BOBBY BEAUSOLEIL

Orb
2001
CD
White Dog Music

A review of this record has to begin with a bit of criminal history: In 1969 Bobby Beausoleil slew a double-crossing drug-dealer. He spent two years on Death Row before being reprieved, but is still serving time. Others might by now have been released, but Bobby was an associate of Charles Manson and the Sharon Tate killings occurred within a few days of the murder in which Bobby was involved. Bobby was not a member of the 'Manson Family', but Charlie was lead singer in Bobby's band, and Bobby has paid the price for Charlie's notoriety.

Bobby's musical interests are in film soundtrack and in the mid-1970s he composed and recorded a full score for Kenneth Anger's cult film, Lucifer Rising. Since then he has been able to build up - behind bars - an advanced digital A/V studio, and Orb is his fourth album.

Bobby Beausoleil

It has a gentle, expansive quality, celebrating the freedom he is denied, and takes the form of a mental travelogue. Exotic terrestrial adventures are interspersed with soaring back into the stratosphere to experience the majesty of the planets. At times sad and reflective but not sinisterly dark, this is the music of somebody who has come to terms with life.

The 10-track album opens with 'Dreamways of the Mystic - overture' featuring Bobby's electric guitar work. This is followed by 'In the Temple of the Moon - part 1' which begins with a brooding orchestral quality like Holst's The Planets. This cold and majestic track is the first of four parts representing the connecting extraterrestrial element.

In between the spacey bits we have 'Punjab the Barber', 'Punjab Returns' and 'Songs of the Forest People'. The first introduces the exotic, whilst the second drives it at a Western pace with a strong snare drum march rhythm overlaid with a more orchestral sound. The third switches continents to begin with a minute or so of rainforest sounds. One can imagine the appeal to Bobby of this simple beauty. A South American pipe sound is then introduced and percussion, which gathers pace. The album concludes with the two-part 'Dreamways of the Mystic', an aptly entitled finale of dreamy ambient guitar sounds which reprises the opening track and finally lulls us into a state of total relaxation.

Rik - 16 April 2002

• WHITE DOG MUSIC
  http:// www.whitedogmusic.com
  PO Box 457
  Aumsville, OR 97325
• BEAUSOLEIL.NET
  Cyber-home of Bobby & Barbara Beausoleil
  http://beausoleil.net

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