Woodbury, Brian: Rhapsody & Filigree

What do you do when two musicians have the same name resulting in confusion between the two? You have the other guy play on your new album. Based in Los Angeles, Brian Woodbury is a composer/lyricist/multi-instrumentalist who takes a multi genre approach to the music he creates. On his 2022 release titled Rhapsody & Filigree, the fourth and last volume in the Anthems & Antithets tetralogy, Woodbury sought fellow musician Dr. Brian W. Woodbury to play trombone. Just one of thirty-seven guest musicians listed in the credits.

The lead off track “Theseus Rex� is a nine-minute beast merging acoustic flavoured pop with a heavy-handed quirkiness recalling bands like XTC and 10cc. Offshoots of metal and funky rock have nods to Frank Zappa, there is certainly a humour factor running through the seventy-eight minute disc. Then its on to jazz with “The Other Brian Woodbury� featuring that other guy on trombone adding an excellent solo to the song’s swinging groove. The folky Broadway-esque “Where It Came From� has tasty acoustic guitar and a pleasant melody and the avant pop/jazz of “Two Halves� has Woodbury’s riveting trombone work. The irresistible vocal arrangement in the angular pop of “We Are The Sun" has Johnny Unicorn (Phideaux) contributing vocals, as the song changes direction in unexpected and delightful ways. “Dystopian Fantasy� is similarly twisted quirky pop, both melodic and challenging simultaneously.

That is just a taste of what you will find on this very absorbing and witty platter, so very eclectic and melodic, with unexpected surprises around every corner. Recommended.

Track Listing:
1. Theseus Rex
2. The Other Brian Woodbury
3. Where It Came From
4. Two Halves
5. We Are The Sun
6. Dystopian Fantasy
7. Everybody’s Gonna Be The Same
8. How Soon We Forget, How Long We Remember
9. The Honorable Mention
10. This Golden Hour
11. The Day The Music Never Died
12. Dilettante
13. Murderer
14. Intelligent Life
15. Bad Timing
16. When Byron Swam
17. Our Cattywampus World
18. Brief Mass

Added: October 1st 2023
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Artist on Bandcamp
Hits: 374
Language: english

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