Collected Sounds

Album Name: An Evening Out of Town
Artist: Knitting by Twilight
Year/Label: 2008 / It’s Twilight Time

Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds

Knitting by Twilight is actually a musical collective. Their site says that it was created by John Orsi and Michael Watson as sort of an outlet for the music that didn’t exactly match the nature of the projects they were already working on. Interesting idea. So while it started out with these two, it’s an ever rotating line up.

This record is almost instrumental. There is a little bit of singing/vocalizing here, but not much. I guess I’d label it ‘ambient’, but it’s really more rhythmic than what, at least I, think of when thinking ‘ambient’.

These songs have lots of layers, and lots of things going on. It’s cool. The first track is called Jaunt to Dreamland and I’d say that’s a apt title. It actually sounds like a dream…if that makes any sense.

When there are vocals, they’re subtle and blend in nicely.

It’s perfect background music, good for working or relaxing. But it’s also good for slapping on the headphones (like those big GOOD headphones, not ear buds) and chilling. Very pretty.

Track Listing
Listen to track samples
1 Jaunt to Dreamland
2 Water Pumps from Cloudland
3 Soothing Stars
4 Evelyn’s Glen
5 Oblivion’s Poppied Slope
6 Pictures of Delight
7 Audrey
8 Bell Weather
9 Venus for Everyone
10 Apparently, A Hidden Track

[Knitting by Twilight Official Site]

Album Name: The Growing Season
Artist: Rebecca Martin
Year/Label: 2008 / Sunnyside
[Buy at Amazon]

Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds

I knew I’d like this if the cover was any indication of what was inside. The record is filled with luscious well written folky jazz (or is that jazzy folk?) songs. A pleasure among the many albums I am reviewing right now.

Rebecca Martin has a soothing, comfortable vocal style that I could listen to all day.

I like that it’s guitar based, but there are lots of other sounds in there, not least of which is xylophone! Well, it’s likely a keyboard, but it sounds like a xylophone to my untrained ears. It adds a great depth to the tone of the recording.

Lullaby is great. Piano and voice in unison, nice minor keys. Yep, this got me several times. My favorite by far (though all the songs are great).

I also like: The Space in a Song to Think, but again, they’re all great.

Track Listing
1. The Space In A Song To Think
2. A Million Miles
3. Just A Boy
4. To Prove Them Wrong
5. What Feels Like Home
6. Lullaby
7. As For You, Raba
8. After Midnight
9. Make The Days Run Fast
10. Free At Last
11. Pieces
12. Talking
13. You’re Older

[Rebecca Martin Official Site]