Customer Reviews

Restored, Returned

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

 

 

Since it has been several years since Tord Gustavsen has released an album, the arrival of Restored, Returned was eagerly anticipated. I pre-ordered it when the listing appeared here on amazon and didn't give it another thought until it arrived and I played it for the first time. What a difference from past releases! And as with almost anything when there is a drastic change, there will be some fan backlash and so it seems to be with this.
While it took a while to adjust my ears to the new sound, I like not only the minimalist nature of the music but also Kristin Asbjornsen's gritty, besotted and oddly appealing vocals. Additionally, I find that introduction of the saxophone to the music adds texture and a layer of darkness that was missing before.
Here are my favorites: the mournful, almost religious quality of Lay Your Sleeping Head, My Love; the noirish interplay of sax and piano on Spiral Song; the mesmerizing title cut with its strange sudden ending, the sax-laden The Swirl/Wrapped In A Yielding Air, and a wonderfully dark offering of The Gaze. Those who were/are fans of the late, lamented Esbjorn Svensson Trio will find much to like here.
Perhaps you are not going to like Restored, Returned if your tastes are firmly planted in the realm of instrumental jazz. But if you are willing to open yourself to the possibilities Gustavsen probes here, you may find that the changes once so disconcerting are a pleasure after all. The CD is packaged in a standard jewel box and comes with a cardboard slip case and an attractive booklet that contains basic album information, a few pictures, and lyrics.

I bought this the day it came out. After one listen, I dumped it onto the listen later list. Well, by now I've forced myself to listen a half dozen times and it does not get any better. The instrumentation is great. Tord works magic with saxophonist Tore Brunborg and I'd give it 5 stars for the music minus the vocals. My issue is with Kristin Asbjornsen. She sings on 7 out of the 11 tracks. Her voice isn't awful. It's not interesting either. I like Joanna Newsom's newest recordings so I don't have anything against vocalists who sing with a sense of adventure. I just don't care for the adventure that Asbjornsen is leading. The lyrics are weak, almost an embarrassment. I think there is a way to edit out beginnings and endings of tracks on iTunes. I've got to try to delete her from what could have been a beautiful recording.

I bought Christian Wallumrod Ensemble's Fabula Suite Lugano on the same day. It is not as good as The Zoo Is Far, but it soars high above Tord's tepid vocalist.

Quick review: if you are new to Tord Gustavsen please check out The Ground or Being There (Ocrd) which really showcase their style. I gave Restored, Returned three stars rather than two because there is always a chance that the album may grow on me. Buy at your own risk, I think most people will agree it is not their favorite album out of the 4 available. However, this album may appeal to you so listen to the short, free snippets first.

This is a disappointing album from a trio that could do no wrong in the first three albums. They had a great recipe then decided to change what made them famous. I was so enthralled by their music I did not listen to the preview. I assumed they would make the same beautiful, crafted music. I am still a fan and would like to see them recover from this forgettable album. It is that BAD.

I can't listen to it anymore. The first time I listened to it I thought "this is different give it a chance". By the third, it gave me a headache and thought "throw it away". It's not Tord Gustavsen, it was Kristin Asbjørnsen. She is like a dying swan, asking to "please put me down". Her vocals are not bad, a strange avant garde Bonnie Tyler, raspy voice. She is not talentless just awfully annoying and totally out of place.

Give this recording a miss and buy the first three, pure magic.

Apaprently, Tord Gustavsen is experiencing that awful dip in terms of his composing and melody-creating abilities, after those so successful three albums. "Restored, returned" would hopefully be his worst.

I just came back from New York where last night I had a chance to see this breathtaking musicians performing together at Kaufman's Concert Hall. I think this album should be considered one of the most involving even in the ECM history in the past couple years!!! Gustavson's minimalistic, muted piano filled the audience with Scandinavian mood. The Kristin's vocal seems to be perfectly coordinated with the music material and simply Magical. I do not know any of the vocals that would make a better fit to this ensemble. I simply do not understand why any jazz/music lover would rate this work with one star!!! I give it easily 5 stars!!!

Nobody can't go wrong with this album and I really think that this position should be present in anyone's library - give it a try and you will not be disappointed! I would strongly suggest using high-end audio system (tube based) to fully appreciate the material as this is not one of those CDs that you can listen in your car on the go!!!!

Some listeners may be so under the spell of Tord Gustavsen's beautiful trio sound that they have difficulty opening to this evolution into a quintet with saxophone and vocals. But if they can open their ears they may hear a blossoming. The songs are soulful, moving; the lyrics are poems by W. H. Auden. Tore Brunborg, with just the right touch, and Kristin Asbjornsen, with her own heartfelt style, add a mellow brilliance to the trio's magic.