Customer Reviews

House of Silence

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

 

 

While HOUSE OF SILENCE isn't as instantly captivating as 1995's BRYNDLE, it certainly has charms of it's own. There's a warmth and intimacy to the disc that's undeniable, and it allows us to once again visit with two of America's most underrated singer/songwriters, Wendy Waldman and Karla Bonoff. It's been ages since either artist has put out a solo album (sixteen years for Waldman, fifteen for Bonoff), so HOUSE OF SILENCE helps to fill that void....to a degree. The pair, along with third member Kenny Edwards (fellow founding member Andrew Gold dropped out during the protracted recording sessions, but appears on four cuts), open HOS with Waldman and Edwards' "Every Stone." Chugging along with a lazy summertime groove, this track sets the mood for the rest of the disc....mellow, relaxed, thoughtful. Put this cut on at sunset, as the waves wash in along the beach in Santa Barbara....pour a glass of wine (or two!)...and...well, you get the picture! The group's "Bitter Wheel" is probably one of HOS's most upbeat tracks (my one sore spot with this disc: BRYNDLE had a bit more rock in it's mix and, thus, a tad bit more energy). It's certainly not a rocker, but it's still grabs you, due in large part to Edwards' smooth lead vocal and a hypnotic bass line. Bonoff takes center stage with "All The Way Gone." A lot of people have called Bonoff a wimpy and/or light-weight singer....that is just SO bogus! The two words that I can think of to best describe Bonoff are "pure" and "unadorned." Those two words also describe "All The Way Gone"...the instrumental track is minimal, allowing Bonoff's very honest lead (and Waldman's sedate harmony) vocal to shine. You can just picture Edwards and Waldman sitting on the porch at the end of the day, picking out the country-tinged "This Time Around." There's a joyous quality to this track, so much so that I'm inclined to say it's my favorite cut on HOUSE. "As Long As It's Real" is classic Waldman: a little mini-movie set to music. Why this woman isn't huge is beyond me....she's the female equivalent to Springsteen, Petty, Mellencamp and/or Seger, and sings and writes about American lives and hearts just as well, if not better, than many of her male counterparts. The blend of delicacy and strength that is "...Real" proves just that. Gold takes the lead with "Crawl Into The Light." There's an other-worldly vibe to this track that is just mesmerizing. Powered by Edwards' mandolin (!), all four singer's vocals weave in and out in a magical blend. The result? A thoroughly enchanting cut! "Like A Compass" is probably my least favorite cut...it's Bonoff at her most unoriginal. This flat piano ballad could be side two, cut four on any one of her solo albums. C'mon, Karla, you can do a lot better than this! All four members wrote "Concrete River", a wannabe rocker that ends up coming across as a folk track that's just trying too hard. Things rebound nicely with "All I Need To Know." Picture "Someone To Lay Down Beside Me" twenty years later - but with a more romantic twist. Bonoff's lead vocal is stunning, the instrumental track is haunting and the chorus just soars. Without a doubt, my other favorite cut! Edwards delivers a swaying, romantic lead on "Night Full Of Rain", made all the more special by Waldman's spot-on harmony contributions. Leads are flipped on the acoustic-based "Hearts Of Fire", with Waldman pouring out her heart and soul, and Edwards (and, late in the song, Bonoff) coming in right when it's needed. These are people who love singing together....and who've been doing it for over 30 years! All four members also collaborated on "One Heartbeat Away." With it's mandolin, fiddle and strong vocals from Gold and Waldman, this is good-time music at it's most exhilarating....the track practically pushes it's way out of the speakers (if there's a third Bryndle CD some day - and everyone says there will be! - Andrew Gold HAS to come back full-time)! HOUSE OF SILENCE closes with Waldman's "Forever Ride." Right from the start ("Out beyond the broken billboards/And the signs along the road/There's a trail your heart must follow/No one but you will ever know/Where the wind and the coyotes/Sing a song you've never heard/In a voice that's long forgotten/You'll remember every word"), Waldman is honest and up front with us, delivering a crystal-clear, heartfelt vocal. As her three bandmates enter into the vocal mix on the chorus, the song swells majestically, only to ebb again. This is true singing, something you just don't see enough of in 2003. And that, my friends, is reason enough to pick up HOUSE OF SILENCE!

This is one of the best albums I've heard in years. For fans of acoustic music, fine harmony, Karla Bonoff and the other Bryndle members it is an absolute "must". Can't imagine why this CD didn't receive widespread distribution in the US and get the attention it deserves.

The harmonies on this disc are magnificent. I originally thought I was listening to Linda Ronstadt, but of course it is Karla Bonoff.

The House of Silence evoked many fond memories of listening to softer harmonies of the gentle side of the 70's. The powerful voices provided an extremely satisfying unified sound.