Released
1999

Label
Gearhead Music

Reviewed by
Jason X

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Last Edit/Update
28 June, 1999

Jason Rubenstein

Cathedral

Track Listing

1. Wired Angel
2. One Moment
3. Cathedral
4. The First Day
5. The Gate
6. Where The Hell Am I?
7. Evocation
8. Image III
9. Blue II
10. Invocation
11. Siobhan
12. Image V
13. Wired Angel 3:30am

     When I first got a copy of Cathedral, I had only heard Wired Angel, off the Gearhead Music website. After getting a taste of what to expect, I finally got the full-length CD at my disposal. At first glance, the cover would fool you into thinking this was a release from a gothic artist; It is far from what you would expect. Blending a variety of ambient-electronic sounds and steady beats, here lies the pinnacle of Jason Rubenstein's score to a movie inside your mind.

     So I listen to Wired Angel again. My perception of this track is that of a lone, misty, summer-midnight. I imagine myself donning a brim hat and trenchcoat, like Humphrey Bogart. Puffing away on my cigarettes under a solitary lamppost, the beat rolls on and I move toward the shadows. The mist swirls around me as I am engulfed into the night. I can not sleep and yet I wander the lonely streets to sate my insomnia. What is this loneliness I feel that compels me to wander? It must be the 24-hour diner that is situated in the corner. Cheeseburger deluxe with gravy on the side anyone?

     From that description itself, you get a feeling of what it can make you feel. The rest of the tracks all meld together smoothly, which creates a movie-like atmosphere. The piano adds the melancholic feeling to the entire album. One would think that this were indeed a score to an upcoming movie. Do not be mistaken though because Cathedral envisions the movie inside your mind with layered ambient sounds flowing with rythmical beats. The sound quality is also a key factor. The music is very crisp and not a bit of over-layering that some independent artists have problems with. This CD sounds very professional. A worthy purchase for those interested in a top-quality independent release.