I must be honest. For me, a majority of the singer / songwriter genre is not my taste. Granted, some I like very much. When it’s done right, it’s quite astonishing in its depth of communication and expression. But most of it is somewhat anemic to my ears. So, if I give someone of this general genre a listen, I tend to be somewhat critical. I look for imaginative technique; and most important, some way their music invokes an emotional response in me.
So, putting my didactic curmudgeon personality in check for a moment, I gave Lyndol Descant’s new release All Love an objective listen.
I’m glad I did.
A native of Houston, Texas, Lyndol Descant who’s a member of MFM began studying classical piano and choral voice at an early age. She drew inspiration from her travels in France, exposure to live musical improvisation, and the 90’s era ‘keep it weird’ culture of Austin, TX. Her studies of photography, painting, writing, and her path as a mystic provided the inspiration she needed. Descant discovered the power of creativity to bring peace and love to the world.
The first track, “Vicious Valentine,” begins with a somewhat startling use of a simple tonic / dominant, over which a lilting, bouncy vocal line jumps to the forefront. Within seconds, a tambourine whisks the listener into a lively rhythm. An engaging keyboard chord progression provides support for Descant’s poetic storytelling.
“Storm” built upon a fascinating piano figure, and held some interesting harmonic surprises.
Other interesting tracks include “Sex Wars;” a dark, foreboding exploration of the friction that occurs in human sexuality. “All Love,” is my personal favorite on this CD. It exploit’s Descant’s best use of the smoothly engaging rhythms, and her harmonic and melodic style.
Descant’s music is, at the heart, the work of a storyteller. She has a view of the world and her place in it, and uses her music to communicate this. There’s very little about her music that is not autobiographical. Her songs are pages from a diary which she opens and reads to her listeners.