Seven Falls
Martha R. Ashabranner | Houston, TX | 08/24/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Excellent product. I am a big Marshall Styler fan. Shipping was fast and packaged great."
SEVEN FALLS: Marshall Styler's Personal Best
Miss B. | Los Angeles, CA United States | 08/10/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Emotional and melodic, SEVEN FALLS celebrates the love in Marshall Styler's life. In fact, the artist's seventh and most romantic album launched with a live piano performance atThe Crossings resort and spa in Austin, TX on the eve of the Summer Solstice. Seven Falls arrived in stores on June 16th via Burnside Distributing Corp., presenting a whole new range of the deeply-moving piano melodies for which Styler is celebrated. Expertly composed, arranged and performed by Styler, Seven Falls is lovingly inspired by the special people and places in his life. ([...])
"The images I had when I composed Seven Falls were romantic," notes the Austin-based composer. "Seven Falls is symbolic of where my wife is from in upstate N.Y., where--early in our relationship--we already knew that we would spend our lives together."
With this album, Styler offers a refreshing blend of his unique instrumental piano music and keyboard accompaniments, subtly accentuating them with orchestral sounds. It is perfect for relaxed entertaining, meditation and massage, hence the launch at The Crossings.
Nine pieces lead us through the soundscapes of Styler's life from the plaintive "Welcome Back to Dreamland, Austin 4 a.m." evoking the distant yet reassuring cry of the South Austin Train, to the nostalgic "Mandala (Mary's Waltz)," described as "a waltz that keeps going `round and `round like one of my mothers mandalas," a sample of which can be seen in the CD liner notes; Styler adds that the album also serves as a thank you to all the wonderful mothers in his life. The compassionate tone of "One Day in One Heart" seems to acknowledge that everybody hurts, offering quiet reassurance that it really is going to be all right. "Seven Falls" commemorates the start of his 20-year romance with his cherished wife, Kate, and "Adirondack" recalls memories of Styler's last extended family reunion in upstate New York, amidst a warm summer rainstorm. Music from Styler's previous six new age albums has been feted in magazines (Massage, American Salon, New Age Reporter) and indie music webzines like Smother.net, which referred to Styler's most recent album, A Face in the Clouds, as "hauntingly-lovely" and "a fine new age album in the classic piano-with-synth-backing style." Similarly, the Italian New Age magazine said it was "among the most beautifully orchestrated pieces Styler has ever conceived and recorded," while veteran New Age reviewer Bill Binkelman professed, "It reminds me of how good electronic keyboard music can still be when it's written and performed by someone who knows what he's doing."
Styler looks forward to sharing Seven Falls with his fans, both in Texas and around the world. He gives the following insight: "Listening to it now, it sounds like a culmination of what I've been striving for in my music - for the listener to feel what I felt writing it, and for the music not to overwhelm the emotion. Based on what I hear from my listeners, that emotional element runs quietly and deeply throughout my music."
The album is available at quality gift, book and music stores like Borders and Barnes & Noble; online at MarshallStyler.com, Amazon.com, iTunes and others; and for wholesale from Burnside Distribution Corporation (www.bdcdistribution.com).
SEVEN FALLS Track List
1. Flight of the Great Blue (South Padre Island)
2. All I Had to Hear You Say
3. Camden to Monhegan
4. Welcome Back to Dreamland
5. Mandala (Mary's Waltz)
6. Seven Falls
7. The Locket
8. One Day in One Heart
9. Adirondack
Links
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From MainlyPiano
Kathy Parsons | Florence, OR United States | 07/31/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Seven Falls" is Marshall Styler's seventh release, but is a first for me. The music was inspired by the special people and places in Styler's life, and the title comes from the area in New York where his wife is from and where they knew they would spend their lives together. Styler performs his music on seven different keyboards, some of which are older and provide a warmer sound than some of the newer synths. Most of the melodies are played as piano, but they sound electronic to me, too - not a negative, just a little different sound from an acoustic piano. It's interesting because the newer keyboards are getting better at emulating other instruments, but some of the earlier keyboards had sounds that weren't supposed to be anything but interesting sounds. Styler's use of those sounds makes the music seem a little more vintage, but that isn't a negative point, either. Styler's "music is designed to relax, heal, and uplift the body, mind, and soul," so there are no sudden dynamic or tempo changes, making it also a good choice for reading, studying, and quiet background music.
"Flight of the Great Blue (South Padre Island)" begins the album with a quiet serenity and gentle sparkle. Flowing strings, a relaxed but free piano melody, and various ethereal sounds give an inviting indication of what's to come. "All I Had to Hear You Say" is unabashedly romantic and tender. Warm string washes behind the piano and keyboards give the piece a contented glow. Greg Walker appears on guitars on "Camden to Monhegan," providing a nice contrast to the keyboards. "Welcome Back to Dreamland" is one of my favorites. A bit more melancholy than some of the other eight pieces, I like the dreamy, reflective feel of the piece. "Mandala (Mary's Waltz)" was inspired by the circular nature of the mandalas Styler's mother makes from her own pressed and dried flowers - again very serene, tender, and contented. The title track is a deeply emotional love song that floats on air. "One Day In One Heart" offers hope and reassurance as the angelic background voices soothe and calm. The closing piece, "Adirondack," is my favorite track. Somewhat more improvisational, the simplicity of the piece is very effective. The piano seems to meander at will while the background strings and ambient sounds keep it somewhat grounded. It's a beautiful way to close!
"Seven Falls" has been a delightful introduction to Marshall Styler's music. Check it out!"
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1