Cedars

The ninth album from Stuart Hyatts collaborative Field Works project is a poetic song cycle about humanitys relationship with nature, and forests in particular. Unlike most of the projects releases, this one doesnt appear to incorporate field recordings of any sort -- no crackling autumn leaves or chirping birds are audible at any point. The instrumentation is largely acoustic, constructing ambient Americana soundscapes filled with gently plucked guitar, banjo, and oud melodies as well as rich strings and hurdy-gurdy drones. Throughout the first half of the album, Lebanese composer and musicologist Youmna Saba fluidly switches between speaking and singing lyrics in Arabic. Her words generally describe seeking refuge in the ancient forests and the night sky, escaping the chaos and injustice of society. Some of the pieces tremble with suspense and uncertainty, but it all feels like its part of a healing process, and moments like ’Aylūl seem like theyre on the verge of arriving at a sort of breakthrough. The second half of the album is a different story, but with similar themes. Indie country singer H.C. McEntire narrates a series of poems written by Todd Fleming Davis, and they relate to natural and human history, describing where we come from and how we use the earths resources. The rollicking, banjo-inflected The sharp smell of cedar is as crisp and earthy as its title sounds. Before were born starts out clear and vibrant, then gradually tones down and becomes blurrier after the lyrics mention the human body returning to the earth after passing. Some of the pieces starkly reference humanitys destruction of forests and stripping the earth of its minerals in order to serve societys needs, but the parts that mention aging and death respectfully regard them as inevitable stages of the cycle of life. As such, the overall tone of the pieces is warm, optimistic, and forgiving. ~ Paul Simpson