Primal Prayer

Beverly Glenn-Copelands fourth album appeared in 2004, shortly after the artist began publicly identifying as a transgender man. Primal Prayer was originally released under the name Phynix, acknowledging his personal and creative rebirth. Prior to the release of this album, his music had evolved from the poetic jazz-folk of his early-70s work to the new age meditations of 1986s Keyboard Fantasies. This was all concurrent with his long-running career in childrens television, which included an acting role on Mr. Dressup as well as songwriting for Sesame Street and Shining Time Station. Primal Prayer is an ambitious fusion of dance-informed electronic production, global influences, and spiritual lyrics. "La Vita" opens the album with lightly knocking breakbeats and operatic mezzo-soprano vocals, before Glenn-Copeland urgently sings about working hard while remembering to enjoy life. The oddly sinister "Back to Bachland" layers multiple tracks of chanted vocals and electronic polyrhythms, switching up the beat halfway through. Songs like the delicate "Heaven in Your Heart" and the more carnivalesque yet comforting "This Side of Grace" contain gospel harmonies and inspirational messages, pleading the audience to find compassion from within. "In the Image" is more pop-inspired, with old-school hip-hop breakbeats driving Glenn-Copelands joyous "get up and dance" hook. He sounds positively entranced during "Between the Veils," singing about a sensual, physical experience ("I feel my molecules arise") over chugging midtempo dance beats and avant-garde flute trills. "A Little Talk" continues in a similar mood, and has some of the records most stirring vocal performances. The album ends with "A Song and Many Moons," a fusion of trip-hop rhythms and blues-rock guitars. ~ Paul Simpson