Automatic
by Channel Light Vessel

From MadhattanJack 12/09/2025 00:30 | #312068

Channel Light Vessel were a kind of mid-era prog/new-age "supergroup" consisting of Bill Nelson, Roger Eno, and the Dream Academy's Kate St. John, along with percussionist Larry "Laraaji" Gordon and cellist Mayumi Tachibana. There's very little singing involved though, so St. John is really just here to play sax and oboe, and what few vocal parts there are tend to be taken by Nelson, who's using a vocal tone and delivery that sounds like he's too weak or ill to get out of bed, and also about 30 years older than he actually was at the time. The songs are fairly short (the longest, "The Place We Pray For," is only 4:26 and is the only track that features a St. John vocal part); that too is probably due to Nelson's involvement. The trick with this kind of music is to somehow avoid being labeled "ambient" or "easy listening" while still providing a pleasant experience for people who don't particularly like snappy, bouncy pop music. They seem to do an admirable job of this for the most part, and of course the instrumental performances are all top-notch. The closest thing to a "rock" piece here is track 10, "Thunderous Accordions" (though that's not saying much).