Customer Reviews

Thunderhead

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

 

 

Dalglish and Larsen were the core that later became Metamora. These are two incredible musicians playing instrumental music only. Dalglish is one of the best hammer dulcimer players in the world, and combines brilliantly with Larsen's melodic flute (and other instruments). This is an album I never tire of.

I first heard Malcolm Dalglish and Grey Larsen in a little club in Ohio in the late 1970s, and was a dedicated fan of theirs from then on, up through the time they joined with Pete Sutherland to form Metamora. Then the group split apart, Larsen and Sutherland disappeared, and Dalglish is keeping a very low profile, doing mostly stage shows for children. To this day I don't understand what happened; dueling egos, perhaps? In any case, Dalglish's hammer dulcimer playing is exquisite, and Larsen is an expert on virtually every other instrument known to man. Thunderhead is my favorite of all their albums; their trademark combination of airy grace, sinuous melody and poignant harmonies is, to my mind, heard to better effect here than on any other album they ever made (and their other albums are great!).

"Banish Misfortune" was the first album I heard from the Dalglish/Larsen team and I still listen to it with joy (bought it when new in 1978). Thunderhead is lighter in character than BM and it would be a good place to start for those unfamiliar with the airy sound of the dulcimer. "...Stolen Apples" is a very complex song and a good sample of their style and virtuosity. As a kid, our family would travel to Nashville, Indiana to the village market there and listen to Banish Misfortune the entire trip - up and back... it's a testimony to the music that you can listen to it and get something new each time. Thunderhead is well worth having in your collection. It's terrific music!

I can't agree more with the other three reviews that were written before this. I too never tire of listening this album. One part that I always find particularly thrilling and exciting is in the final piece, when the rhythm suddenly changes to 7/8, which, strange as it may seem, gives an incredible boost of energy to the piece.

Why aren't there more albums by Malcolm Dalglish or this team? I would buy them in a second.