Customer Reviews

So Flows the Current

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

SO FLOWS THE CURRENT marks the first Patrick O'Hearn release on his new patrickohearn.com label and the production is immaculate, proving that going "indie" doesn't mean sacrificing quality. O'Hearn has demonstrated considerable maturity throughout the 90's, hinting at an album of this caliber. SO FLOWS THE CURRENT is a beautiful, serene album that is far more subdued and acoustic than his earlier "trademark" electronic sound (Here, "Panning the Sands" revisits this classic style). The opener, "A Lovely Place to Be", is sprinkled with gentle acoustic guitar by Peter Maunu and sounds like the gradual awakening from a dream on a gorgeous sunny morning. The title track is perhaps my favorite: ethereal, cyclical guitar by David Torn backed by O'Hearn's acoustic bass and masterful synth ambience. "The Cold Sea's Embrace" is a mournful yet beautiful classical-esque piece with cello; "Northwest Passage" conjures up a haunting and forboding atmosphere with eastern melodies; and "Beyond the Moment" is sad and longing. I suppose much of this album is a bit sad in tone, but it is also very powerful and demonstrates some of Patrick O'Hearn's most passionate and intimate songwriting to date.

This is absolutely the best record Patrick has ever done. I've been a fan now since around the time Indigo came out (which was his best until this one). It is a little more mellow than some of his previous efforts, but every track is very carefully worked out and full of rich detail. There are some moments on trust and Metaphor where it sounds like he's on auto pilot- never anywhere on this record.

The strong presence of the acoustic instruments compliments what he's doing so well.

Four or five people I've played this for, went out and got their own copies immediately. That's unusual.

I don't know what else to say. He's never been better, and I have a feeling he'll never top this one. While I like Beautiful World, it doesn't come close to the level of aching beauty on this record.

I have done an electronic/atmospheric radio program in L.A. for almost four years and have the chance to listen to plenty of music. This is one of the best cds I have heard in these genres. What a soundscape Patrick creates. From beginning to end this album flows beautifully.

Complicated sounds can certainly be beautiful in the hands of a great composer (Jarre's Equinoxe). But that doesn't mean that simplicity cannot be made into beauty. This album is simple and the melodies slow-paced but they create an amazing feel. I have listened to the album without doing anything and taking all of the sounds in, I've painted to it, driven long distances to it, read to it; it's simply amazing. And it always gives more in time. It is not an album that I've gotten tired of by any means.

Stylistically the first piece is very slow and majestic; the second piece is a bit more driven with a slow heavy beat; the third piece is sad and so beautiful! Four is like #2 and five is a beautiful work too; note that the last three tracks almost constitute a suite onto themselves because they so naturally flow together; I'd recommend listening to the whole thing at night with the lights out on good headphones or speakers and doing nothing else.

We're blessed to have compositions of such sheer beauty in the world. Keep up the great work Patrick. Looking forward to the next album.

...and well worth the wait. This is a wonderful CD!! The music ranges from a quiet cello piece through to a wonderful guitar cut, as well as O'Hearns usual intelligent, melodic synthesizer tapestries. It has been a long time since the release of his last CD, and there seems to have been some really difficult times since the last release (read the interview in the latest New Age Voice Magazine). Despite the troubles, O'Hearn has succeeded in putting out a CD which likely become a classic in his portfolio. I've played EVERY CUT so far on a public radio program in Alaska. It is really rare to be able to use all the material from a CD, you know how that is--there's usually one or two cuts you really like and the rest are kinda OK. On this CD, all of the cuts are excellent. They are all different, however. The first is very ambient. Contrast that with the second cut which is a lively electronic piece with jazzy overtones. The third features the cello, and is slow, and contemplative. The fourth sounds like classic O'Hearn, and features large electronics. The fifth cut is the guitar lament, a wonderful, soulful melody...and so on. So now, listen to the samples, buy the CD and ENJOY!!

I remember the excitement when I browsed on the internet back in the opening days of 2001 when I learned of a then new album entitled "So Flows The Current" by my favorite New Age Meistro Patrick O'Hearn especially after years of almost total silence. I ran full force to the Barnes & Noble music store to buy it on July 28, 2001 and let me tell you, this album was totally WORTH THE LONG WAIT! I can't say I felt that way when I first listened to it the day I bought it but as it sunk in over time, I came to the conclusion that this was a total rebirth of O'Hearn's music legacy and the start of a new era and out of them, I would actually say that it is his best album to date!

Like "Metaphor" from five years before, "So Flows The Current" has a far more tribal, ethnic quality to it's sound versus his more familiar works from the Private Music era and it even is different from even the Deep Cave albums "Trust" and "Metaphor" since SFTC combines the best of both worlds on some of the tracks and even has it's own original style with more guitars both acoustic and electric done to epic effects throughout the tracks most notably on "Panning The Sands", "Beyond This Moment", and especially "Northwest Passage", the latter of which is perhaps the most un-O'Hearn-like track that I've ever heard, even when stacked against the experimental "Slow Time". I've read a lot of critical reviews praising this album and the one that said that this is his `most consistent albums' is absolutely right. SFTC actually is in my opinion anyway his most consistent set of works and flows perfectly from the somber opening minor note of "Lovely Place" to the peaceful joyful major notes of "Traveler's Rest".

