Maverick Magazine 5-Star Review of Flat Earth
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
by Arthur Wood
Krista Detor FLAT EARTH DIARY Tightrope Records
5 out of 5 Stars!
Detor’s magnificent FLAT EARTH DIARY delivers a wealth of image rich word tapestries.
FLAT EARTH DIARY achieved fruition when Indiana based Detor and friends embarked
on a summer 2013 boat trip to the North Channel of Lake Huron. A handful of songs
completed, their common thread was evading Krista. The album press release reveals
“As she sat on the water, with no land in sight, it occurred to her that we humans are
unbelievably adaptable.” For century’s mankind believed the world was flat, now we
accept that it’s spherical. That doesn’t, however, preclude the nagging question “Is
perception reality?” Wonsook Kim’s liner artwork witnesses a woman test reality by
plunging from land into the starry blue yonder!
Produced by David Weber and recorded at his Airtime Studio north of Bloomington, the
eclectic coterie of local contributors include John Prine’s guitarist Jason Wilber,
husband/wife Tim Moore (percussion) and Dena ElSaffar (violin) from sevenpiece
Salaam, 17yearold wunderkind violinist Ariel Horowitz an Itzhak Perlman student at
Juilliard, and opera singer Amanda Biggs. From farther afield, the bass guitar players are
many and mighty starting with Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck) then Steve Mascari, Mike
Lindauer, Rod Taylor, Jack Helsley and Frank Smith, while Ohio bred, New York based,
singer/songwriter John Crookston duets with Krista on one selection.
In previous reviews I’ve alluded to Detor’s technique of “furnishing a cornucopia of
seemingly disparate images that she magically glues into cohesive entities.” On first
hearing, this stunned listener has mouthed “Wow. I can relate to that.” FLAT EARTH
DIARY contains seven songs penned by Krista, three more with Weber, and one each
with George Detor and Jim Krause – the result a cornucopia of fresh opportunities to wail
“Wow.”
A wonderfully lilting, piano led, melody supports Styx themed opener Ferryman’s Dream.
Among the countless allusions embraced are literature (subtly expounded later as
“wuthering weather,” “an old scarlet letter” and “bell jars”), war, confessions and, finally,
death “The only one that crosses is you.” As for art and music there’s Miro and Ives
and a final hope “Maybe get lucky, get two lives.” Wooton and Biggs support the
rhythmically energetic Detor/Weber fairytale/fantasy Belle Of The Ball, Detor’s piano
insistently propels Just Because, while Biggs returns for the percussive Red Velvet Box
an ode to love. Penned by Detor/Weber, “Burning bridges, the price I have paid” is oft
repeated as the troubled Bridges narrator searches for peace.
Crookston duets with Detor on Always Somewhere, while the final Detor/Weber cowrite,
The Fine Print, features Wooton plus guest vocals by Krista and David’s teenage
daughter’s Aurora and Isla. Penned with George Detor, and dating from last century the
character study Marietta is the oldest song here. Hear That? and the (penultimate) album
title song, were, crucially, penned “on the boat,” both imagefilled. the former finds the
narrator recall her getaway, while the latter is a blissful ball of energy. Jim Krause’s finger
picked acoustic guitar and Anne Hurley’s cello support on the melodic, subjectively wistful
Detor/Krause closer Blowing Kisses.
As for the elephant at the edge of the gatefold cover, that’s another story…….
https://www.kristadetor.com/ and https://myspace.com/kristadetor/music/songs
Arthur Wood.
Copyright of this work is retained by Kerrville Kronikles 11/13
Detor’s magnificent FLAT EARTH DIARY delivers a wealth of image rich word tapestries.
FLAT EARTH DIARY achieved fruition when Indiana based Detor and friends embarked
on a summer 2013 boat trip to the North Channel of Lake Huron. A handful of songs
completed, their common thread was evading Krista. The album press release reveals
“As she sat on the water, with no land in sight, it occurred to her that we humans are
unbelievably adaptable.” For century’s mankind believed the world was flat, now we
accept that it’s spherical. That doesn’t, however, preclude the nagging question “Is
perception reality?” Wonsook Kim’s liner artwork witnesses a woman test reality by
plunging from land into the starry blue yonder!
Produced by David Weber and recorded at his Airtime Studio north of Bloomington, the
eclectic coterie of local contributors include John Prine’s guitarist Jason Wilber,
husband/wife Tim Moore (percussion) and Dena ElSaffar (violin) from sevenpiece
Salaam, 17yearold wunderkind violinist Ariel Horowitz an Itzhak Perlman student at
Juilliard, and opera singer Amanda Biggs. From farther afield, the bass guitar players are
many and mighty starting with Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck) then Steve Mascari, Mike
Lindauer, Rod Taylor, Jack Helsley and Frank Smith, while Ohio bred, New York based,
singer/songwriter John Crookston duets with Krista on one selection.
In previous reviews I’ve alluded to Detor’s technique of “furnishing a cornucopia of
seemingly disparate images that she magically glues into cohesive entities.” On first
hearing, this stunned listener has mouthed “Wow. I can relate to that.” FLAT EARTH
DIARY contains seven songs penned by Krista, three more with Weber, and one each
with George Detor and Jim Krause – the result a cornucopia of fresh opportunities to wail
“Wow.”
A wonderfully lilting, piano led, melody supports Styx themed opener Ferryman’s Dream.
Among the countless allusions embraced are literature (subtly expounded later as
“wuthering weather,” “an old scarlet letter” and “bell jars”), war, confessions and, finally,
death “The only one that crosses is you.” As for art and music there’s Miro and Ives
and a final hope “Maybe get lucky, get two lives.” Wooton and Biggs support the
rhythmically energetic Detor/Weber fairytale/fantasy Belle Of The Ball, Detor’s piano
insistently propels Just Because, while Biggs returns for the percussive Red Velvet Box
an ode to love. Penned by Detor/Weber, “Burning bridges, the price I have paid” is oft
repeated as the troubled Bridges narrator searches for peace.
Crookston duets with Detor on Always Somewhere, while the final Detor/Weber cowrite,
The Fine Print, features Wooton plus guest vocals by Krista and David’s teenage
daughter’s Aurora and Isla. Penned with George Detor, and dating from last century the
character study Marietta is the oldest song here. Hear That? and the (penultimate) album
title song, were, crucially, penned “on the boat,” both imagefilled. the former finds the
narrator recall her getaway, while the latter is a blissful ball of energy. Jim Krause’s finger
picked acoustic guitar and Anne Hurley’s cello support on the melodic, subjectively wistful
Detor/Krause closer Blowing Kisses.
As for the elephant at the edge of the gatefold cover, that’s another story…….
https://www.kristadetor.com/ and https://myspace.com/kristadetor/music/songs
Arthur Wood.
Copyright of this work is retained by Kerrville Kronikles 11/13