Durant, Jon/Robert Jürjendal: Across The Evening

I first became familiar with American experimental guitarist Jon Durant reviewing his Burnt Belief project with Colin Edwin (Marillion) and their album Emergent. Durant’s latest offering titled Across The Evening has him pairing with Estonian guitarist Robert Jürjendal. The band members are:

Jon Durant (electric 12 string and fretless guitar)
Robert Jürjendal (electric, acoustic and touch guitars, guitar synth)
Colin Edwin (fretless bass on tracks 1, 5 and 6)
Aleksei Saks (trumpet on tracks 3, 6 and 8)
Andi Pupato (percussion on tracks 1 and 6)
Inna Kovtun (vocals on track 9)

Moody and atmospheric, Across The Evening sounds great on a good set of headphones. Trippy atmospheres can be found all over the place as the various species of guitar makes for some otherworldly sounds. The musicians are world class and the recording quality is what you would expect from players of this caliber.

Like the other works I have heard from Durant, the individual tracks can be described as designed soundscapes, each one possessing interesting and creative song craft. The first track “Early Evening Colors� is a subtle excursion into textural guitar work and at times a dense wall of instrumentation. I was reminded of Roxy Music’s Avalon, minus the vocals. More other worldly guitar textures can be found in the stunning “Distance Groove� and the mellow but gorgeous “Reflective Sea�. The sound becomes more distorted in “Mirage� boasting an Eastern influence and in “Beguiling Eyes� the blending of trumpet, fretless guitar and bass makes for a truly hypnotic experience.

As is always the case with Durant’s music, Across The Universe has plenty to offer progressive minded listeners, especially those who welcome a more laid back and ambient experience. A highly recommended Alchemy Records release.

Track Listing:
1. Early Evening Colors (5:04)
2. Distance Groove (3:58)
3. Reflective Sea (6:43)
4. Mirage (4:32)
5. Leading Indicator (4:30)
6. Beguiling Eyes (8:29)
7. On The Water (5:56)
8. Return to Russia (live) (7:49)
9. Balkan Blue (live) (6:11)

Added: December 13th 2020
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Artist's Official Site
Hits: 734
Language: english

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