Raleigh: New Times in Black and White (2011)
A More Thoughtful, Elegant Indie
?If somebody wants a sheep, that is a proof that one exists.?
Antoine de Saint Exupéry, The Little Prince.
This last Tuesday, the trio Raleigh released its debut album, a wondrous opus with original musical motifs in droves. Clea Anaïs, Brock Geiger, and Matt Doherty blend cello, guitar, and drums to create little gems of aural and literary pulchritude.
To see their photos you’d assume that they’re merely playful artists, but their music reveals a rigorous artistic discipline.
There is a pattern: glowing seams of music are overlaid by other glowing seams of music until the song reaches a crescendo. The cello adds a poignant, tender serenity informed by heartache. Clea and Brock both have lovely voices and an intuitive singing relationship; these two were born to harmonize together.
Many of these tunes sound like they were written for electronic instruments, and It’s a delight to hear such music interpreted by cello. The cello is a bit of an anomaly in the alternative music world, which is a good thing: although a few bands have used it, its use is not frequent enough to make it cliché or to distract from the soulful quality of the instrument.
There is a wealth of melodic ideas here, many of which are reminiscent of ?60s prog rock and yet sound sparklingly new. And the lyrics are insightful explorations of inner landscapes.
Raleigh is currently touring Canada from east to west; check here for upcoming dates and venues.
