This week, the fourth original music album of the group “Rihards Lībietis Orchestra” was released at the live concert “Blessed”, which was blessed with technical failures.
It was definitely worth watching and listening to better understand the thought process of Richard and his “orchestra”, as well as to see how a guitarist can evoke such a range of sounds from his instruments (several) and a thorough pile of pedals and other fine items.
The musicians started working on “Willful Blindness” already last spring, when most of the 12 instrumental compositions included in the album were created. Their author is Rihards Lībietis, but the other members of the group have also been put to work. “The album tells about each person’s individual responsibility for themselves, seeing and accepting their light and shadow side, which creates a desire to learn, experience and strive to be responsible, as well as people’s conscious choice not to see important and worrying things in themselves and the world around them.” the message is communicated by the group’s PR camp. The compositions included in “Willful Blindness” are the result of the group’s internal and external world observations. It is a combination of seeming helplessness caused by turbulent chaos, melancholy, and sudden change with deep love, peace, gratitude, and sustainability. It is a search for inner strength and courage for a better understanding of life. With our music, we want to inspire listeners to believe in their own strengths, ”Rihards Lībietis, the leader of the group.
In order to keep the sound and acoustic sound as possible as possible, the recording was made in the “AMFO Music” studio in Riga under the direction of sound director Tom Lisment, at the same time recording the performance of all the musicians. Rihards Lībietis Orchestra members Rihards Lībietis (acoustic, electric guitar), Gints Smukais (acoustic guitar), Matīss Repsis (percussion), Erna Daugaviete (cello) and Jānis Polis (bass), as well as guest artists Valters have participated in these recordings saxophone), Mārtiņš Miļevskis (percussion instruments), Reinis Klatenbergs (horn) and Laura Rozenberga (trombone).
THROUGH. Currently released as the latest single, reinforced with a video, “Doublethink” is a divine piece – although hidden in the closing part of the album, it undoubtedly falls into the ears immediately. The stylishly elegant “Initiation”, in which Rihards demonstrates his highest skills, can definitely be highlighted, as well as the composition “Light & Shadow”, in which Erna is expressed from the heart, while “Apart” is worth listening to due to the work of a percussionist (Milevsky?). Another interesting mood composition “Consequences”. In fact, all the work can be appreciated with a big plus sign – in which group is there still such a strong tandem of the younger generation of guitarists and such a great cellist ?!
PRICE. Sometimes the high sound art remains too much, it is tiring, but it is a matter of taste. The design of the cover of the edition is a bit confusing: an ideologically similar solution (only five jackets and white shirts, but with the same blindfolds) was realized in the 2001 album “Tumsa” album “Land of Ununderstood People”.
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