Rectangles and Circumstance

by Caroline Shaw, So Percussion

Overview

Arriving behind two acclaimed 2021 releases -- the Grammy-winning Narrow Sea (with Dawn Upshaw and Gil Kalish) and their first exclusive collaboration, Let the Soil Play Its Simple Part -- Rectangles and Circumstance reunites vocalist/Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw and the super-versatile quartet S¿ Percussion. Whereas Let the Soil was built around a set of duets by Shaw and individual members of the group (and included some material by pop and gospel songwriters), the ensemble-minded follow-up incorporates 19th century poetry by the likes of Emily Dickinson, Emily Brontë, and Christina Rosetti, as well as words by William Blake, Gertrude Stein, and the musicians themselves (and, in one case, music by Franz Schubert). Importantly, the five of them recorded the album following extensive touring for its predecessor, during which they became familiar with each other's tendencies and strengths. The album was co-produced by LTSPISP's Jonathan Low. A sixth musician, Danni Lee, Shaw's partner in the duo Ringdown, contributed lyrics or performances to two tracks. One of those entries, "Rectangles and Circumstance," opens the ten-song set with a tonal grating noise and rumbling percussion before Shaw's crystalline voice introduces the melody. Her arrival helps to establish the album's spacious character, in which each individual component, from tapped surfaces to vocals and electronic distortion, can be not only easily distinguished but dramatically potent. It's one of a handful of songs here that includes a rock-minded drum kit in addition to various percussion. With lyrics by the full ensemble, lines like "Windy talkers advertise/Wearing suits bought with lies" blend well with pieces like the spacier, keyboard- and mallet percussion-based "Silently Invisibly," featuring lyrics by William Blake ("Never seek to tell thy love/Love that never told can be"), and the anxious Emily Dickinson interpretation "Like a Drum" ("I felt a funeral, in my brain"). The track list's softer, gentler side includes the harmony-rich, lullaby-like "Who Turns Out the Light" (lyrics by S¿ Percussion's Eric Cha-Beach) and the glistening, tender "The Parting Glass," based on a Scottish traditional verse and half-whispered by Shaw, at least until halfway through. While everything here is theatrically presented and captivating, a standout in regard to its attention-grabbing qualities is "This" (lyrics by Emily Brontë and S¿ Percussion's Jason Treuting), which plays with highly edited vocal samples including percussive breathing. By the closing Schubert revision, "To Music," it's hard to imagine that Rectangles and Circumstance won't lead to even more demand for the alliance's concerts. ~ Marcy Donelson

Product Details

Release Date:	06/14/2024
Label:	Nonesuch
UPC:	0075597899535
Rank:	63117

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Caroline Shaw   Primary Artist
So Percussion   Primary Artist