A Closer Listen
LA cannot seem to catch a break this year: first wildfires, then deportations, then protests, then troops. Curated by Hollie Kenniff and mastered by Taylor Deupree, For LA, Vol. 4 continues to address the lingering effects of the first. A treasure trove for fans and a fundraiser for We Are Moving the Needle and GiveDirectly, this series is the gift that keeps on giving. With so many artists contributing new and unreleased tracks, the fourth volume of 22 offerings raises the total to 110, and we’ve just learned that there will be a fifth edition as well. For LA is the musical version of the Hollywood fundraiser that everyone wants to be a part of, and as a result, everybody wins.
The quality level is once again ridiculous, and we continue to hold out hopes for a boxed set once the final edition is wrapped. Vol. 4 begins with a lovely solo piano piece from Time Interior; “Beloved” is as tender as a condolence card, a gentle introduction to the set. As the piano theme continues, the listener realizes how much the project has expanded from its roots. “Ocean Breath,” from Josef de Schutter (feat. Luca de Schutter) is another tender, reflective piece, leading to Rose Riebl‘s hopeful yet heartbreaking “Someone Will Remember Us.” This is the calm after the storm, the aftermath, the reassessment and rebuilding. Again we find it worth mentioning that the sequencing of each volume is designed to allow the albums to flow, a rarity in the world of compilations. Otto Totland and Oystein Skar keep the ivory energy going, a timbre that will return again and again throughout the set.
When Hannes Kretzer‘s “Outsight” blooms from a bed of synthesizers, the effect is an expansion, like growing awareness, like neighbor helping neighbor. Instead of breaking into a dance piece as one might expect, the track adds orchestral drones, producing a sense of drama before a minute-long recession. Guitars begin to surface in this new section, providing a sense of peace in From Somewhere Quiet‘s “Exhale,” whose very title connotes relief. A pair of geographically themed pieces, the placid “Lake Tahoe” and the playful “Santa Ana,” ground listeners in specific locales, promising better days, while “Ashes” and “And the Rain Will Fall” are reminders of the Palisades and Eaton fires. In Valotihkuu‘s piece, showers fall sweetly upon the ears.
The water flows in Lucent‘s “Watching, Waiting,” and the birds begin to sing. Finally progress is being made. Broken hearts are healing, but the scars will forever remain. While Dear Gravity titles its piece “This Time, Different,” one can only hope that things will change, that the wake-up call will be heard. Between Vol. 3 and Vol. 4, Jordan Thomas’ When It All Burns: Fighting Fire in a Transformed World was released to national acclaim. The memoir documents a year fighting fires as a California Hotshot while tracing the history of fires and firefighting, laying some blame for the recent proliferation of events on climate change and some on harmful environmental practices. In short, the author concludes that the Native Americans had it right, and we ignored them. One can only hope that the ancient wisdom will resurface, and that the next time will be different. In the meantime, we continue to credit the Kenniffs and all who have contributed over the course of this series to date for addressing the problems and being part of the solution. (Richard Allen)
Mon Jun 16 00:01:50 GMT 2025