What You Need to Know: Forget about the recent
Star Trek score
; Spirit of the Cosmos is the album that delivered the majestic, captivating journey into the stars that I was looking for. Comprised of thirteen tracks, each
paying homage to the mystery and inspirations of the cosmos, Austin delivers music that feels and sounds both original and captivating. In fact, I would recommend that to listen to this album, all you have to do is tuck your imagination into each of the cues and prepare yourself to fly across wondrous boundaries. This is marvelous work!
While some of today's modern symphonic works get stuck within a restraints of a dry classical style, Austin opens things up and brings us a cross between an imaginative film score and grand concert music in the spirit of Holst's, The Planets. Throughout it all, there is a genuine sense of exploration that is relayed through each of the tracks and movements. There are moments of fury, mystery, wonder and majesty, all represented for their various roles in the galaxies above. I particularly enjoyed the "personality" of some of the tracks, such as the chamber inspired, Furious Filaments, which starts the album off with great flair and will make more than one listener want to repeat it before moving on. Very catchy and different. The rest of the journey is also full of surprises, as you'll hear a bevy of different instruments (including an electric guitar) employed in a variety of fresh and interesting ways.
One of the keys to this album's success -- the reason why it all works so well -- is because of its cohesive, presentable structure. It's well paced and the style of each track works well from one to the next. Indeed, this is a complete and well-planned body of work. I would even say there is greatness within it. From the wondrous themes and the keen use of the orchestra, Spirit of the Cosmos comes together into one unforgettable package that will be sure to inspire you. Lets just be hopeful that a great achievement such as this is not overlooked and that more people can make time to listen to it.
Do me a favor -- pass the word on about this one.
