Elegance, rousing and even enigmatic – the sound of the flute can elicit a plethora of tones. In the new album, Forever, Bill McBirnie proves just why he’s one of the world’s best flutists. McBirnie, with songwriter Bruce Jones and bassist Robin Latimer cultivates an elevated mix of airy undertows, enchanting rhythms and colorful waves. Forever doesn’t seem long enough, we’ve heard others mention in songs and poems – now, with the flute’s turn to define what ‘forever’ means – McBirnie, Jones and Latimer make a lasting impression that Forever is one of this year’s best collections.
Trained musicians might find the songs on Forever to be complex. As a listener, I found them enduring and approachable. They are lovely moments, brandished with sometimes spicy percussion and even tropical tidbits. Just like the Brazilian tones that inspired the instrumentation on the album, tracks like “Criole Blessing” (track one) and “This Passion” (track three) mirror the wildly interesting makeup of the South American country. One moment the mood is diverse as the cityscape, the next stanza, the sound is rainforest like and dewy. In “Song For Svetlana” (track two) the tones are countryside-like with a more organic or agricultural.
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“It’s The Time” (track four) sparked the sound of dancing guitars and McBirnie’s sweltering flute. As much as you want to feel the power of the rhythm, it’s hard to take your attention away from the flute’s mesmerizing movement. “Forever” (track five) is engaging and McBirnie’s flute sculpts a sound that releases its own endorphins. It’s like a calming, nighttime dip in the water. You’re keenly aware of your surroundings, and the tip-toeing beats bead along the shore. It’s a grand escape, and “Forever” transported me to a far-off, mind vacation. I was quite relaxed and just melted into the song’s flow and grooves. I can see (and here) why this pristine, crisp track made it as the name of the album. It encapsulated the endless romanticism that was on full display in the song.
“Dreams And Light” is golden. The pitter patter and the kaleidoscope of color wheels will have you spinning in delight. The flute, always a character, rises to the occasion. It’s one big rally before the finale. Finally, in the song “Full Moon Blue Wolf”, Jones’ vocals are so easy to embrace. His voice has but a hue of raspy, baritone timbre. Singing in Portuguese, I’m not privy to what his lyrics mean. I felt very cozy, close to his voice. Almost like he was a magnet. I felt a slight sadness in his voice, too, even though the music bed is uplifting and dances about in a loving way. I imagined this song about it being midnight and it’s time to part ways, or he’s going on a long trip and can’t see his beloved. He’s torn because he wants to stay, and knows that in the morning hours, he will be blue because he will not be with her. And, such is the tipping point – Forever may only be seven tracks, but they make a lasting impression.
Rachel Townsend