Meisha Feigin doesn't record very often, so when he decides to go into the studio with a project, it usually is because he feels there is something special in its potential. That's enough reason to listen to
They Are We Are.
Feigin plays classical guitar and balalaika and sings, improvising with two of his favorite collaborators, violinist
LaDonna Smith and cellist Craig Hultgren (the latter should definitely record more often). Basically, one could see this as a free improv string trio, but when
Feigin starts singing (only on a few pieces) the music shifts towards warped blues or an unstable rock idiom. On the other hand, "Die Scmutztoleranzgrenze" sounds like a frenzied contemporary string trio. This wide palette provides new colors with every track, but the CD's best moments are all found within its first half, whether it is the declamatory "Dimensions Lost (A Giant Twang Out of the Sky)" or the beautiful 15-minute opener "Summer Wind, No Sleep."
They Are We Are is more convincing and cohesive than
Feigin's previous effort,
Both Kinds of Music. And if the guitarist's style (which could be compared to a sedated
Eugene Chadbourne) doesn't meet your taste, just listen to Hultgren's stellar playing. ~ François Couture