STEVE REICH

STEVE REICH
CITY LIFE (1996)
320 KBPS

Avid listeners of Reich will recognize how this album is an evolution from his earlier minimalist tendencies, making for an incredible listening experience. Having many Reich CDs in my collection, "Proverb" is arguably my favorite work - it takes the type of attention to space from earlier works such as "18" or the Counterpoint series and guides it in a newer and fresher direction, filled with quiet beauty, grace, and peace. "City Life" can be seen similarly as an extention from "Different Trains", using samples from the people and sounds of New York City to describe the tragedy of the World Trade Center bombing. The piece is nothing short of brilliant. "Nagoya Marimbas" takes his earlier Phase works and makes it more complex, weaving melodies and harmonies in a rhythmically challenging close canon, giving the work the type of energy for which Reich is well known for and is often imitated, but unmatched. In short, this album is an essential for Reich and "post-minimalist" fans.

1. Proverb
2. Nagoya Marimba
City Life
3. Check It Out (movement 1)
4. Pile Driver/Alarms (movement 2)
5. It's Been a Honeymoon-Can't Take no Mo' (movement 3)
6. Heartbeats/Boats & Buoys (movement 4)
7. Heavy Smoke (movement 5)