Of the album Phantom Orchard, Amazon reviewer Penril wrote, "I got word of Zeena Parkins by listening, as many people, to Björk and watching her live shows. I remember Zeena playing the harp, the electric harp, celeste and the accordeon in the same gig, which I thought was wonderful. Then I started digging for her own music, and I came to Phantom Orchard. I wasn't surprised to see that the album was a collaboration, and then I was a little perplexed to find that the collaboration was with Ikue Mori, as I had only seen a very harmonic side (muscially speaking) of Zeena Parkins with the song "Generous Palmstroke" she wrote with Björk.
To be honest I didn't know what to expect, and then the beautiful tension of "Jezebel" started. I felt I was being abducted by aliens with the first electronic sounds of the track. Then the harp started, and gave the melody a very interesting twist, making it very mysterious and giving it a somewhat crystal cave feeling to it. I can't say I wasn't disturbed by the sounds that were entering my ears at first, but later on I found them brilliant.
It's actually very hard to explain this album with words, it's one of those you'd have to listen for yourself. The most similar thing I can think of is Björks "Drawing Restraint 9", composed for Mathew Barneys movie, and even with the minimalistic eccentric sounds the soundtrack for DR9 has to offer, it really isn't as phantasmagoric and alien-like as Phantom Orchard."
An evening with Phantom Orchard, Zeena Parkins and Ikue Mori, will be presented by minicine? on Sat, Ap 25, at McNeil Pumping Station (north of Big D's BBQ on Common St). $10 donation.
Soundscapes by regional artists, says David Nelson, will include
Generic Air (Peter Fetterman & Destiny Toro)
Ian Quiet
Jon Mackey
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