Ray Lynch
Deep Breakfast

THE REVIEW

It is with this album that Ray Lynch, a Texan and Buddhist, reaches the status of a "sacred monster" of new age. Deep Breakfast dates back to 1984 and marks a turning point for the singular artist: in fact, having abandoned the neoclassical compositions of his debut, we find cheerful, melodic, yet majestic and almost epic sounds, as in Your Feeling Shoulders.

Side A opens with the masterpiece: Celestial Soda Pop is the quintessence of Lynch's music. Although it is not a particularly intricate or difficult composition, it is so perfectly arranged that it gives you goosebumps due to its simple, stunning beauty. The Oh Of Pleasure closely resembles a space composition akin to Pink Floyd. It is a very relaxing and pleasant piece, less "solemn" than the previous one.
Falling In The Garden is played with what seems to be a synthesized piano (?). The composition, almost devoid of a true arrangement, is based on a simple and catchy melody. It is a pleasant filler, though it pales in comparison to the masterpiece track that follows.
Your Feeling Shoulders, with its seven and a half minutes duration, is one of the highest peaks ever reached by the Texan (I would dare to say "of music in general"). It has a slow, imposing, and, in its simplicity, dramatic progress. The apex is reached precisely at 7:13, when the succession of chords doubles the hyper-high notes, creating an intensely powerful sequence in just over five seconds. When simplicity goes hand in hand with genius.

Rhythm in the Pews is another diamond from this generous mine that is Deep Breakfast. It is the most "cheerful" composition (if you will allow me the term) of the album, but in its own way, not inferior to Celestial and Your Feeling. It is based on a very catchy and, if you like, simple melodic progression, but the Texan's sublime arranging skills make it truly unique.
Kathleen's Song opens with a dissonant keyboard riff and is a sweet and dreamy composition, very much tied to the artist’s neoclassical past. Pastorale is perhaps the weakest of the album. Don't get me wrong, it is of excellent quality and, as usual, perfectly arranged, but maybe a bit repetitive in its melody. Tiny Geometries opens with the "bubbles" effect and is the most "lysergic" of the album, thanks also to the use of brass instruments (obviously all synthesized). After a very pleasant keyboard interlude, it resumes with the dreamy and wonderful melody. It is a relatively long track (6:11) that admirably fulfills the role of closing a magnificent album, astonishing in its beauty and simplicity.