I have loved Patrick O'Hearn's music for many years owning all of his cd's, and have waited 4 years for this release. Well the wait is finally over, and "So Flows The Current" was worth it. Although this offering is not as electronic as his previous releases such as "Metaphor" and "Trust", there are elements of his earlier masterpieces sprinkled throughout this wonderful listening experience. I have listened to the entire cd 4 times in a row, and it just keeps drawing me in with each successive listen. I've always wondered where artists get the names for their songs, a very personal, painstaking process in some cases I'm sure. With that in mind the first track, "A Lovely Place To Be" is my favorite thus far. A slow paced, melancholy piece this song has hypnotized me as I imagine where this "Lovely Place To Be" might actually be. It certainly reminds me of the most serene, tranquil moments in my life. Peter Maunu's acoustic guitar work here is masterful. I hope they continue to collaborate. I have listened to O'Hearn's work for the last four years, finding new favorites with each listen. They have never lost their resonance on me. I hope I don't have to wait four more years for O'Hearn's next offering. But if I do, I have no doubt "So Flows The Current" will be just as fresh and exciting in 2005 as it is now in 2001. Buy this cd if you've ever liked O'Hearn's earlier work. If this is your introduction to the genius of Patrick O'Hearn, you won't be disappointed.

After a tortuously long wait O'Hearn has managed to turn in yet a(nother) simply flawless performance. Noticeably devoid of his trademark electronic sampling this time around, his latest is a bit more mellow, a touch more "organic", a shade more hearfelt than his others. You won't find any danceable grooves or tribal overtones on this album ... instead he paints for us a decidedly more serene and sensitive aural landscape by utilizing a more acoustic palette. The end result is a refreshingly bold and evolutionary step forward in O'Hearn's already distinguished musical career. I have a lot of respect for this artist, and have been a devoted fan since his first album over ten years ago. He has consistently impressed me with his imagination and innovative style. Whether you're a long-time fan like me or a relative newcomer, this album is absolutely required in your own collection -- you won't be disappointed. This is simply one of those rare gems which was well worth the wait!

I can never get enough of this amazing album from Patrick.

This CD does continue the more acoustic sounds of his "Trust" and "Metaphor" albums but incorporates some new exotic sounds as well as bringing some of the more electronic styles back especially on "Panning The Sands".

"A Lovely Place To Be" made me cry with it's soaring dark cloudy evening beauty.

The best song on here is the title track and like a previous review somewhere said, this song brilliantly samples part of "The Lone Man" from "Trust" and builds a totally different song out of it. Brilliant!

The last three songs are the gems on here. "Northwest Passage" has a very spooky misty sound to it that reminds me of dark clouds gathering overhead. The guitar parts are very piercing but haunting in intensity. "Like So Muhc Lost Time" is a sad and dark ambient classic. Things though clear out and the sun shines on the final classic "Traveler's Rest". THis song is totally opposite to the previosu two tracks, being sunny and warm in mood almost like the storm clouds clearing out and moving away and the sun shining. This is just a marvelous closer.

Definately buy this album. O'Hearn hasn't sounded this great since "Indigo".

I was delighted to see Patrick O'Hearn come out with a largely acoustic album. This opus is marvelous with many textures and sonic adventures. It is very different than his previous (and sometimes overly-electronic) albums.... this one has human feel and emotion running through it. Bravo!

The track I enjoy the most is "Northwest Passage"... but do not be fooled... this is no Eskimo inspried work... this is totally middle-eastern in construction and feel. You almost hear the sounds of the Baghdad of legend here.... flying carpets and all!! It is mesmerizing, captivating, and haunting!

This is an extrodinary album... and I play it often.... kudos to Patrick!!

I just want to be able to tell how great this CD really is-AMAZING!!

After nearly five years of waiting Patrick put what I can only describe his best album not only in years but maybe his best ever. This album is a like Mataphor and Trust in some ways. It's rather acoustic in sound but with his trademark sound still existant.

However the mood of this album is different from the previous and in my opinion breaks new grounds in the arc of excellent music he has done.

A Lovely Place To Be is a beautiful instrumental ambient track with acoustic guitars laced with soaring keyboards. So Flows The Current has blips of The Lone Man from his Trust album. It then builds up into a groovy ambient track. The Cold Seas embrace is a mellow song with a cello playing( A wonderful surprise). Panning The Sands a hounting song with thundering beats combined with the electronic ambient sound that kinda is like the title track to his El Dorado album from a long time ago but much darker and more laid. Beyond This Moment is probably the most acoustic song Patrick has ever composed. It is almost like somthing youd hear from a flamenco record. I almost though " what the hell is this" but I have since come to like this song. It has echoing pianos and it kinda sounds sort of like Let Truth Prevail from the Metaphor album. Along The Waterfront is the a very haunting song with echoing pianos and almost bluesy guitars that almost sound like those from James Bond. Such a beautiful song. Northwest Passage is a spooky intense with tribal drums combined with a very stormy atmosphere, sort of like dark grey clouds looming over the landscape. Like So Much Lost Time is pure ambience. It is a song I would be playing when looking at the sky when it is grey and and dark out. All of a sudden however at the ending the minor depressing sound give away to a bright major note ushering in Traveler's Rest. This song is like the dark coulds breaking up with the sun shining though. It is a very well done song. It has amazing acoustic guitar playing. It is a stunning closer to this masterpiece.

As a whole this is probably Patricks best album since Indigo. [...] this album I think breaks new ground in Patrick's amazing talent.

I say go get this CD. It's so much better than the average typical dull New Age music.