Rachel Grimes
(Self-Released)
Fourteen pensive piano compositions make up this self-produced solo effort from Rachel Grimes. Grimes, who is best known for her work with the classically inspired post-rock trio Rachel's, has long been concerned with minimalism. So perhaps it make sense that these liquid tracks have a sound-track-ish feel, creating mood rather than linear progression out of repeated chords and buried melodic lines.
Quite pretty, but a bit static, the album reaches a modest peak in its midsection, with the pedal-fogged "Mossgrove" and the delicate, nearly jazz-like runs and flourishes of "Bloodroot." "Starwhite," near the end, sets widely spaced chords set against deep pools of silence, the piece nearly motionless and utterly tranquil. Grimes is no technical virtuoso, and her pieces lack the drama of thematic development or much dynamic variation. Still, there's a fundamental serenity in these compositions that some listeners will find appealing.
Standout tracks: "Mossgrove," "Starwhite" JENNIFER KELLY
