A contemporary album in its type of exploration, Paul Mounsey takes samples from traditional Scottish, Brazilian and Native American music and combines them with modern guitar, keyboards, traditional bagpipes, flutes and a smattering of Japanese percussion and electronics. This diverse range is augmented by the voices of Flora MacNeil, Mary Jane Lamond, Anna Murray, Mairi MacInnes and Oumayma El-Khalil. An intense, beautiful and sometimes disturbing album. The album features fabulous fiddle work throughout from Betina Stegmann and Marcelo Jaffe. The title track is inspired by the book City of Walls: Crime, Segregation, and Citizenship in Sao Paulo by Teresa P.R Caldeira.
Paul Mounsey - Keyboards, Programming & Vocals Betina Stegmann - Violin Marcelo Jaffe - Violin & Viola Moxe Riberio - Percussion Alexandre Mihanovich - Guitars & Bass Teco Cardoso - Flutes, Fifes, Whistle & Sax Daniel Alcantara - Trumpet Lula Alencar - Accordion Lollo Andersson - Guitars with the voices of: Flora MacNeil, Mary Jane Lamond, Anna Murray, Mairi MacInnes and Oumayma El-Khalil
Media Reviews
It's hard to imagine many who would not find something here to cherish, and most will enjoy it all.
.......High points are many and various, and the strength of this album is the many musical facets it presents to the listener. It's hard to imagine many who would not find something here to cherish, and most will enjoy it all. This is an album from a mature composer and performer working at the height of his powers. I can't recommend this highly enough and urge everyone to have a listen. Play track 8, Anna Murray's vocal which gradually fades into one of the best tunes from the first album, From Ebb To Flood, here making a welcome reprise in a more considered version than previously. If you can listen to this track and remain unaffected, check your pulse - chances are you need urgent medical attention! It speaks volumes for the quality of the musicians Mounsey has surrounded himself with that they cope with this material so well, and it would be a real treat to see this done live. Let's keep hoping for a tour, but in the meantime, buy this.
Customer Reviews
Paul Mounsey's "City of Walls." Kristian
This fourth album in the series released by Paul Mounsey is just as tremendous, evocative and truly Epic as the previous three. If music is the window to the soul, then Paul Mounsey's crafted beauty is the the key to the door. Woven within the Gaelic songs or strains of music is the very life breath of the natural world that surrounds us. Paul's music invokes the Awe within that many of us have lost. The first three albums were amazing, City of Walls raises the stakes, it's Euphoric.You will never, ever tire of this album... Ever!
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