Vagabond Opera - The Zeitgeist Beckons
This album is a must listen for any musician. I have listened to vocals before but nothing like I have heard on this album and listening to them live. I thought when I first heard this album that the vocals were all tweaked by the engineer but when you see and hear them live you will be amazed. This was the first time that I have heard and watched someone fill the room with his vocals by standing in the middle of the room at the Mansion.
I will just write down a couple of genres that are played on this album because there are just too many to name, Cabaret, and song/ genre that has an accordion and a Cello in it, Yiddish music. And Amazing Opera Vocals.
The members of Vagabond Opera on The Zeitgeist Beckons album are Eric Stern on Accordion, Vocals, and Piano. Lesley Kernochan on Vocals, Alto Saxophone, Robin Jackson Vocals, Tenor Saxophone, Ewalt VonKuske on Cello and Vocals. Jason Flores on Bass, and Mark Burdon on Drums.
If it isn’t the vocals that catch your ears which I guarantee that they will the instruments being played should. I for the most part enjoy alternative and rock but a few tracks on this album are catchy including The Party (after a minute into the song), Ganef ( vocals and stage performance of the song). To Truly appreciate the album you have to see them play live.
This Zeitgeist Beckons has many attributes that makes this album so appealing. For example the song “Mon Amy” even though I do not understand a word what is being sung, the vocals are what I am listening to. The way the vocals are being rolled out of Lesleys mouth is amazing and the tones that are hit are excellent.
One of my more favourite tracks off of the album is “The Party” but after a minute into the song. The song starts off slow compared to the rest of the song. One of the reasons why I enjoy this song is the arrangement of the instruments and the vocals. The instruments blend in really nicely with each other, even when the cello is on a solo and the other instruments kick in quietly behind the solo. The song is also a great pick me up song as well, I just wish the song would have finished strong instead of a quiet close to the song.
Matt Hartwick
MattHartwick@KingstonMusicReviews.CA
Myspace.com/vagabondopera