Review Summary: This is completely minimalistic.
This is completely brilliant.
I would venture to say that Hungry Ghosts may be the most under-appreciated minimalist masterminds of all time. Hardly anyone knew of them, hardly anyone knows of them. They released two albums, their self-titled album in 1997, and Alone, Alone in 1999. Then, they moved on.
If my mind, or anyone elses' for that matter, was organized, this is what thinking would sound like.
If the wind through the trees made musical notes, it would sound like this album.
If the feeling of sitting alone in the darkness produced music, it would sound like this.
If the sunrise sang, it'd sound like "Alone, Alone."
If the revolution of a country had a soundtrack, it would sound like this album.
If life itself could produce musical scores, it would produce that of Hungry Ghosts.
I know, it's impossible for an album to sound like that. But, this album does sound exactly like that. It's beautiful. At times, it emanates a feeling of overwhelming peace, at other moments, it's excruciatingly unnerving. Hungry Ghosts have done a phenomenal job at capturing every essence of life, and cramming it into a 15 track long acoustic album. Not one word is uttered on this album, not one keyboard or synthesizer is used, not a single one. This album is silence in the form of music. It's musical silence. Hungry Ghosts have managed to do something that almost every well-meaning musician has aspired to do, make an intensely emotional album. However, they have managed to pull this off without the use of any digital instruments, without the use of overpowering drums, without the use of a catchy bass line, they have done it with only the use of violins, guitars, accordians, and sparsely placed drums.
If you can find this album by these Australian musicians, pick it up without hesitation. It's absolutely breathtaking.
Highlights:
Every single song.
Best when:
Listened to while sitting outside in the mountains, staying up late at night, or during a thunderstorm.
