The humorously named
Ethel
might have the same lineup as a normal
classical
string quartet, but that's where the similarity ends. The four works that comprise the group's self-titled album don't so much push at the barriers of modern
music as tip them over completely.
John King
's
Sweet Hardwood
is a challenging piece -- both for playing and listening, before resolving into something like
Americana
through a strange prism for its final two sections.
Phil Kline
The Blue Room & Other Stories
offers moodiness, and a feeling akin to some more
ambient
electronica
in its opening section, before the slightly tortuous and tight March movement, which blossoms into the lyrically autumnal
The Blue Room
, before turning to a controlled dance of Tarantella. The instrumental parts in
Todd Reynolds
'
Uh...It Happened So Fast
slither and slide around each other, rising and falling alarmingly, a piece that works beautifully, but demands a great deal of the players. Compared to those three,
Be-In
is less successful, and seemingly more random, although composer
Evan Ziporyn
's bass clarinet does add some lyricism. Throughout the whole album, the entire quartet --
Ralph Farris
,
Dorothy Lawson
Reynolds
, and
Mary Rowell
-- shows complete command of its instruments, and the ability to perform in the most complex styles with a fabulous grace. Maybe it's not the easiest listening in the world, but it's remarkably satisfying. ~ Chris Nickson