Many people know Leila Abdul-Rauf from her days spend ripping up guitar in bands such as Vastum, Sairos, Amber Asylum and Hammers of Misfortune to name a few. But what some people may not know is that when she branches out on her own, the music she makes is just as loud (if not louder) all while being more simple.
What you won't hear is heavy in the sense of decibels. But what you will hear is heavy in the heart. Leila croons and at times her chants become operatic and soothing. I recently visited the Union Station is Kansas City, Kansas, and I had 'Despair From Words Unsaid' flowing in my ears as I walked through the old pure hall. The bliss, and sadness had collided in my heart, and everything was perfect and terrible just how I needed it to be. The moving brass and piano in 'Ibis' made my heart melt, my eyes water. This album in all is a beautiful work, and I can't sit and really pick a favorite song. The sense of cold and rainy days are not so much apparent in this album, but are the actual album. Take a nice Sunday afternoon when it’s raining and turn this up loud. You will understand what I mean. The music is vast and serene, and heartbreaking at times, all in one.
For someone of Miss. Abdul-Rauf's stature to break away from her usual grinding and tearing riffage in her other bands, and then release something like this... It makes me respect her all that much more. She's not only a good musician, but a versatile songwriter and composer. In this day and age, stepping away from ones shell is over-done. Everyone wants to "take a break" or "slow down". and that fine and dandy. But it's an album like Cold and Cloud that these vacationer musicians need to learn to make. It takes guts to bare yourself open like this, to create music so sedate and careening. So line up fellas. Leila will show you how to grow a set.
Go out and grab this album from Saadi Saati (Pesanta Urfolk) Records. This album is only pressed on 100 sky blue/silver & 400 black, slabs of wax. Best get moving. And pray for rain.
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