Translating as Behind the Orchards, here’s two dozen delightful, changeable, dramatic, fun, serious, mellow, divine offerings – there’s as many different moods as under the Spanish sun.
Music is universal and so the moods and the sentiments are not somehow lost in translator – as Behind the Orchards – or ‘Darrere els Horts’ – is entirely in Spanish. Opening with what could almost be a call to prayer, a blending of north African and Spanish cultures I was particularly ensnared by ‘Fer l’amor’ – for I could just have easily been listening to a Nick Drake composition – and the voice is eerily similar.
Catalan singer-songwriter Ferran Orriols is already critically acclaimed, following the first album ‘Plata’, ‘Darrere els Horts’ is also released on Grand Canyon Records – in a gesture to universalism and expansionism, Orriols has invited friends and local musicians of Catalan and beyond to come join in the adventure – with a bland of natural sounds that reflect and revere the Catalonian culture and countryside.
All human nature and emotion is here – the Spanish guitar capture all the themes from love, to connection and community, to childhood job and an appeal to the simpler ways of life in Catalonia.
A whole community of well known Catalonian artists have lent a hand to give Behind the Orchards a certain je ne sais quoi. It may be in Spanish, but that don’t matter – the music is fiery, feisty, mellow and alive.
It’s interesting to read that the album’s mixing and mastering was handled by John Wood, who also worked with Nick Drake (as well as a raft of rock royalty) – and that was the artist that sprung most to my mind.
With 24 tracks, some short – very short on occasion – to longer joyful and melodic pieces, to more personal and reflective artistry – this is an album that proves that music is the universal language.