A strange thing happened to keyboard player Roger O'Donnell on his way from founding member of The Cure to his new record label, 99 X Out of Ten: He attended the Sheffield International Film Festival to give a speech about Moog — a documentary based on the life of Robert Moog, who created the seminal electronic instrument that played only one note at a time and eventually changed the way music sounded — and was so inspired that he wound up recording an album composed and performed entirely on a Moog Voyager. The result is The Truth In Me, a gorgeous 10-song collection of dreamily titled, abstract songs that boast a surprising amount of depth and intensity. O'Donnell brings these songs to life by creating sonicscapes on the Voyager that sound as if they are coming from multiple sources, including guitars and other stringed instruments. And practically all of them beg for repeat listens.
O'Donnell says his influences for this record spilled from Herbie Hancock all the way to Bjork, and it's easy to hear how. Sharp pangs punctuate the conclusion of the slow, looped-sequence title track, while "Tired of All This" relies on delayed repetition of sounds more common to traditional space music. " … And So I Closed My Eyes" was inspired by Jimi Hendrix, complete with a sub-bass line and kick drum echoing in the distance and a wah-wah peddle — O'Donnell's only concession to using an external musical source on The Truth In Me. Meanwhile, the nine-and-a-half-minute "He Sent You Angels" explores the feelings, emotions and tensions of (get ready for this) a headache. (For more details about this intriguing song, click here.)
Seductive female vocalist Erin Lang sings a trio of love songs ("For The Truth In You," "Treasure" and "This Grey Morning"), her voice becoming another layer of the Moog while also providing stark contrast to the other seven pieces.
The Truth In Me is a reflective record, a naked album that injects warmth and humanity into a genre often devoid of those traits. If that's why you could never really enjoy an ambient electronic-music album, allow The Truth In Me to change your mind.
Track Listing:
1) My Days
2) For the Truth In You
3) The Truth In Me
4) Not Without You
5) He Sent You Angels
6) Treasure
7) This Is A Story
8) This Grey Morning
9) Tired of All This
10) … And So I Closed My Eyes
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