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Zen Gardens
by Wall Matthews
Erikanian Music, 2003
http://www.zengardensmusic.com

        Here's an elegant little album of what might be called
"Japanerie," that is, the decorative and somewhat playful use of
"Oriental" motifs by a Western artist without any heavyhanded attempt to
be "authentic." Wall Matthews uses synthesized sounds and acoustic
percussion in transparent tracks of pentatonic pleasure. His rhythms are
gentle and undemanding; they don't force themselves on you, but carry
you along easily. His harmonies are dominated by Oriental pentatonics
but they could just as easily be Western jazz harmonies. 

        One of the nicest things about this album is that Matthews does
not overload the texture with overdone multiple layering. He has one
synthesizer layer, one percussion layer (synthesized or not) and a few
special effects or natural sounds, like crickets or thunder. This
sparseness is highly effective in conveying a peaceful, gardenlike
atmosphere. At times, this sound reminds me of the dry, ironic
compositions of Richard Bone; at other times, the minimalism of someone
like "A Produce." 

        I also enjoy the emotional distance of this album. It isn't
drenched in sentiment and it doesn't make any appeals to "the heart." It
invites meditation and quiet, without the overwrought piety of some
"Zen" renditions. Its last track, titled "The Philosopher's Path," with
its thunder and rain sounds, sums up the theme of this album:
contemplation in a beautiful garden. It's a place I am happy to visit.

Hannah M. G. Shapero
3/31/04

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