Michael Nyman - The Glare (2009)

For the benefit of non-Britons, David McAlmont is a vocal sensation hailing from the U.K., noted for his work with the two-man groups Thieves, McAlmont & Butler, and as a solo artist. McAlmont's collaborations were not very long lived enterprises, partly as McAlmont is tough on collaborators, and though he is known to have mended fences with those he has broken with, it's usually long after the fact. Classical composer Michael Nyman is noted for his calm demeanor and patience; while he might seem an unlikely match for the flamboyant McAlmont, here they are together on MN's The Glare. The title work is a song cycle based on McAlmont's own poems, which are further based on news events that happened in the year 2008, though it is not always clear from the lyrics alone what McAlmont is singing about. Nyman occasionally dips into textures he has used before, such as in "In Re Don Giovanni," to find the right setting for McAlmont's words, but it is clear this is the object of dipping back into his bag, and not because Nyman is being particularly lax about the project. It is hard to avoid suggesting the overall effect of The Glare is rather similar to Burt Bacharach's 2004 collaboration with soul-specialist Ron Isley, though that was a very good show. So, essentially, is this, with the major differences being that the songs are original to the project and that Nyman's style is considerably tarter and employs far more economy of means than Bacharach's complex polyrhythms and tendency toward thick chords. As McAlmont's singing is so stylized, however, it would have been very useful to have on hand the lyrics, or at least a summary of their content, as it would let the listener in on what the meaning of these songs are. There is no need for the usual pop mystique in regard to the words, and clarity of purpose should have been the main consideration in the presentation of The Glare. From Nyman's end, he has adapted to McAlmont's delivery and sense of style with the same facility as in his work with German cabaret artist Ute Lemper.
Songs for Tony (1993) is scored for sax quartet and has been recorded before; here it is heard from Nyman's own sax section. The four movements of the piece are presented as one long, 17-minute track; the lack of access points for the individual movements is a bit of a disadvantage. With its liberal use of slap-tongue on the baritone and high register writing in the soprano, the first movement, titled "Aggressive" in some sources, amusingly almost sounds like "what if the Six Brown Brothers played minimalism?" The rest of the piece, however, is restrained and reflective, and suits well the music it is paired with. Apart from the minor quibbles already mentioned, overall McAlmont and Nyman's MN release represents a seamless marriage of popular idioms with classical form and results in an eminently satisfying listening experience.© Uncle Dave Lewis /TiVo