PAT METHENY & LYLE MAYS: AS FALLS WICHITA, SO FALLS WICHITA FALLS

Pat Metheny produces a very unique album here: the side 1 contains an epic jazz ambient New Age track: Lyle Mays plays the modern keyboards, rather floating, and Metheny plays miscellaneous string instruments; this eponymous track slowly starts with melodic & echoed exotic string instruments, and then Nana Vasconcelos' rhythmic & primitive percussions appear, while Lyle Mays plays some slightly obscure keyboards textures, followed by a very good organ bit; the last part consists in a densely floating atmosphere, increasing in intensity with a slow rhythm, leading to delightful floating & saturated streams of modern keyboards, into which are incorporated memorable young kids voices: A GREAT MOMENT WITH LYLE MAYS!!

The side 2 is completely different: it starts with "Ozark", a dynamic track, full of lively & fast jazzy piano and acoustic guitars. The next track, "September 15th", starts with a beautiful combination of tender & melodic acoustic guitars and modern floating keyboards, slightly reminding Genesis' "Blood on the rooftops"; the second part is just simply graceful: a moving & expressive piano part accompanied with delicate acoustic guitars: BEAUTIFUL! "It's for you" is very catchy and rhythmic: indeed it has beautiful melodic keyboards and electric guitars successively played through a very rhythmic combination of acoustic guitars and synthesizer emulating a powerful and very bottom bass. The last track "Estupenda graça" is just a graceful mix of male chant, melodic piano, female whispers and delicate percussion imitating some quiet birds.

Rating: 4.5 stars