About Ethan Nahté
Location: Dallas
Occupation: Video & Film Producer/Director, Journalist, Titan Comics, Broadcast Coordinator
Bio: Began playing music in clubs @ the age of 13 while simultaneously getting published in school mags. Moved on to TV and has shot everything from naked women to wolves! He's traveled a 1/2 mile under the earth and a 1/2 mile above with his cameras! Currently working on a documentary, a book and attempts to sleep. LIVE'N'LOUD
Posts: 281
More from this author
Folk music can be beautiful, can tell a story or can state a cause. Performance art rock, such as Laurie J. Anderson can be a blend of music, unusual sounds while reciting poetry or singing. When the two come together, I’m sure there is the possibility of the outcome being something fantastic. No doubt it will be definitely unique.
That is what British singer/songwriter/acoustic guitarist Charlie Beresford has done. There are not really any unusual sounds, but there are odd pieces of music that are combined with some singing and moments of simply speaking. Unfortunately, some of these moments are so low on the frequency and volume spectrum that they almost become mumbling.
His latest album, The Room Is Empty is a 14 track look into the abyss. The lyrics are dark and moody while the acoustic guitar is accompanied by Tim Harries’ double bass and Mark Emerson on either the violin, viola or accordion. Occasionally, Rosie Green supplies backing vox for songs dealing with loss, pain and possibly even suicide on “Hard Surface.”
The downer lyrics aren’t what bother me, though. It’s the fact that without a compressor and equalizer, there is no one true setting to set your stereo so you can hear all of the parts. One minute it’s so soft you wonder if the music is still playing and then it suddenly jumps to plus 40 decibels. I can understand the effect that tone and volume can have when being creative, but not to the point that it makes the music just difficult to listen to as Beresford’s voice just drags on and on. The master tapes for The Room Is Empty should probably take the advice of “Hard Surface” and take a flying leap off of a really high building.
