Search - Stuart Davis :: Bright Apocalypse

Stretch yourself with this

Christopher Larsen | College Park, MD | 08/12/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Stuart's an incredibly interesting guy to see live (to say the least!) and this album is no different to listen to, at home. The music is something that grows on you. This particular album is not as flashy as another of his, the all-acoustic "16 Nudes", which is clean, pointed, occasionally hilarious, and graspable. I listen to BA without any other disturbance, and it allows me to address the kinds of life abstractions that were there all along, but unnoticed. Stuart has a profound knack for straightforwardly describing deeper currents in life, without making them sound hackneyed, hyperintellectualized, or contrived, and this is perhaps one of his greatest talents. There is also the result of study in some Eastern religions, showing up inside the tunes. He wrestles with simliar issues as does Richard Thompson. As a guitar player, he is tops, and grasps many more chordal structures and progressions than average pop. The lyrics to the songs are ones that will stir and alter you, permanently. I recommend this album without reserve, for anyone who wants more substance in their music repertoire, and isnt afraid to face themselves directly. Listen to it, over and over."

From the hard road to the Path

Christopher Larsen | 06/16/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Stu says it well so I'll pass on his words first: "'Apocalypse' is from the Greek word apokalupsis, meaning uncover, reveal. So literally, I'm using Bright Apocalypse to mean a revelation of light. I'm just trying to put out a reminder that there is more than one possibility of what an apocalypse can be, and this album is a portrait of an interior apocalypse, the end of our old inner world, in a good sense. The idea behind the album is very simple: In my version of the Apocalypse, God doesn't destroy the World in a cataclysm of violence and horror, but humanity destroys the horror and violence in itself by awakening its own divinity. This album says God isn't coming here to get us, but we might be able to get IT to come here through us.'" - Stuart DavisViewed as a concept album, this one works best listening straight through. If you want a Stuart Davis album with standalone hits, his 2002 self-titled one may be a better choice. But Bright Apocalypse is a worthy parable about a man who hears the whisper of Spirit trying to reach him, and he tries to reach back but is frustrated in his efforts until he finally discovers the path is hidden within, where we would be (as a Native American story tell us) "least likely to look". This is an album about inner hardship. It is suitably low and rumbling - I found the production values to be outstanding, not sure why others don't feel the same way. It has a minor-key feel to it in most places, but I'm not a musician so what do I know.For some reason the whole album reminds me a little bit of David Bowie's song "putting out fire (with gasoline)", perhaps because in each, there's the idea of being driven but finding one is butting one's head against the wall using the wrong tactic. Though at least in the case of Bright Apocalypse a better realization forms, and the story turns out well.These same themes of how we relate to spirit are handled with a less formal narrative on "Stuart Davis (2002)" (using a water metaphor there) but if you can relate to the story here, you will enjoy it as a story about a traveler on a hard road who finally finds the path.(It is not literally a concept album so don't be put off by my describing it as such)"