Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays - As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls - 1981 (24/96 Vinyl Rip)

As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls is a collaborative album by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays, released in 1981. The title makes reference to Wichita, Kansas and Wichita Falls, Texas. The title tune clocks in at just under 21 minutes. It is one of the only albums where Metheny not only acts as both the lead and accompanying guitarist but also the bassist, as each track uses fair amounts of overdubbing. The track "September Fifteenth" is in reference to September 15, 1980, the day the American jazz pianist Bill Evans died. Metheny and Mays cite Evans as a main influence. "One of the unforgettable highlight albums of Metheny and his group; enjoy this special atmospheric album and excellent ECM recording".

Note > No silence was deleted; please burn this album gapless..

Review:

Apocalyptic Metheny, January 11, 2007

I first discovered Pat Metheny when hearing "As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls" on a radio jazz program in university. My friend and I were laying on our living room floor with the lights out when this 18 minute song came on and totally freaked us out. I always interpreted it as some sort of apocalyptic warning or something. There was a lot of it in those days. But my friend and I never forgot it and bought the album the next day. It's taken me a long time to get the CD but I enjoy it just as much.

Of course the title track doesn't give you any idea of how awesome a guitarist Metheny is. The second side does however, but not as much as some of his other albums like "Offramp". But there are some very interesting melodic tracks on this album, from the ultimate driving song "Ozark", to the meditative "September 15th". All around, a great and unusual album.

R. Legare@Amazon.com


Track List:

1. As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls 2
2. Ozark
2. September Fifteenth" (dedicated to Bill Evans)
3. It's for You
4. Estupenda Graça