Goddess Album Review – One World Music Radio

Take a moment to read in words what I created musically. A wonderful review of my new album. Thank you Steve Sheppard at One World Music Radio.

. https://www.oneworldmusic.co.uk/album-reviews/4577256830

“Goddess by Earth Tree Healing is one of those albums that captures your heart as it plays, it has 14 tracks within the album, but each one is manifested with such unique methodology and musical prowess that you never drift off and you literally can’t wait for the next offering to arrive.
To be honest this has been a refreshing change for me and one that I really enjoyed immensely, I have no problem recommending this release, it is inventive, artistic, well thought out and professionally produced and played, this album is what the new age music genre really needed right now.”

Earth Tree Healing Music Links http://hyperurl.co/ef3qxg

Full Review By Steve Sheppard at One World Music Radio https://www.oneworldmusic.co.uk/album-reviews/4577256830

Goddess By Earth Tree Healing Written by Steve Sheppard I first came across Earth Tree Healing (Claudine West) just a few years ago with the release of her impressive album 8 Sabbats. The album intrigued me as does this latest release Goddess. Be ready now for a voyage of voyages within the realms of this release and our starting point is Artemis. As you can imagine we have many buildings with this name here in Cyprus, the Greek goddess of the hunt and a daughter of Zeus. The steady purposeful movement on the keyboards here is a reminder of her stealth and guile perhaps. Next up is one of the most beautiful tracks off the album, it’s has a wonderfully reflective quality and quite mournful in parts, and called Selene. Selene is the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, and sister of the sun-god Helios, the latter very well known here on the island, at just short of ten minutes, this is the longest track off the release and to be honest I wouldn’t have minded if it had been 19 minutes long it is simply divine, this is new age ambiance at its very best. The shadow of Hecate now drifts over our senses, the goddess of magic and all that moves in the dark realms of the night. This is the complete opposite of the last track with an intense percussive beat and some fantastic string work, creating an atmosphere of ritual and energy being raised, a full flowing harp also adds weight to what is a superbly powerful composition. How can one not get swept away by the sheer beauty of this next offering called Gaia, for those who are not sure, she is the Greek goddess of land and Earth, the mother of all life, and we must all be grateful she lets us walk on her back. The keyboard structures a really charming musical narrative here that is almost film score in style, and draws the portrait of our mother with a pristine clarity through music. I must admit I was really looking forward to this one, as we live on the island of love and just a few miles from Aphrodite’s birthplace at Petra tou Romiou, a beautiful place to visit and just a few miles east of my current location. The composition Aphrodite is idyllic, I could sit at her rock by the ocean and listen to this piece; it is so redolent of the subject matter. The gentle keyboards remind me in parts of some of the more ambient work of UK electronic musician Kevin Kendle and yes you have guessed it, this was my favourite piece off the release. I have now played this three times in a row, simply stunning indeed. Goddess Temple is now upon us, there is a real lightness of spirit about this offering that is so very compelling. There is a slight intensity of performance here which is fantastically alluring and the perfect track to place, as we edge ever closer to the mid-way point in the album, very classy work indeed. So that mid-way juncture has been reached and by doing so we have opened a portal up to the next composition called Bast, as now we travel over the ocean to Egypt to find, the protector of Cats, the warrior daughter of the great Ra himself. The smooth performance on this offering gives us an image of this sun drenched location with ease, and the keyboards and effects really manifest something so redolent of the subject matter. It seems as if this album was destined to land in my lap as now I move to the land of my ancestors in Wales and we visit the goddess Cerridwen, she who is the mistress of rebirth, transformation and inspiration. Listen out for the melody on this track it is addictive and beautifully constructed and the performances on keyboards is delightful and crafted sublimely. Now we must watch and enjoy the tones of this next composition with a deep seated interest, as we are presented the piece Morrigan, and our journey has taken us over the sea once again to Ireland. Morrigan, the great queen of the phantoms is a rhythmic track of great percussive quality and a stylish bass line. The Irish energy is strong in this one, as is the almost hypnotic performance on keyboards, a compelling arrangement indeed. One of my other favourites now plays before us, as we stay in Ireland for the track Brigid. The guitar here is so full and colourful it is a total pleasure to listen to, add the keyboards to this majesty and you have a truly poetic offering, which of course should be a given, as Brigid was considered the patron of arts, crafts and poetry among other things. This has to be the most charming arrangement off the album with ease. The percussive start for this next opus entitled Athena is startlingly superb and almost a little rocky in parts, which I have no problem with at all, the keyboards manifest a wondrous composition about the goddess who is credited to have brought and been responsible for, bringing the first Olive Tree into the world. There is a really clever regal element weaved into this composition which make it so powerful and attractive to listen to. We have now entered into the deeper waters of the release and have journeyed long and far to the east for this next composition called Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity. The performance here almost manifests a slight chill out styled motif, one that has a specific sense of the subject matter beautifully portrayed, with a stylish percussion and a delightful and fluent keyboard all contained within. For our penultimate offering we stay in India and pay a visit to the goddess of time, creation, destruction and power, Kali. Now you may have expected an all guns firing rhythmic offering here, but the artist has been really clever and crated a composition the flows with the benevolence of a mother who protects her children from misfortune. The sensitive performance on keyboards here truly shows what a class act the artist is and further highlights a whole new side to the goddess Kali. So to finish this project off with style, let’s raise the energy for the last offering called Dance of the Goddess. This is a track that simply does what it says on the can, a smooth dance motif is created by a compelling performance on keyboards and simply the most relevant way possible to close down what has been a simply fantastic journey of myth, magic and goddess for us all to enjoy. Goddess by Earth Tree Healing is one of those albums that captures your heart as it plays, it has 14 tracks within the album, but each one is manifested with such unique methodology and musical prowess that you never drift off and you literally can’t wait for the next offering to arrive. To be honest this has been a refreshing change for me and one that I really enjoyed immensely, I have no problem recommending this release, it is inventive, artistic, well thought out and professionally produced and played, this album is what the new age music genre really needed right now.

