Customer Reviews

Hotel Vast Horizon

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Chris Whitley's picture appears in the dictionary next to the term "chameleon-like artist." His output has traced a path through Americana, chainsaw guitar-driven rock, live solo performance, jazz-style improvization, computer-inflected electronic wizardry, and back. Whitley has never been satisfied with taking one approach to his craft, a choice which has produced a truly impressive catalogue, but also has tended to bewilder the public. No matter, he is what he is. As Dave Matthews said upon signing Whitley to his personal record label for 2001's Rocket House, "Chris is the real deal."

In a sense, Whitley returns full circle with Hotel Vast Horizon. This latest will certainly draw comparisons to his debut effort, Livin With the Law, because of its acoustic flavor and roots-rock take on Americana. But whereas that CD was more of a producer's album, this is truly a band effort-self-produced, no guest artists, just three guys going at it. And go at it they do. Whitley and his cohorts, Heiko Schramm on bass and Matthias Macht on drums, truly constitute an acoustic power trio. Although Whitley plays strictly resonator guitar (banjo on one tune) and Macht relies heavily on brushwork to transmit his message, there is a potency to this music that belies its acoustic tone. If I may venture a personal note, I'd say that while Whitley takes center stage and all three musicians share in making the magic, a great deal of the power of Hotel can be attributed to Schramm's husky, chordal bass playing. His contribution to the "bottom line" perfectly accentuates Whitley's steel stylings and Macht's brushes. Hats off, Heiko!

Whitley is one of those rare guitarists who plays to the song, eschewing pyrotechnics in favor of hitting the mark. He could play like a Guitar Magazine poster child if he wanted to, but fortunately for all of us, he chooses to take the route less-traveled and deliver the goods via an understated brilliance that is rare in today's musical universe. These are songs with heart, packaged in a plain brown wrapper, but bearing a precious gift.

Some say that every Whitley record has a different feel, a different style. Yet, if you listen closely you'll find a deeper consistency across all his work: no reason to be distracted by first impressions, right?

"Hotel Vast Horizon" is an especially consistent piece of work: the songs, lyrical themes, instrumentation and mood are strikingly well integrated, creating an atmosphere of sadness and just-missed redemption. In fact, at times the playing here hints at a leitmotif-like approach, and some phrases seem to echo through the individual pieces.

The sound is warm and fat with a great bounce in the bass -- maybe that's why there's a picture of a mic on the CD itself. The guitars have more of an acoustic feel, dobro-like with a ringing, metal string raggedness that makes the music loose and tight, lazy and focused all at once.

It's easy to recall some of the better moments of Tom Waits -- particularly moments in "The Mule Variations". But Whitley's voice gives us more range and more shades of meaning. And the music and lyrics are here more single-minded, more interested in interior perspectives than the world outside. The title "Hotel Vast Horizon" and its bleak winter setting must be meant to act as a metaphor, and more than a few come to mind. But it seems better to leave it undefined.

Whitley's band here -- Heiko Schramm on basses and Matthais Macht on percussion -- play with the same understated authority. The overall impression is one of musicians who have played together for a long time, whose playing interacts in ways that are free of overstatement, ornamentation and sensationalism. Every note is necessary.

So, what are you worried about? Buy this CD and support someone whose work is both emotionally and intellectually aware.

Chris Whitley's picture appears in the dictionary next to the term "chameleon-like artist." His output has traced a path through Americana, chainsaw guitar-driven rock, live solo performance, jazz-style improvization, computer-inflected electronic wizardry, and back. Whitley has never been satisfied with taking one approach to his craft, a choice which has produced a truly impressive catalogue, but also has tended to bewilder the public. No matter, he is what he is. As Dave Matthews said upon signing Whitley to his personal record label for 2001's Rocket House, "Chris is the real deal."

In a sense, Whitley returns full circle with Hotel Vast Horizon. This latest will certainly draw comparisons to his debut effort, Livin With the Law, because of its acoustic flavor and roots-rock take on Americana. But whereas that CD was more of a producer's album, this is truly a band effort-self-produced, no guest artists, just three guys going at it. And go at it they do. Whitley and his cohorts, Heiko Schramm on bass and Matthias Macht on drums, truly constitute an acoustic power trio. Although Whitley plays strictly resonator guitar (banjo on one tune) and Macht relies heavily on brushwork to transmit his message, there is a potency to this music that belies its acoustic tone. If I may venture a personal note, I'd say that while Whitley takes center stage and all three musicians share in making the magic, a great deal of the power of Hotel can be attributed to Schramm's husky, chordal bass playing. His contribution to the "bottom line" accentuates Whitley's stylings and Macht's brushes. Hats off, Heiko!

