Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays – As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls (1981) Review | A Colorful Opinion on the Goodness of M&Ms
Kronomyth 7.0: Staring at the walls of Wichita white.
All long-form composers at some point take an interest in Oriental sounds: Vangelis, Jean-Michel Jarre, um, Kitaro. The title track from As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls (which I think is a great title) is Pat Metheny’s and Lyle Mays’ Oriental thesis. With percussionist Nana Vasconcelos, they create a cool hybrid of water music, Oriental sounds and the Latin elements advanced under Pat Metheny Group. As Falls Wichita was the first Metheny album I ever heard and, given my limited lexicon of instrumental associations at the time, it reminded me of Fripp and Eno’s ambient works. Today, not so much except in spots. I like Metheny’s early, icier works and Mays’ shimmering beds of synthesizers, so the side-long title opus is right up my alley. Fans of their later work may find it too spacey and not enough spicy (honestly, is there any language more arbitrary than American English?). For them, there is a second side of shorter songs. Mays takes the lead on Ozark, the sort of new age americana jazz that Metheny fans have come to love. September Fifteenth is reflective and sad, the sound of the sun slipping behind a bank of clouds. (Some days I’m not fit for anything but writing names for lipstick colors. Baby bum rash red. A shade less dark than bashful beet but richer than strawberry rose.) “It’s for You” is his typical southwestern fluff, and I mean that in the nicest sense of the word “fluff.” You know, like fluffy pillows or fluffy baby ducks. (Fluffy baby duckie yellow.) The closing Estupenda Graca (wonderful grace, in case you’re wondering) features Vasconcelos’ wolfish vocals, some well-placed sighs and a sense of unfulfilled desire. (Fuchsia unfulfilled. That’s getting annoying, isn’t it?) The second side of Wichita is a world we’ve already travelled with PMG, but the side-long title track is an interesting departure for them. Metheny minus the group has always been more meditative. If you enjoyed Watercolors or New Chautauqua, you’ll probably fall for Wichita too. (Wichita white. I can actually see that in my head.)
The Product
A1. As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls (20:44)
B1. Ozark (4:03)
B2. September Fifteenth (7:44)
B3. “It’s for You” (8:20)
B4. Estupenda Graça (2:40)
All selections composed by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays.
The Players
Lyle Mays (piano, synthesizer, organ, autoharp), Pat Metheny (electric and acoustic six string and twelve string guitars, bass), Nana Vanconcelos (berimbau, percussion, drums, vocals). Produced by Manfred Eicher; engineered by Jan Erik Kongshaug.
The Pictures
Cover photo by Klaus Frahm. Liner photo by Rob van Petten. Design by Barbara Wojirsch.
The Plastic
Released on elpee on April 27, 1981 in the US (ECM, ECM-1-1190), France (ECM, 818 890-1) and Germany (ECM, ECM-1190). Reached #50 on the US charts.
- Re-issued on compact disc in the US and Germany (ECM, 821 416).
