It’s easy to tell when an artist has something to show rather than something to say. Something to get rather than something to give. Some art exists for spectacle, which is all well and good, but great art is created to do something deeper than merely dazzle an audience. Great art touches the heart. This is what Pauline Frechette does with the rich and soothing sounds of “Liquid Moon”.
The song begins with glimmering piano notes accompanied by the soft swells of a lovely string arrangement. Something about this combination reminds me of the early morning hours before the sun has peeked over the horizon. There’s a quiet freshness to the music that helps to still the mind and bring up a feeling of ease and calm.
As the song develops, a familiar enchantment begins to weave its way in. This has become somewhat of a signature of Frechette’s music. It’s like a presence that runs through her work. The more I listen the more it becomes clear to me that this feeling in the music is the truth of Frechette’s soul, and this truth is the central reason she is able to connect more deeply with her listeners.
As I expressed in my previous review of Pauline’s latest EP: “Liquid Moon’, has a tranquil grace to it. There is such love in this song. Listening to it is like stepping out into nature after spending too much time in the city.” There’s a lot of truth in that statement. I definitely experienced a sense of calm while listening. It’s very similar to feelings I’ve had while stepping out into nature.
The instrumentation for “Liquid Mood” is another aspect of this lovely piece of music that I appreciate. Frechette’s ability to express herself through the piano is supported and enhanced with an exquisite arrangement that includes oboe, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, and contrabass. It’s clear that the central vision for the song is carried by Frechette’s excellent piano playing, but the additional instruments enhance and lift that vision to extraordinary heights.
“Liquid Moon” is the sort of song that points to something beyond itself. The transcendent qualities of the song were summed up nicely in my previous review when I said: “Frechette captures more truth in the few minutes of “Liquid Moon” than most books can hold. In a sociopolitical environment that can, at times, become so distracting and noisy, people need music like this more than ever. Once again, Frechette reminds us of something deeper, something more vital than words can express.”
“Liquid Moon” is the third track off Frechette’s latest EP titled “A Winter’s Tale”. I highly recommend listening to the entire EP, but “Liquid Moon” holds a particularly special place for me. If you’d like to learn more about Pauline Frechette, you can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. If you’d like to listen to her incredible music you can find it on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and most other places music is streamed or sold.
Ron Powers
