Eric Fraser - Reveal

Eric Fraser

Reveal
self-released; 2021

4.1 out of 5 - TOP ALBUM

By Michael E. Vincent

Snarkier listeners might posit how Ron Burgandy made things safe for jazz flute back in 2004 (or, perhaps, 1974 depending on one’s adherence to chronology). And while I’m sure Eric Fraser doesn’t need fictitious newsmen legitimizing his career – particularly since it involves a North-Indian classical derivation of the instrument – mass appreciation rarely spoils the party.  Look at Ian Anderson. Not only did the Jethro Tull frontman incorporate woodwinds into popular rock, but he rocked woodwinds. And that’s a hell of a lot further than plaid suits and casual misogyny would ever take the flautist demographic.

To his credit, Fraser adheres to the original “gayaki-ang,” or vocal style, of bansuri flute. In exploring traditional ragas, he also uses novel guitar chords and midi beats to keep things fresh. The result, a four-track EP titled Reveal, breaks convention without forcing the issue. In fact, by flirting with psychedelia, indie and alternative sounds, it scores points for originality. And flirt it does, often relying on a sensual vibe while melding the various genres. This is not, however, a “fusion album,” as Fraser is quick to note. Perhaps that’s a nice way of silencing the cultural appropriation crowd. Or perhaps this is an enjoyably organic 26 minutes that owes us no explanations. With crisp production and forwardly mixed bass, each track plumbs areas that Peter Gabriel might almost have fathomed. 

The opener “Revive” exudes rug-burned warmth. Its deep throated bass and gulping rhythm push things forward while allowing enough space for Fraser to playfully explore the arrangement. “Melt” etches a graver vibe. Unlike its predecessor, the song doesn’t so much bounce as it creeps. Visuals of shimmery heat set the tone. We could be listening to the soundtrack of a serpentine courtship, disrobing amidst the furnace-like air, or be gazing toward a boundlessly plain horizon. Either way, the piece unravels – without nearly missing a beat – into “Reclaim.” Here, light percussion excites, although the mood swings from sultry to solitary. This track is sparser, reedier and, eventually, punctuated by a baritone chant. Gone is the heat, and in its wake hums a gratifying vocal.

​"Mate” continues the trend, with Fraser now singing in English. “Desires are many,” he begins in a trance-like drone. The words drip and stretch, as if the entire composition were being cast in amber, slowing our collective pulses. Maya Angelou, this is not, but there’s a certain poetry to the straightforwardness of each phrase; a whale-belly echo in perpetual yearn. Plus, “I need a woman, intelligent” comes off as the best courtship line since David Lee Roth’s “you know you’re semi-good looking” four decades prior. And who can blame the sentiment? No one wants to speak geopolitics to some bubble-headed floozie. Even if she’s impressed with your flute.

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