CD review of First Light by Peter Calandra

Album: First Light

Artist: Peter Calandra

Total Time: 44:31

Music is the essence of everything in this universe. It may have different wavelength and frequency at different places and levels, but it is there–like the unseen Power that empowers the whole world, music is present everywhere. The trick lies in trying to listening to it; otherwise, it does not take much time to turn into cacophony, din, blare, noise, and ultimately the irritating aspect of sound.

I remember, writing in a poem of mine (addressing to ‘music’ as an entity):

In the tickle of a water drop, I hear you like a tom-tom. In the twang of a metal piece struck by a smith, I recognize the presence of synthesizers, pianos and other keyboards.

Listening to a multi-instrumental album gives you the opportunity to taste the beauty of different sounds from different angles. It’s like having a multi-focus camera, which captures beauty of a scene highlighting multiple points.

Peter’s album is such a platter of tasteful sounds and soft tunes that quickly let you settle like calm settles on a still lake.

True to its name, it opens with ‘Open your Heart’ and takes you through myriad forms of light present in our lives. Right from ‘Night City’ to ‘Sunrise Over New York’, you will notice the theme of light touching every song. Light has tremendous speed and that’s how you will be able to ‘Circle the Time’, though you will need light to illuminate your path for ‘Inner Secrets’!

What I noticed in the complete album is the soft treatment given to music, which is very soothing for a listener. It feels the same whether you listen to this album in a bath tub, or working on a computer imagining yourself to be sitting on the bank of a brook (like I’m doing right now).

It’s not loud as most of the music albums of the contemporary times tend to be–though it touches the trend of modern tunes, it still takes back you to something that is very original and unique. This, I believe, comes from experience. Peter has worked on so many themes and different aspects of music throughout his life that he knows blending innovation with originality like the back of his hand.

The album is light, and does not carry the unnecessary weight of garish musical sounds.

If you are a listener who lets music weave magic around yourself, you are going to enjoy this album for sure.