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SEPTEMBER 9, 1997
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Source: Progrography
http://www.connollyco.com/discography/jon_anderson/earthmother.html
Review: earthmotherearth
By Dave Connolly
earthmotherearth
Produced by Jon Anderson
Released on September 9, 1997
Earthmotherearth is a homespun effort: Jon wraps the sound of his home
(birds, cats, wife Jane) into his acoustic songs. In some ways this is a
return to the musical terrain of Olias of Sunhillow -- the mixture of harp,
acoustic guitar and vocals create the same sweeping effect -- though this
takes a more natural approach where Olias was supernatural. Fans of Jon
Anderson will probably enjoy this album from the start; detractors will
find fuel in the moments when Jon steps back from songwriting (e.g., the
three Harptree pieces and segues like “Scraggle Cat and Puss Cat Willum”).
Despite the light arrangements (bass and an additional guitar are added
occasionally for color only), many of the songs are terrific. “Time Has
Come,” “Concerto Uno,” “Concerto Due” and “Whalewatching” are transparent
but at their core is the framework of wonder. As with all of Jon’s albums
in the ‘90s, Earthmotherearth is different than anything before or after
it. Here, the singer steps back from creating music in a studio, and
instead creates a studio for his music using nature. Jane also gets a few
cameos, including some spoken poetry as well as lead vocals for the
delightful “Heaven Knows (Treehugging).” (I don’t think there’s anyone in
that family who doesn’t have a beautiful voice.) Earthmotherearth reminds
me that Anderson (and, thus, Yes) was influenced by the work of Simon &
Garfunkel, this time leaning toward the Garfunkel side of that team.
Anderson has had such success exploring outside of his natural element
(Deseo, Change We Must) that Earthmotherearth seems like an easy feat.
True, it’s no surprise that he made an album like this, but it would have
been a shame if he didn’t.
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