Elysium for the Brave

Reviewer's Bookwatch, August, 2006 by Willis M. Buhle

Elysium for the Brave

Azam Ali

Six Degrees Records

c/o Rock Paper Scissors

216 West Allen Street, Suite 137, Bloomington, IN 47403

$16.98 www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Elysium for the Brave is the second solo album by gifted singer Azam Ali. Singing predominantly in English for the first time, the poetic and lyrical verses convey a haunting sense of emotion, longing, and anticipation. A singularly skilled cast of musicians complement Ali's singing with soft, melodic tracks; they include King Crimson's rhythm section of trey Gun and Pat Mastellotto, Persian Classical violinist Kiavash Nourai, and film composers Tyler Bates and Jeff Rona, and the Iranian group Niyaz. The resulting mix of ancient and modern instrumentation transcends cultural limitations in a soothing synthesis. Elysium for the Brave is an especially beautiful and helpful CD to listen to while relaxing, meditating, or striving to reduce personal tension. The CD case includes the complete lyrics for the songs, and the CD tracks are Endless Reverie (5:47), Spring Arrives (5:17), In Other Worlds (6:07), Abode (5:59), Forty One Ways (6:09), The Tryst (6:07), From Heaven To Dust (4:18), I Am A Stranger In This World (7:24), and In The Divide (5:18). Highly recommended.