| Swerve |
| Layne Cort |
|
Issue 2 1997 |
| How
does one follow one of the most critically and commercially successful albums
of all time? Well, if one were Kalle Ryan, one would fire the whole band,
move to Africa for 6 months and read the Bible from cover to cover, only
to emerge with a crudely recorded album of ambient noise, tribal chanting
and postmodern poetry. A move that bears all the hallmarks of musical and
commercial suicide. Yet, in the fickle world of music, Kalle Ryan has pulled
out an extraordinary trump card. Dr. Livingstone I presume? is a surprisingly human album that raises real issues and treats them with sensitivity and patient care. In a time when many artists are too willing to cash in on current trends, it seems that Kalle Ryan has created an intensely personal project irrespective of public expectation, that he hopes people will nevertheless identify with. Although not for everyone, this album should soon find its place on many wish lists. |