Two of Constellation's acclaimed solo instrumental artists join forces on t… Read Full Bio ↴Two of Constellation's acclaimed solo instrumental artists join forces on this tremendous new album of original compositions for horn and violin.
Colin Stetson has developed a unique and renowned voice as a performer and composer, chiefly on bass and tenor saxophones, where he rallies an array of technical strengths and innovations (circular breathing, contact micing of his own body and the body of his instrument, vocalizations through the reed) to make some of the most captivatingly organic, darkly soulful and otherworldly solo instrumental work of recent years. His brilliant trilogy of New History Warfare records (2007-2013) has been resoundingly celebrated by critics, fans and fellow musicians across many genres: avant/jazz, modern classical/minimalism, electronic/noise, industrial/dark ambient, black metal and indie rock.
The solo violin work of Sarah Neufeld has emerged more recently, and especially through 2011-2014, in the period between her primary band Arcade Fire's last two albums. While no stranger to modern/minimalist composition with her Bell Orchestre ensemble dating back to the early 2000s, Neufeld has lately forged a newly distinctive, deliberate and evocative solo violin practice combining rock, folk, ambient and modernist sensibilities, culminating with her debut solo album Hero Brother in 2013.
Stetson and Neufeld first began playing in duo formation while on tour together as soloists in 2012, joining each other on stage for one or two of their respective pieces. Stetson had also collaborated in the past with Bell Orchestre and Arcade Fire, and with Neufeld and Shahzad Ismaily in an improv trio dating back to 2010 (including the Blue Caprice soundtrack). Duo compositions for their debut album emerged throughout 2014, and were road-tested that spring with performances at the Festival de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville (Canada) and Moers Festival (Germany). The album was recorded without overdubbing, looping, sampling, cutting or pasting at their farmhouse attic studio in rural Vermont by Hans Bernhard and mixed in Montreal by Mark Lawson (Arcade Fire).
Never were the way she was is guided by the metaphorical narrative of the life of a girl who ages slow as mountains; excited, exalted, and ultimately exiled in her search for a world that resembles her experience. The album's expansive sonic trajectory and multiplicity of structures and voicings belies the fundamental economy of two acoustic instruments combining in real time. The result is a musical chronicle that powerfully establishes its own spatial and temporal horizon, a soundtrack that requires no images but profoundly compels the imaginative. From the filigreed ostinato polyrhythms of “The sun roars into view” and “In the vespers” to the stately long tones of “And they still move”, the dark drone-inflected sea-saw waltz of “With the dark hug of time” to the growling, pulsing thrust of the album’s epic centerpiece “The rest of us”, Stetson and Neufeld offer up an incredible (and impressively diverse) integration of composition, performance, timbre and texture while holding their respective instruments in sparkling juxtaposition. Never were the way she was is a sum quite definitively and thrillingly greater than its parts.
Colin Stetson has developed a unique and renowned voice as a performer and composer, chiefly on bass and tenor saxophones, where he rallies an array of technical strengths and innovations (circular breathing, contact micing of his own body and the body of his instrument, vocalizations through the reed) to make some of the most captivatingly organic, darkly soulful and otherworldly solo instrumental work of recent years. His brilliant trilogy of New History Warfare records (2007-2013) has been resoundingly celebrated by critics, fans and fellow musicians across many genres: avant/jazz, modern classical/minimalism, electronic/noise, industrial/dark ambient, black metal and indie rock.
The solo violin work of Sarah Neufeld has emerged more recently, and especially through 2011-2014, in the period between her primary band Arcade Fire's last two albums. While no stranger to modern/minimalist composition with her Bell Orchestre ensemble dating back to the early 2000s, Neufeld has lately forged a newly distinctive, deliberate and evocative solo violin practice combining rock, folk, ambient and modernist sensibilities, culminating with her debut solo album Hero Brother in 2013.
