CD REVIEW
(A SEASON IN HELL)
4 stars
HELL has never been this appealing. In its second interpretative journey into the works of Arthur Rimbaud — after The Drunken Boat — the quintet takes as inspiration the prose poem A Season in Hell, written after the poet’s unhappy relationship with Paul Verlaine.
Composers Eugene Ball (trumpet) and Geoff Hughes (guitar) bring eight harmonically rich and darkly beautiful pieces to the quintet, with Nick Haywood on bass and Phillip Noy on saxophones.
Browne‘s understated drums perfectly complement breathy trumpet, plaintive sax and brooding guitar in conveying dreamy musing, wistful longing and hymn-like majesty.
At times unexpectedly upbeat, this airing of Rimbaud’s angst may seem too pleasing for an elegy.
File beside: Stu Hunter
Download: The Enemy Within
ROGER MITCHELL
This review appeared in the Play section of the Sunday Herald Sun in July 2010.
