The Bells (Nils Frahm album)

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The Bells
The Bells (Nils Frahm album).jpg
Live album by
Nils Frahm
ReleasedFebruary 1, 2010 (2010-02-01)
RecordedAll compositions recorded n the Grunewald Church, Berlin on November 13 and 14, 2008
Genre Contemporary classical, Avant-Garde
Length40:14
Label Erased Tapes ERATP021CD
Producer Peter Broderick
Nils Frahm chronology
Wintermusik
(2009)		The Bells
(2010)		Unter/Über
(2010)

The Bells is an album by German pianist and composer Nils Frahm, first released in 2009 under the Swedish Kning Disk label, then more broadly in 2010 by Erased Tapes Records. [1] It was recorded over two days in the Grunewald Church in Berlin. [2]

Contents

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 75/100 [3]
Review scores
SourceRating
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Drowned in Sound 8/10 [5]
Rock Sound 8/10 [6]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
musicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Pitchfork 4.8/10 [9]

The Bells received mainly positive reviews on release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received a score of 75, based on 6 reviews which is categorised as generally favorable. [3] Writing for BBC Music, Spencer Grady observed "The resultant pieces feel so alive that you can almost sense the pressure of Frahm’s fingers alighting on each key as these solemn improvisations begin to weave their magic. Their unrefined organic energy and resonance is undoubtedly due to the natural reverb of the old church in Berlin where this set was recorded". [1] Rock Sound reviewer Joe Marshall enthused "The Bells is a consistently fascinating listen. Possessing a grandeur that never descends into pomposity and a restraint that could never be mistaken for bland aural wallpaper, this is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful releases you’re likely to hear over the coming months'. [6] Not all critics were as generous. In his 3 star review on MusicOMH, Ben Hogwood said "The Bells is a mixed bag of accomplished piano pieces that could do with a bit more subtlety in those passages where the intensity rises. It’s those softer, more intimate asides that have the greatest impact, allowing the listener to truly connect with Nils Frahm and his message. And that’s where the simple beauty of the piano shines through". [8] In his review for Pitchfork, Brian Howe gave the album 4.8 out of 10 saying "The bottom line is that The Bells tends to be either tedious and pretty or interesting and caustic; it often feels unpleasantly satisfied with itself.". [9]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Nils Frahm

No.TitleLength
1."In the Sky and On the Ground"0:55
2."I Would Like To Think"6:00
3."Said And Done"3:14
4."Dedication, Loyalty"3:09
5."Down Down"3:37
6."Over There, It's Raining"1:51
7."Small Me"5:38
8."My Things"5:14
9."Peter is Dead In the Piano"3:06
10."It Was Really, Really Grey"4:59
11."Somewhere Nearby"2:31
Total length:40:14

Personnel

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References

  1. 1 2 Grady, S., BBC Music Review, accessed April 9, 2015
  2. ↑ Nils Frahm website album entry, accessed April 9, 2015
  3. 1 2 "The Bells – Nils Frahm". Metacritic. CBS Interactive . Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  4. ↑ Mojo, March, 2010, p. 99
  5. ↑ Metcalf, Will (January 27, 2010). "Album Review: Nils Frahm – The Bells". Drowned in Sound . Silentway. Archived from the original on April 5, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  6. 1 2 Marshall, Joe (January 8, 2010). "Nils Frahm - The Bells". Rock Sound . Freeway Press Inc. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  7. ↑ Uncut, February, 2010, p.84
  8. 1 2 Hogwood, Ben (February 1, 2010). "Nils Frahm – The Bells". musicOMH . Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  9. 1 2 Howe, Brian (May 12, 2010). "Nils Frahm - The Bells". Pitchfork . Pitchfork Media . Retrieved April 9, 2015.
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