Greybrow - The Lark's Lament

Hear The Track Here

Another six months go by and along comes another Greybrow track. Seems to be becoming a habit with this musician; either that or he's avoiding me. Can't think why he would avoid me though (Ed: aside from the normal reasons) because I don't think he has ever given me anything I felt I could give him grief over, in fact I've even raved about a couple of his pieces. Still he is a dad and all that entails and I know from personal experience how much time two growing boys can demand of their father. Anyway, MP3 Unsigned has a Modern Composers section that I always find enjoyable, because the music is usually of a much higher standard than you would have expected - viz my review this month of another MP3 Unsigned Modern Composer - AndyF. Should tell you something when I lump these two artists together like that, expect quality and no less.

'I went for haunting and melancholy with this one' Greybrow states proudly in the track comments and just a quick listen to the first minute or so of this magnum opus will show you that the boy done nailed it. The first two minutes of the track instantly swept me away to my favourite part of the British Isles (Ed: not England, repeat NOT England), the Western Highlands of Scotland; the lilting, haunting refrain instantly conjuring up the sense of awe and majesty I always experience in that part of the world - surely Gods Own Country. On the face of it, the tune seems to repeat itself (with some additions) throughout the next two minutes of life with only the slightest deviation from the overall lilt of the opening sequence.

Absolutely, should I be asked, I would say this is an IDEAL soundtrack for that kind of vista in either a documentary or even an ad; it has the same feel - for example - as the piece of music used in the award winning and justly famed Ridley Scott Hovis ads. The track is scored extremely sparsely, as I've mentioned, using at most five or six instruments but that doesn't detract whatsoever from its impact and breadth; less is often a lot, lot more. When you've played this more than a few dozen times it's initial appeal seems to flag but there again most tracks do. While semi-classical pieces aren't really my forte if I was in the mood for that, this would be the very first track I would reach for right now. An excellent piece of work for which Greybrow should take a bow.

Highly Recommended Modern Composer.