Fresh Aire 7

Such as it is, this is an album that has a lot of thought put into the backstory of each track. The research is interesting and humorous.

I can't help but think that more emphasis should've been made on the music. Musically, none of the organic sounding Classical Rock of the first four Fresh Aire albums is present. Rather it continues in the same vein as Fresh Aire 5 and 6. Except for the orchestra sounds strangely muted; so perfect as if it was played through a midi player. In fact I get that sense over the entire album. It sounds as if it was created on a computer instead of in a recording studio. Which would be an accurate pronouncement; this is Chip and his Toys gone overboard. The result is some interesting themes (and more forgettable ones) that have the same sound to them despite changes in the instrumental arrangements. And the songs don't have the impressive hooks, simplicite beauty or rolling gait that his early work had. It all sounds conservative; as if the music itself is 40 something...

Which is really what it is. Even as a big fan, I began to notice towards the end of the decade the magic began to disappear. The music has declined, even if the thought behind it has gotten better. But if you're like me, you'd much rather buy a CD for its music than its liner notes.

The second song, "Sunday, the 7th Day" utilizes "The Call of St. Hubert" (which is a hunting song played on french horns) as its base. This song takes it a bit further and adds a completely new section to the song as well as drums.

"The 7 Colours of the Rainbow" is a song with so much research and hard work built into it, you know it has to be good. And it is! Listen to this: This song is in 7/4 time, is performed with 7 instruments representing the 7 colors (not including drums), harmonizes with nothing but Major 7th +2 chords, written in the key of the seventh note (B Major), using the frequencies of the 7 colors corresponding to sound frequencies and lasting 7 minutes. The result? A song that I have declared, "The most relaxing song in the world."

The 7 C's is simply the playing of the 7 C's on a piano. (lasts 28 seconds)

The fourth song, "The 7 Metals of Alchemy" is a very upbeat, fast-paced song with plenty of synthesized elements, and string ensemble arrangements, not to mention those electric drums. It does give the listener a sense of mysticism and wonder while listening to it.

The 7 Chakras of the Body is a seven piece suite (the biggest suite on any Fresh Aire album).

The first Chakra is about physical sensations and begins with a series of percussion instruments in different pitches sort of just scattering around a big room. It comes together in the end and works its way into the second chakra which is about human mating (it is actually in 3/4 time, this gives the listener a sense of a "speed up and slow down, up and down" motion).

The third Chakra represents power and strength. You certainly get those feelings from this song. There is very little electronic elements in the piece, it is mostly made up of the orchestra.

The 4th is about unconditional love and it is obvious. A slow and melodic piece, it will definately make the listener want to snuggle up with that special someone.

The 5th is a choral piece sung by the Cambridge Singers. It based on a poem by Chaucer written in Middle English with a sampled bell from the University of Nebraska, Omaha ringing throughout the piece.

The 6th chakra is about the abilty to see beyond. The song is made of synthesized texture, the sampled bell from UNO, the strings and the choir. This song is made of two primary parts. The first one begins with a ringing bell which sounds like the Space Mountain theme from Disneyland which later includes the choir. The second, a choral display with synthesized elements backing the strings which gives the melody to a solo cello. Finally the song wraps up and leads into the 7th and final chakra.

The 7th chakra represents the mind and/or the intellect. It begins with what sounds like a cassette tape being fastforwarded through the player. This is representative that the mind is a very busy place. The song is face-paced and mystical like "The 7 Metals of Alchemy" and finishes with the choir singing different inversions of the Dm, Dm7, and other Dm chords while that sampled bell rings seven times in D.

The last but not least piece on the album, "The 7 Stars of the Big Dipper" sounds from the title like it is to be a space-like song, but in fact it sounds like a theme from a family movie in which a grandfather is showing his grandson the skies through a telescope for the first time. In fact, that's the feeling Chip Davis wanted to get through, and he does it very well.

Like I said the album is well worth the Grammy Award, continues to be one of my most favorite Mannheim Steamroller albums to date and I hope Chip Davis decides to do another with the same magnitude of the research and great composition this one has.

Let's look at the word "Alchemy"...meaning "the art of the land of Khem" began in Graeco-Roman Egypt. One of its major goals was to seek perfection by union between spiritual and material phenomena. The changing of metals was simply an indicator, as Chip has changed the world of music as we once knew it.

The entire CD is outstanding, must mention the effort to give an audio display for "SEVEN COLOURS OF THE RAINBOW"...use of octaves, tempo, instruments give off this array of sound, like no other you've heard, or ever will. This segment is one of the highlights you'll remember and think about, and think about, and THINK ABOUT!

Total Time: 46:48 on 13 Tracks...American Gramaphone 5007...(2000)