This is the latest album by Peter Colclasure who is currently the pianist for the New Ballet School in San Jose. He plays in several groups including The Jean Jackets and Cellista. He is a graduate of the University in Madison Wisconsin that I have the odd connection or three too over the years.
The album opens with the title track Una Corda and I guess it may have more than just one chord on this very sparse piano led chill out piece that seems to have little bit of tape hiss on it in places, but is really just relaxing gentle music as the title suggests, as it is of course the instruction to use the soft pedal on the piano.
Etude is well just that not sure if this is an original Etude or a much loved classic, as my Classical knowledge is minimal like the piano figure this is built around.
A Likely Carrington Event doesn't sound like the soundtrack to something on Dynasty, being far more laid back than that soap ever was, this has atmospherics that recall Glenn Branca's the World Turned Upside Down before the insistent percussion seems overwhelm the calm synth and keyboards.
Pavane has more of an early music feel to it with what sounds like a harp being gently plucked in a quite romantic way as the piano part intertwines with it almost like the harp is the female character and the Piano the male or vice versa.
Architecture feels like it's creating its own built environment that has the gently piano sound tracking visitors walk through the space, it is also reminiscent of John Cale's soundtrack album for The Unknown.
Gardening has a sense of foreboding as if he's been given the task of creating a new garden outside the Armoury Building at his old university in Madison Wisconsin and this is his troubled thoughts as he tries to figure out how to make it stand out by such a dramatic building.
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Slow Dancing Drunk To Satie seems to do what it says on the tin and reminds me I think of Satie's Gymnopedies. (please correct me if I am wrong).
The Underdown certainly keeps us in Satie type territory as the mellifluous piano figure floats by. Plies For M is obviously a practice piece for the dancers who hopefully aren't being shouted at too much as this music deserves to be listened too while watching the dancers.
Sleeping Metal Giants Awake sounds like a process piece with strings working against the synth and bass notes on a piece that sounds like a non-abrasive reworking of some of the music from Eraserhead.
Nur Wer Die Punkrock Kennt could be the most sideways tribute yet to the I think Swedish band Kent, either way it isn't really punk more gentle piano with odd dissonant sounds and some voices of angels style backing vocals, although there isn't any actual forefront vocals.
Noah And The Wives is a mainly solo piano entreaty to the Wives that sounds like it is full of love for them.
If you like some laid back modern classical piano then find out more at http://www.petercolclasure.com/ https://petercolclasure.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/pjcolclasure
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