Stetson and Neufeld first began playing in duo formation while on tour together as soloists in 2012, joining each other on stage for one or two of their respective pieces. Stetson had also collaborated in the past with Bell Orchestre and Arcade Fire, and with Neufeld and Shahzad Ismaily in an improv trio dating back to 2010 (including the Blue Caprice soundtrack). Duo compositions for their debut album emerged throughout 2014, and were road-tested that spring with performances at the Festival de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville (Canada) and Moers Festival (Germany). The album was recorded without overdubbing, looping, sampling, cutting or pasting at their farmhouse attic studio in rural Vermont by Hans Bernhard and mixed in Montreal by Mark Lawson (Arcade Fire).
Never were the way she was is guided by the metaphorical narrative of the life of a girl who ages slow as mountains; excited, exalted, and ultimately exiled in her search for a world that resembles her experience. The album's expansive sonic trajectory and multiplicity of structures and voicings belies the fundamental economy of two acoustic instruments combining in real time. The result is a musical chronicle that powerfully establishes its own spatial and temporal horizon, a soundtrack that requires no images but profoundly compels the imaginative. From the filigreed ostinato polyrhythms of “The sun roars into view” and “In the vespers” to the stately long tones of “And they still move”, the dark drone-inflected sea-saw waltz of “With the dark hug of time” to the growling, pulsing thrust of the album’s epic centerpiece “The rest of us”, Stetson and Neufeld offer up an incredible (and impressively diverse) integration of composition, performance, timbre and texture while holding their respective instruments in sparkling juxtaposition. Never were the way she was is a sum quite definitively and thrillingly greater than its parts.
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Moers Festival 2015
Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld Lyrics
No lyrics text found for this track.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
AlbinoTuxedo
Track List:
1) 1:15 The Sun Roars Into View (From "Never Were The Way She Was")
2) 9:06 With The Dark Hug of Time (From "Never Were The Way She Was)
3) 15:37 In The Vespers (From "Never Were The Way She Was")
4) 21:23 The Stars In His Head (From "New History Warfare Vol.2: Judges")
5) 26:25 ??? (Can't seem to find this one, sorry)
6) 31:38 The Rest Of Us (From "Never Were The Way She Was")
7) 39:07 Never Were The Way She Was (From "Never Were The Way She Was")
8) 47:28 The Ridge (From "The Ridge")
AlbinoTuxedo
Track List:
1) 1:15 The Sun Roars Into View (From "Never Were The Way She Was")
2) 9:06 With The Dark Hug of Time (From "Never Were The Way She Was)
3) 15:37 In The Vespers (From "Never Were The Way She Was")
4) 21:23 The Stars In His Head (From "New History Warfare Vol.2: Judges")
5) 26:25 ??? (Can't seem to find this one, sorry)
6) 31:38 The Rest Of Us (From "Never Were The Way She Was")
7) 39:07 Never Were The Way She Was (From "Never Were The Way She Was")
8) 47:28 The Ridge (From "The Ridge")
rams
number 5 is from our animal, from sarah's the ridge
frank zappa
These two beautiful beings from planet earth are able to exude some wonderful, warm emotions through the cosmic interstellar music code. The sounds are too good for this world. I am in hospital at the moment recovering from back surgery. Listening to this has great healing powers . Thanks for your beautiful music.
Rafael Rivera
Are you from earth?
Andrew Dobson
I hope that you have recovered and that this music still brings that same energy to you <3
quinn king
When she played her solo song a fly in my room started to bus in a squared pattern almost to the beat and progression of the notes. I found this so odd and when the song stopped it just went back to buzzing around my house freely
knux85
Anybody else just love the little communication with their eyes? They work so well together!
Jonathan Sherwood
Saw this show last weekend. Amazing. Stetson really opens up some wonderful sonic space with his technique and heavy miking of his instruments. Between the two of them, it was like hearing a full band.
carpedei
Oh, life, how am I glad for bring me these unique moments of pure joy of listening.
BarryTones
Thanks for the opportunity to see this masterful instrumentation from both players. Really astounding controlled harmonics from Colin with superb violin and vocal from Sarah. Great rapport together and additionally from Jeremy the last 10 minutes.