Valentine
On Valentine, the space between the notes feels as important as the notes themselves. Bill Frisell lets melodies linger while bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Rudy Royston keep making small changes. The trio needs few dramatic gestures to keep a song moving. The attention the players give one another gives this music its character.
That connection is clear from Baba Drame. The guitar holds a firm melodic line, but bass and drums make the movement underneath less predictable. The players respond to each other without pulling the song apart. A pulse remains present even when someone briefly plays around it.
Hour Glass takes a freer approach. The clear beat falls away, and sustained guitar sounds create an almost floating transition. The title track then returns to a stronger swing. Its angular melody and the space left for bass and drums provide a different kind of tension.
Familiar songs receive the same care. On Wagon Wheels, the melody stays recognisable while the backing keeps shifting position. What The World Needs Now Is Love takes more time before the familiar tune fully appears. Frisell trusts the listener to fill in the open spaces. The music can sound simple, yet something small is always happening.
That restraint requires patience. Valentine rarely presents its best moments with a grand gesture. Anyone expecting a quick succession of guitar solos will need to adjust to the shared playing. The open arrangements make it possible to follow all three musicians.
This is the record's strength. Frisell, Morgan and Royston give both original compositions and familiar melodies a personal character. The quiet approach makes the small changes easier to hear. Valentine is warm, carefully played and detailed enough to stay interesting well beyond its first impression.
