Reaching Point (Eskimo, Inuit Music)

Henoch Townley | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 28, 2001)
• Original Release Date: March 28, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Inukshuk Records
• ASIN: B00006909R
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,172,350 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #20 in Music > World Music > North America > Eskimo & Inuit

Track Listings

1. It's The Past

2. The Last Days

3. Spidanielmomamofessis

4. Reaching Point

5. The Angels Whisper

6. The Calling

7. The Curious Mind

8. This Time Round

9. One Candle

10. Black Forest Green

11. Tasting Dreams

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 'Rising from the darkness'.... healing poetry, July 2, 2004

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Reaching Point (Eskimo, Inuit Music) (Audio CD)

All the songs have vocals, and the instruments listed for all songs are: drums, accoustic and electric guitars, keyboards and sometimes bass.

You hear the unaffected, (com)passionate voice and feel like meeting the person behind it. It seems to be talking to you, intimately.
Some lyrics are truly poetic, yet again in an unaffected and natural tone, with the vocals flowing in great attunement with the wonderful music.

I listed the instrumentation above because it leaves you guessing sometimes: it has fresh, mysterious sounds you don't all recognize: " what are the instruments here? Are these classical, or subtle keyboards/synth's?... ".
The result is at times evocative of nature, without falling into some gross new age arrangements. Quite something its own I would say ( and God knows I've been listening to tons of contemporary music, including new age, native, rock, folk, electronic of all sorts, you name it).

As well as the intruments being slightly mysterious, there's an eerie feel to many passages.

Now quoting from Virginia MacIsaac (on rambles.net): "(...) as nontraditional as it is, the music is definitely of northern flavour. Much in the words and music expresses the northern experience. I was not sure what to expect so this was a pleasant surprise.
The lyrics are enchanting, the drum beats mesmerizing, and I enjoy the timbre of Townley's provocative voice. Slow pacing makes the CD intoxicating at times, and never boring. The music cruises underneath Townley's lyrics and his voice prolongs the experience while taking you on a musical odyssey".
"(...) this young artist's strength is in his poetic lyrics and his powerful, luxurious voice that knocks you off your perch even as it caresses you. (...) the energy and flair of the musicians ".

Try it, you'll find something or other there for you - I can't imagine anyone hating the whole cd. JUST GET IT! With shipping to Europe from Canada this is the most expensive cd I've ever bought - I normally buy all my cd's seconhand and cheap - but I had an intuition I had to have this one, and months after buying it I know it's a cheap price for a cd to keep for the rest of my life.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hear the angels in your life whisper, or sing..., April 29, 2004

By 

E. "cactusjelly" (Europe) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reaching Point (Eskimo, Inuit Music) (Audio CD)

Although varied enough, there's no bad song in this cd and you can let it just run its course, as it comes. Little by little it seems to form a consistent whole.

This cd feels rich, there's a lot there.
I ordered it at first for a breeze of northern wind, a glimpse of remote artic icelands to dream on, with a native voice and music that would include contemporary elements. On that first, superficial level, well I don't know of another cd bringing more of this, even though Henoch could have played this up much more. Try flipping through a 'Pole to pole' artic travel brochure while listening to it ( I once found myself doing both totally by coincidence - an experience of beauty).

Then; what I had not expected so much was the spiritual dimension of it, and the strength and humanity in the lyrics. I'm not usually interested in songs'lyrics, but these may well be some of the best I've heard. They sound like a spiritually-grown person has really put his heart into them.

All songs ring true but No1 particularly seems to draw from a long journey Henoch's been on, and has a special intensity, poignancy, urgency even, and finally towards the end, a triumphant vibrancy. It all feels very real: even for those like me who haven't a sad past to let go of, and despite the joyful positiveness all through it, this song has a potential of sending shivers, somehow an 'in-contrast' realization of what an awful and steep slope Henoch has had to climb all his life to be here now ( singing 'serenely' about the fruit of his awful trials in eagerness to help others). Shivers, and a deep emotion, which sometimes is a deep sadness. What I feel is, Henoch is sincerely trying to reach out to help others.

Clearly, he has grown to develop compassion and strength in response to a past of suffering and abuse, instead of hateful bitterness and shrinking. I hope this music gets known and reaches (among others) those who are in need of it.
I hope this cd soon becomes listed on many more sites, and international branches of Amazon. The more this cd goes round, the better for the world.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fresh... Pure... Beautiful...., April 2, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Reaching Point (Eskimo, Inuit Music) (Audio CD)

Keywords, keylines:
Emotion. Touching, unique voice. Soulful, intense, vibrant although serene; sense of connection, of moral and mental energy, integrity and courage; openness and naturalness.
strong melodic music that envelops and lifts you as on a wave, consistent rythms; true talent, no commercialism, no cheap effects. Mature & well-mastered/well-harmonized whole, yet with something spontaneous and fresh still left intact.
Complex. Escapes definitions (not rock but elements of ; likewise, not new age, not typically Indian, ...): you'll just have to get it and see for yourself!