GODDESS ALBUM COVER ART

Claudine West Music

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Mantaray

Surrounded by storm sea surges, snow sprinklings and a panic winter press sensationalism. I’ve sat in my little music cave Claudsville Studios. With some instrumental ‘rumpy pumpy’ the first of my new born kids being dropped off at the pool is Mantaray. This embryonic adventure into haunting piano and loops, Fender guitar expelling mellow cries into the night air for alternative progression on this track. With recording equipment situated on my old Reiki treatment couch (for the vibes) I sat in the glow of a salt lamp with a Crassula Ovata (money plant) for company, while the love of my life slept in the next room. As she stirred in slumber, she believed she was sweet dreaming, listening to my early morning vocal take yawns, harmonies and lyric editing as I progressed. With an oceanic theme around rescue. The song explores the burden of love. A song that arouses from the deep blue ocean then grabs souls with its undertow. This track is number 1 of a new solo album in progress. I’ll add each song as they unfold. Under the Stephen Fry inspired working title of ‘Babbling Merchant of Drivel’ progress is inspired in a Rue Morgue kind of way.

I’m currently in the middle of recording Strange Currencies album ‘Making Monsters’ So it a very musically indulgent time. Pretty darn cool actually.  I’ve spent the last 2 evening sessions suffering low mood and  red light fever recording the acoustic guitar parts for ‘Stay Down Kid.’ My one take wonders rule left me for dust! With cats jumping all over the studio during takes, and sore fingers. I’m hoping next weeks session will tell a different story. Luckily the swearing flowed like warm pee then the boiling hormonal blood ran free and with a little assistance from some garnet gemstone in my shorts pocket. I kind of nailed it last night. We had recorded a live version to work to. PP Johnson liked his live vocals. So as I’ve just D.I.’d the acoustic. I’ve had to overdub it and mic my trusty ‘Taylor’ up.  A song that has been played loads live with my eyes closed… Well.. maybe I should have swapped mugs of tea and vitamin water for Rum. But I think its kind of there ready for mix and master. As this album evolves.. getting the right balance of ballad, funky, poptarty, dirty, distorted and hints of country. Even though I know it will work out great in the end. I learn Logic Pro X as I go. The January blues will depart and be looked upon kindly as a productive time in the darkness.

 So here it is by Claudine West

Lyrics

Whispers on the waves of silence
I sensed the love in buoyance
In the eye of a hurricane
Our ship sails for America
A vortex where the renegade goes
This riptide rides the ebb and flow Chorus Jettison flames
This cargo is killing me
Mantaray
Set me free Verse 2
Those that inspire me, desire me
I’m certain of the dance
Lethal switchblades and urban food chains  Bridge
The world lights up and jettisons
The embers burned you, 
The embers burned you, 
The embers burned you, 

Chorus

Verse 3 
I buried myself in the Earth
To seek what it was worth
I carried strength and faith around
Buried scars and saviours
I quit the bad behaviours
I stopped this drowning before it took you down

Released January 9, 2017
Written, performed and recorded by Claudine West 2017