Ricky Graham started to work on his first solo album “Relinquished” in 2002 and ended in 2004, to finally release it in 2005. Young Irish Ricky Graham is an EXTREMELY talented musician, who touches to almost everything that is related to well…“music”. He’s the one who do everything on his albums: he’s the one who writes ALL the music, who produces it, who plays it, who mixes and masters everything. What could be more personal work than that ? I mean, it’s his ENTIRE creation, from A to Z…
Wow ! This always really impresses me ! :-O
I first knew about Ricky Graham with his album “Refraction” – released in 2006 – and now I really can see the difference between these two albums. “Relinquished” is MUCH MORE quiet than “Refraction”. Both are EXCELLENT but very different from each other. While “Refraction” has some vocals on it, “Relinquished” is strictly made of soundscapes.
While “Refraction” uses so much more guitars in it, “Relinquished” will use them too, but in a more subtle and sweet way. The mood is totally different. And while “Refraction” is more “distorted” in some tracks, “Relinquished” is extremely calm and sweet all through the songs, almost in a Vangelis way. It sounds quite fantasist, too. The music is filled with dreamy sounds, like those we can sometimes find in Moby, Pink Floyd or even Yes’s albums. To my taste, it’s perfect as I love this type of albums !
“Relinquished”, which is composed of 9 tracks for a length of 26 minutes – just too short, it’s my only regret – is peaceful, quiet, calm, beautiful, incredibly relaxing, just like being alone on the shore at night and watching the ocean and the stars – don’t know why the music makes me think about that – but to me, ocean and peace fit well together. It’s a special moment and feeling where you feel safe, like absolutely nothing could harm you because you feel so good. So in peace and so free. It’s the way this album makes me feel like. It reaches your heart straight with its melancholic melodies. It – as incredible as it may sound – helps to find ourselves again and to get in touch with our inner peace, something like that. It’s truly amazing !
I think here, “Life Sign” is my favorite track.
After I heard those two albums, and though I love them both, I think I still prefer “Relinquished” a bit because I feel like it reaches me more. Yet I won’t hide to you that “Dream Awake” – from “Refraction” – is STILL one of my top favorite songs from Ricky.
Ok. I may be not a professional to rate albums on the technical side, but to my OWN TASTES – from what I like in CDs and not – on a 1 to10 scale, I give it 10/10 because I liked everything I heard in it: the melodies, the sound, the organization of the album, everything. Absolutely nothing gave me a negative feeling.
To me it sounded just great ! :-) All I can say is that Ricky Graham is such a great musician and composer. And if you like ambient music, I’m sure you’re will enjoy the very serene “Relinquished” ! Free your soul with it ! It’s a magical cure for the body and soul when you feel stressed. Perfect album to fall asleep with !
By the way, you can also maybe give a look to Ricky’s band “Symbiotick” – which is a little different, he he.
Reviewed by Vikie Martel on November 21st, 2006
