Brodsky Quartet
Moodswings

Ron Sexsmith has just finished his rendition of "Dumptruck". A few moments of silence, time to look around. Then, introduced by the breath of the strings that turns into narration, the voice of Errollyn Wallen changes the perspective, paints a new environment. It leads us into "Daedalus", suggesting another possibility….

For a few days now, I've let this album spin. Giving it somewhat distracted listens. And I wait for a perfect moment. That always comes, in a flash or a whisper. Almost shy, sometimes, or delightfully "playful," as happens among the notes of "Venus Flytrap" after which it's impossible to avoid a bow to Ian Shaw and his masterful, entertaining performance.

The Brodsky Quartet has a long history now, over thirty years and 2,000 concerts, more than 50 recordings and an eclecticism perhaps matched only by the impeccable grace they've achieved. I thank what we like to call fate (or luck, depending on the enthusiasm) once again for landing, under my eyes, at a ridiculous price because it was used, a quadruple CD that collects their interpretations of Shostakovich. A listening experience that's simply surprising every time.
Just as it was, in some ways, surprising, for both sides of the critics, their collaboration with Elvis Costello on the Juliett Letters. And it's quite natural that they would entrust McManus with the opening track (and almost title track), ensuring a sparkling start for this album, destined to cross a changing landscape, in which different voices, front and center, outline some of the possible forms.
The album is also the result of a truly interesting project, which involved students from some schools in England in a workshop, engaged in both composing pieces for voice and string quartet and creating the booklet, stage costumes, and setting up a play that emerged from it, titled Anna and the Moods.
Some of their compositions are present on the album, along with those of renowned authors, performing their own songs. The term song may seem somewhat inadequate. For example, for Meredith Monk's "Gotham Lullaby", originally (1975) laid on the notes of a piano and here perfectly at ease in the arms of the Brodsky, or for the pearly beauty of Emma Ludlow's seemingly laconic "Shallow Footsteps" distilled from the voice of Sophie Grimmer ("Too soft, too soft to be seen. Footsteps were shallow, too soft to be seen…").

The arrangements, always respectful and extremely precious, never seek flashy preciousness and draw from many registers, resulting, at times, so natural and alive that they seem like a composition for strings, even when they are not, overshadowing the original or revealing its essence. I'd like to know the genesis of such a heterogeneous company, which also includes Sting, (whose presence, at first glance, raised an eyebrow and some perplexity) but surely benefited from the atmosphere, advising him towards a measured version of his "Until". As measured and relaxed are the steps of Bjork's voice, in the stroll among the strings of "I've Seen It All" which retains its magic even in these grooves.
But what matters, beyond the individual episode, for a distracted and sometimes captivated listener, is to realize that the sincerity of the declarations made by the protagonists in the booklet, of mutual esteem and pleasure for the work done, is felt, track by track, throughout the journey. It closes with the voice that opened it, namely that of Costello, this time dealing with "Real Emotional Girl" one of the countless jewels in Randy Newman's treasure chest.

Moodswing will continue to emit small glimmers, showing me some less happy moments. This is only a matter of time. For now, I let it spin. Because certainly, a record like this deserves some time.
To this attempt at guarded enthusiasm, I attach a detailed tracklist. And a good number of fragments in the form of samples.