Krampl, Gerald: Innocent Wasteland

Formerly of prog rock bands Indigo and Kyrie Eleison, Innocent Wasteland is Gerald Krampl's third solo album. All twelve tracks contained within the disc are based on sparse almost classical piano lines which are accompanied by synth melodies which give a Vangelis like feel, however there are no beats or rhythms with which to carry the themes. With a concept based on endless destruction and reawakening, Krampl's music portrays the hopeless vision that he set out to achieve with an overall feeling of desperation and desolation being created by the lonely melody lines.

Krampl himself states that his hope for his music is that it should accompany visuals to bring the impact of his desperate themes to life with equally hard hitting pictures. This process has already begun with some videos being posted at YouTube and in this arena the music works well. However presented as twelve individual songs the impression left is not such a strong one, as the tracks have too similar starting points to really make a lasting impression and the overall feeling left is one of slight dissatisfaction. That is in no way meant to be detrimental to the skill of Krampl's playing, or indeed the actual compositions, however as an album Innocent Wasteland does struggle to hold the attention.

The best moments on show are the extremely cinematic melancholy of "Like Leaves In The Wind" and the hard hitting "Creeping Shadows" which has the only vocal moment on the album with a spoken word poem which was written by Gerald's late wife Hilde and narrated by Corinna Steinbock. The words themselves are stark and hopeless which when backed by the gentle synth chords become even more poignant.

Innocent Wasteland is an interesting collection of music which ultimately isn't best served without a visual backdrop, in fact often the feeling that you are listening to the accompanying music from a documentary comes through and in this setting I believe would make much more sense. Whilst much of the themes are quite beautiful, the lack of any respite from the desolation does wear you down and some more light and shade would have made proceedings easier to digest.

If you enjoy instrumental soundtracks that try to portray the pictures through the music then there is much to enjoy here, however for many there just won't be enough to hold the interest.

Track Listing
1. Innocent Wasteland
2. Afterwards Just Memories
3. Intimate Ghosts
4. This Brave Land
5. Colors Of Night
6. Thinking Of You
7. Red Moon Passing
8. Like Leaves In The Wind
9. Creeping Shadows
10. Long Way Home
11. Wallflower
12. Morning Breaking Through

Added: January 31st 2010
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Artists YouTube Channel
Hits: 2677
Language: english

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