Product Description Inland Territory is a tour de force musically and lyrically, a complex and deeply thoughtful work from an artist cut loose from limitations. Recorded over five months and in four cities, with instrumentation ranging from foot stomps to vintage keyboards to full string orchestra, it’s without question Vienna Teng's most ambitious work yet. With producer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and friend Alex Wong sharing the helm, a fresh, adventurous sound emerged from the studio. Teng's classical piano training still shines on several tracks, especially the Debussy-like cascades in “Antebellum” and the giddy fluttering of “Stray Italian Greyhound”, this time playing counterpoint to Wong’s intricate string arrangements. Teng also explores some unsettling themes, letting her imagination run dark and detailed. “No Gringo” uses horns, lap steel and sandpaper to paint the picture of an illegal border-crossing attempt and “Radio” illustrates a sheltered, San Francisco-dwelling narrator imagining her local bus being shattered by a suicide bomber and the city shut down by civil war.
S**H
Vienna Does It Again!
With her fourth album, Inland Territory, Vienna continues in her stride as the lady with the most soothing piano/vocal talent around whom can make songs that are just as beautiful and intricate as they are revealing and comforting. There's no weak tracks here but my personal favourites are the minimalistic beauty of "The Last Snowfall", the flowing piano of "Antebellum", the stark emptiness of "Kansas", the quirky uptempo yet downbeat "Stray Italian Greyhound" and "No Gringo" and the kookie "Radio". However each track is a treasure and shows there's no stopping Teng making consistently superior albums.
E**A
brilliant
very talented young woman - some lovely songs on here and enjoyed listening to it a lot she has a great voice
T**F
Gentle Journeys
Good Golly Gosh !! This is more than a bit special.New York - based, Taiwanese/American Vienna Teng'snew album 'Inland Territory' is simply magical.(As much, if not moreso than her 2006 recording'Dreaming Through The Noise' - check it out tooif you havn't heard it!)Her most recent collection of twelve songs isa blissfully conceived and executed project.Ms Teng is up there with Regina Spektor andAlison Sudol (A Fine Frenzy) as another finesongwriter of originality and distinction.The songs' relatively simple arrangements beliea deeper musical intelligence and imagination.'Antebellum' is an extraordinary composition.Sparkling piano, a military snare and sweepingstrings hold up the wonderfully soaring vocallike a bird in flight. Co-producer Alex Wong'sgentle harmonic contribution is lovely too.'Kansas' delivers a delicate but powerful melodyand more than a little evidence that she andTori Amos may well be sisters under the skin.The jazzy, music hall echoes of 'In Another Life'dance in the air as light as a feather. The rhythmicpiano and woodwind ostinato supporting the melodyis a brilliantly accomplished invention.The stripped-down blues of 'Grandmother Song'is a blast. Ms Teng sings it like she means it!'Stray Italian Greyhound' (loving that title!)is thematically complex yet elusively affecting.The strings are stunning once again.'Watershed' is clearly an important song for its author.The intensity of her vocal performance is captivatingand genuinely moving. The album's heart and soul in fact.The folk-like arrangement of final track 'St Stephen's Cross'brings the project to an emotionally uplifting conclusion.'Inland Territory' is a small marveland Ms Teng a more than worthy guide.I was more than happy to follow.Essential.
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3 weeks ago
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