Alderman - Visions

Hear The Track Here

The Vikings are coming! The Vikings are coming! Well, one of them anyway... Alderman isn't really a Viking, for a start he's from Stockholm, Sweden - not a country that has been known to pillage and rape with abandon. They do, however, spit out some extremely competent and entertaining musicians, many of which are my own personal favourites. So I would be remiss if I didn't make you aware that Alderman has been a required listen in my house for at least the last two years. In fact, in my first review of any of his works back in 2004, I said he was an artist to watch and he's proved me as omnipotent as I am egotisical. Mind you, when you work - on an ever changing basis - with some of the finest musicians around on Soundclick, you sure better know your stuff and Alderman has learned that lesson well.

Grasshopper.

Visions is (apparently) the next instalment of the Reflection series - the first one being the Reflection track itself which you will also find on his Soundclick page. Joined on this track by one Christopher Martin Hansen, it added considerably to the constant allure of this track as I watched it take shape on another forum (hey rey). It also helps that I admire CMH greatly as a guitarist of note as I've mentioned every time I've reviewed his work. Given the build up then, Visions better deliver and it truly does - on every level known to man. A deeply satisfying, semi classical ear binge with both artists playing and performing with a confidence and authority that will gain this track endless plays, something it well deserves. It's a given that CMH can do no wrong for me, but I have had the odd disagreement or two with Leif (aka Alderman) but not in this case because it's his work in the song structure and scoring of main instruments that is the jewel of this track.

It's string based arrangement sounds pretty tedious on paper: cellos, violins etc but works such a treat in real life. My first shock was the (probably unknown) Eleanor Rigby reference the strings carried for me. It didn't wear off as I explored the tune further either but has become one of the listening highlights for me. It only really occurs in the intro but was such a strong hook for me, it took a while for the whole track to sink in properly. When it did what I found was a work of patience, love and lots and lots of effort culminating in something that borrows from classical sources, by way of George Martin, metamorphosing into the work of beauty that is Visions. It also reinforces the fact that we dont hear anywhere near enough of CMH in his own right, it's been a while since I've heard something new from him but hey - this is more than enough to be going on with. This is a collaboration blessed with everything that makes good music - a great idea created to perfection. It is, of course, a.....

MUST HAVE (betcha)