music artists. My distributor - Narada Records, were wonderful about including sample cassettes with orders. In November I received the newest shipment, and it included promo tapes by Constance Demby ("Novus Magnifcate"), David Lanz, and one cassette, "Deep Breakfast," by then-unknown Ray Lynch. As soon as I put it in the player and thought I was hearing things! The opening song, "Celestial Soda Pop" was immediately likeable, with its playful beat and a melody that makes you want to whistle along. Customers in the store began asking, "What is that? I have to have it!" Of course, I only had the demo tape so I started taking orders for "Deep Breakfast" on the spot! During the Christmas holidays, I couldn't keep it in stock as most people who walked in and heard it bought it. I offer this lengthy introduction because few albums have moved me during my years of collecting Electronic/Instrumental music like "Deep Breakfast." After "Celestial Soda Pop" fades out, "The Oh of Pleasure" softly begins to ripple in, its ethereal sequences increasing in volume as the song slowly builds to a powerful climax. This is my favorite from "Deep Breakfast," and after all these years, I still get goose bumps when I hear it.
It's unimaginable that Ray could top the first two tracks, yet he does; and does so perfectly and effortlessly through the rest of the album. In addition to synthesizers, Lynch also incorporates several traditional instruments that melodically blend together seamlessly. I'm only offering my opinion on three tracks here, though each deserves a write-up of its own. For those of you who love sequencers, as I do, "Tiny Geomeotries," which ends this album, will delight you as its sequences build into a magnificent crescendo that will leave you speechless. More important than the impeccable sound quality of "Deep Breakfast" (no hiss, no noise, awesome soundstage, phenomenal dynamic range and incredible depth of field!), is the emotion captured in the songs. Lynch invites you into his world, and judging by his music, he must be a deeply grounded individual, with a huge heart and soul.

Good music is timeless, in my opinion. It can become a soundtrack to your own life; complementing your moods yet not dominating them. If you enjoy contemplative instrumental music that sounds as good as it feels, you owe it to yourself to add "Deep Breakfast" to your collection. You'll find yourself playing it in the car, at work, and at home. As far as I'm concerned, "Deep Breakfast" ranks as an all-time classic.

We used to tune in to "Music from the Hearts of Space" on NPR to hear the newest compositions in electronic and New Age type music. Ray Lynch's "Deep Breakfast" was a groundbreaking hit album, and the tunes from the CD became pretty well-known even outside the New Age music scene.

If you want to get into New Age music, this really is one CD you should try. It's relaxing, interesting and a lot of fun. It's nice for a Sunday afternoon, rainy evening, or anytime you want to create a relaxed and slightly mystical mood.

Highly Recommended.

Before hearing this album, whenever I heard the term new-age, I thought of hippy-chicks (and Gypsies) smelling of Patchouli, buying crystals, and other like-minded "weird" stuff. I also assumed it was the Devil's music, because that's what my church taught me. So isn't it ironic that it was on a church outing almost 15 years ago that I first heard this album, shattering my misconceptions about new-age music.

Imagine a pop artist making classical music using 80's keyboards. Then take that mental-image and improve the quality of the music by a hundred-fold and you would have a very loose idea of what this album is like. This is not an album of whale calls, ocean tides or anything of that ilk. Right now scroll to the top of the page (or go to the first page of this listing) and listen to the sample of "Celestial Soda Pop"; if you are like me, you will be sold on this album in 10 seconds.

This album ranges from intelligent melody driven songs like "Celestial Soda Pop" and "Rhythm In The Pews" to the ambient outer-space sounding "The Oh Of Pleasure", which reminds me of Space Mountain at Disney World for some reason. I can listen to it while driving, falling asleep, reading...you name it, it is the perfect all-purpose listening album.

Maybe the best way to explain this album is like this: whenever I listen to "Deep Breakfast" I feel like I am transported to another world (to use a hackneyed phrase); it evokes feelings within me of far-off non-earthlike places, and that there is something out there bigger than I am (not in a physical or religious sense). So, basicaly, it's quite hard to describe, but it definitely hits an emotional center within me, because listening to this album always puts me in a mood. Not a good mood, not a bad mood, just a mood.

Deep Breakfast is one of the best new age albums I have ever heard. This album is the only one that I own by him but after hearing this album I am pretty sure I will get another album by him. I notice that Ray Lynch's music is somewhat close to classical music. For example, "Your Feeling Shoulders" is my favorite track on the album and it is very close to classical music. If that is how classical music sounds then one day I might take in interest in it.

"Celestial Soda Pop" was the very first song I heard from this album and when I listened to that song I then knew I had to hear the rest of the album, the song had so many nice and soothing sounds in it. "The Oh Of Pleasure" is also a great song. I also noticed that he uses many of the same sounds over and over, I love it!

This album is highly recommended to almost any new age listener but also for people who like some classical music. That's all I have to say. I hope you all enjoy the album if you decide to buy it and I hope you enjoy Ray Lynch's music!

When I was younger our sleep away camp counselors would make us fall asleep to this CD. You wouldn't believe the deep sleep and the dreams... it's unexplainable. Years later, while I was tossing and turning, stressed and unable to do anything, I remembered the music and really quickly called one of my ex-counselors to find out the title and artist. Now I have my wonderful Ray Lynch CD again, and every once in a while, when I listen to it when I go to sleep, I still have these incredible dreams. This CD will always have its place on my shelf, right next to those by Enya. It's quite an accomplishment.

Whenever we go driving through the NorthWest Pacific rainforest on our long trips to writers' conferences & bookfests, DEEP BREAKFAST accompanies us. Ray Lynch's music knows this land well! We are always inspired as we crest a hill to look over a valley of lake & forest or the snowcapped mountains, & DEEP BREAKFAST sighs with like inspiration.

Recommended for graceful, lyrical Big Thoughts! Loverly stuff!
Rebecca The Editor of RebeccasReads.

This is an excellent CD. Highly reccomended for the audiophile listener, Ray cooks up interlaced melodies and rhythms that let you discover something new during every listen. Extrordinarily complex, yet still easy-going enough for after work relaxation. When I come home from a hard days work in the mines, I put down my hardhat, throw in some deep breakfast, and dig into to a bag full of popsicles. Tremendous.

I have all Ray's CDs except one. His music is very stimulating and pleasing to listen to. Kathleen's Song is invigorating. If you are ever in a somber mood, put on this CD and be instantly uplifted.

This CD, originally released in 1984 offers 8 peaceful, soothing tracks. From the fizz of Celestial Soda Pop to the soulfull viola and flute of Kathleen's Song and twinkling of Tiny Geometries, Ray Lynch creates an varity of instrumental emotions with this CD. It's great for meditation or just for a relaxing atmosphere in a fast paced world. Forty minutes of fresh, relaxing music. Simply beautiful.