MUSIC REVIEW: They Were Here

           

Producer-percussionist Byron Metcalf and singer-songwriter-author Jennifer Grais have managed to blend their two passions for music and shamanic healing into one hauntingly beautiful collaborative concept album. The artists' shamanic influences are quite apparent in the vibe of this latest work, They Were Here, exploring the plight of America’s wild horses. The energy of the music is both reverent and mournful as they explore the ongoing mistreatment and loss of these magnificent creatures, one of our most unique national treasures.

            

Jennifer Grais: singer-songwriter and author of "Christa's Luck."

This album is less song-oriented than others, rather, it functions more like one complete, flowing work of art. Native American influences run thick in the veins of They Were Here to create the perfect setting for such a tale. Metcalf provides the majority of the instrumentation including frame drums, rattles, udu, ceremonial drums and synthesizer.  His characteristic style of tribal-trance drumming is the energy that fuels this piece, providing the driving force that echoes the sounds of horse hooves galloping with intense gusto. Ron Oates lends a helping hand on keyboard, synthesizers and orchestral arrangements as well. Jennifer Grais’ heart-wrenchingly beautiful vocals soar like an eagle to perfectly accompany the earthiness of the instrumentals.

Byron Metcalf, award-winning musician & shamanic practitioner.

The title track sets the mood for the album as it opens with the sounds of horses galloping as the earth stirs underneath their hooves. Slowly, the ambient music sets in like a looming mist that rises incrementally. The sound of Dashmesh Khalsa on didgeridoo wavers ominously in the background as Grais’ mournful vocalizations take the forefront. Henceforth, the songs get incrementally more intense as the story lingers on until reaching a crescendo in the fourteen-minute “Run.” Fiercely carried by driving beats and Grais’ intense, almost desperate chants, the track sets the scene of wild horses fleeing their native homes. Wrapping up the album, “Song for Solo” feels like an ending to a melancholic story, one that is very personal to Grais. It emanates a sense of mourning for what has been lost, yet incorporates sounds of nature, providing a reminder that life carries on ever still.

With They Were Here, Byron Metcalf manages to create a concept piece using ambient music. Utilizing his creative ways with music, he manages to create a soundscape that brings awareness to mother earth.  This album is available on Amazon and iTunes. For more information, and to experience the music, visit www.byronmetcalf.com.

-Samantha Garcia, BEING

Music Review

THE NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE AS THERAPY by Micki Free

Micki Free's new album on Mysterium Music

Micki Free is no stranger to the music world.  At the ripe age of 17, the one and only Gene Simmons discovered him while playing a show. Simmons instantly recognized his budding talents. Although his heart was instantly drawn to rock and roll, Free has always had a deep-rooted sense of pride for his Native American roots. In 2003, he decided to follow the path of his heritage and incorporate the flute into his music.

Photo By Kim Maney

In his latest release, The Native American Flute as Therapy, Free takes the soul-soothing power of his Native American flute and turns it into his own brand of guided meditation.  The opening track, “White Candle Light” sets the stage for the spiritually enlightening experience to follow.  “The Healing Bath” makes the listener become aware of their existence by bringing attention to the corporeal aspects of being human.  The swooning vocals and low-key instrumentals (Brother Paul Brown on Hammond B3 and Fender) emit a sense of languid dreaminess. My personal favorite, “Lavender Kiss” explains the significance of lavender and the effects it can have on the human psyche. The wind chime-infused track is capable of walking anyone out of a heightened state of anxiety or worry. 

Performing in the Grand Canyon
Photo By Kim Maney

Further down the line, the title track “The Native American Flute as Therapy” hits some heavy topics.  He retells an encounter in which a woman asking if the Native American flute could cure cancer confronted him. He explains the ways in which the soothing sounds are beneficial to healing. The sonic bath which ensues is far more intense than the other tracks on this record. In this track, the sound of rain, chanting, and flute combine to create the perfect meditative state. “Heart Release” is when the listener gets to let it all go. Guided breathing is the theme of this particular track along with a bit more of a down-tempo vibe.  After the journey is complete, Micki's plaintive version of Neil Young's classic “Down By the River” feels like a warm hug that congratulates the listener on their healing process. 

A radical change is apparent in Micki Free’s musical stylings here, and it is clear that he means to channel his energy into something beneficial to the greater good. In a world full of anger and animosity, Free’s meditative flute album provides a guiding light through the darkness. 

More info at Mysterium Music.

  - Samantha Garcia, BEING

Micki Free in Cottonwood, AZ 2016.
 Photo by Debra Donovan