Whitley is one of those rare guitarists who plays to the song, eschewing pyrotechnics in favor of hitting the mark. He could play like a Guitar Magazine poster child if he wanted to, but fortunately for all of us, he chooses to take the route less-traveled and deliver the goods via an understated brilliance that is rare in today's musical universe. These are songs with heart, packaged in a plain brown wrapper, but bearing a precious gift.

Chris Whitley is just one of those artists that has more talent than any 1000 artists on the hot lists, charts, video shows, etc, but can't seem to get a break with the mainstream. Most of my favorite acts are that way--King's X, Dada, Butterfly Jones, Jets To Brazil, Gus Black, I Mother Earth, Slobberbone, Bare Jr, a few more. But thankfully, Chris is still out there working it as hard as he can for the loyal fans, the discriminating music lovers of the world. Hotel Vast Horizon showcases Chris' voice and his stunning--yet understated--guitar playing. This album is stripped down and quite mellow, and it contains some of the finest songs Chris has ever recorded, like "Free Interval," "New Lost World," "Assassin Song," and the title cut. I recently saw Chris live in Reno with GUS BLACK, whose amazing new album Uncivilized Love compliments this album perfectly, and JOHNNY SOCIETY, a very cool band from New York who are very good on CD but absolutely stunning live. If you are an old Chris Whitley fan who hasn't picked this up yet, do yourself a favor and get it. As much fun as it may be to hit the repeat button for hours on "Big Sky Country," it's even better to play that track once or twice and then hear the evolution of song with Hotel Vast Horizon. This is a rare gem--a flawless album.

No other artist has had an album that impacted my life as much as Whitley's first record "Living With the Law" did back in 1991. It was a musical vision of desert landscapes and delta blues that fit together perfectly. Ever since that CD, Chris has strayed (sometimes a lot and sometimes a little) from the musical direction he followed with his first work, yet while much of the music was good - several songs even great - no complete release had the same 'Magical' feel. Hotel Vast Horizen is as close as he has gotten to the sound of "Living With the Law" since and while it has taken 12 years, it was definately worth the wait. Chris has always had an obscene amount of talent.....this is just the first time in a long time that he has hit a home run with every song on the record. Nothing is ever quite as good as the first time (except for sex of course), but Hotel Vast Horizen is as close as anyone could ask for.

Tremendously sexual, completely spiritual and enormously intimate, Chris Whitley's music has always been at the very least - damn good. This CD is Damn Great.

This album is a must for any Chris Whitley fan. It differs from Rocket House in the fact that it Whitley stripped down (acoustic guitar, vocals, bass, and drums) but is just as interesting. It actually sounds a bit like Perfect Day except all the songs are original. I promise you will not be dissapointed if you are a serious Chris Whitley fan and a fan of beautiful music with depth.

Whitley's music has shifted from style to style but always with elements of jazz and blues that appealed to me. This CD is quieter than most his others, and at first listen seems more limited in the sound palette he uses. But after giving it a few listens I found myself attached to "Silhouette," and soon after started hearing the songs as having a consistent mood rather than a lack of variety.

Highly recommended for fans, for new listeners I'd suggest Living With the Law or Terra Incognita as a first CD.

You'll probably want to get more than my recommendation for any Chris Whitley release. I believe that musically he's one of this world's treasures. Each collection he releases is different from the last or any of the others with his expressive and seductive voice the only thing tieing them all together.
Like PERFECT DAY, these songs are bass, drums and guitar but far from stark. They are warm, beautiful and seem to breath with an odd twisted passion.
In some strange way it seems like an opposing view to Lou Reed's Berlin. The german backdrop is a starting point I guess and maybe a certain level of darkness in the songs... but ... this is the CD that all of those people who bought Living with the Law were waiting for when DIN came out. Maybe a little jazzier than they would have expected but none the less more in line with expectations. A thing Chris has continually defied. Expectations. My favorite cut's are the Title song and assassin's song. More stunning music!!! Buy this!!! Buy all of his CD's. Go see him live. You'll never be disappointed.

Chris continues to make his own music that I can't get enough of. Its a bit mellower than say Din or Rocket House but original to the core.

whitley's music exists on its own plane; what he conveys thru words and music is so powerful, important, and life-affirming that it almost seems an afterthought that he is playing guitar and singing within the popular music idiom, an often trivial and commercial means of expression. his music has more in common with art and poetry than with pop. this new release continues whitley's tradition of releasing records extremely different from their predecessors. it may be a facile description, but this record is sort of a cross between dirt floor and din of ecstasy; dirt floor, because it is very quiet, intense, and all acoustic, with no studio wizardry. it's like din because the compositions themselves are very jazz-like, and the motifs i associate with the din era are everywhere on this album (frontier, silhoette, insurrection at newtown), not to mention the fact that he is working within the context of a trio, like on din. the songs are very powerful and evocative, like incantations. highly reccomended. go see him in concert, too, as he is currently on tour in support of this record in the states and europe is soon to follow.