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As
these things often do, Knitting By Twilight, and its distribution
imprint it’s Twilight Time, developed into full fledged concerns
all their own. The Collective, then as now, features a cast of revolving
characters (including, but not limited to, the rather significant talents
of guitarists Manny Silva and Mike Marando) but for John Orsi,
who from the start has been in continuous service.
Rather
than carry on with this dazzling narrative with regard to describing the
sonic patter and din of the Twilighters en masse, here’s what writers
far more adept than we have had to say about the works published thus
far, the eponymously titled debut Knitting
By Twilight, the follow-up story Heavy
Hearts & Safety Nets and KBT's contributions to the it's Twilight
Time compilation Moments of Suspension,
and the new EP Someone to Break the Silence,
respectively .
"...haunting
melodies with a rhythmic beat...Knitting is incredible."
-Underground Zine Scene
"Moody, esoteric and hypnotic."
-B Side
"...very
unique and highly recommended."
-Instant
"...enchanting melodies and poignant themes."
-i/e
"Enchanting!"
-Vanishing Point
"This cd has the elegance, refinement and mystery one expects
of a long-cellered
wine
recently unearthed."
-MARC S. TUCKER writing in Camera Obscura
"Yet
another gem...carrying the listener on a memorable journey of musical
landscapes."
-Digital Artifact
"Little dribs of gothic moods...hints of industrial...martial beats...it
all adds up to an
eclectic
vision of spacious time and place."
-The Big Take-Over
"Experimental mood pop-a masterful piece of rock tinged electronica."
-Instant
"KBT has been a nice surprise in the electronic-progressive-experimental
territories. You will
find rhythmic hypnotism and plenty of inspiration in these two highly
recommended works."
-J.J. IGLESAS writing in the Spanish magazine Atropos
"Four
groups are covered in this short anthology of unreleased work and they
all have that
hazy beauty Orsi is justly praised for. Nothing is assaultive, everything
is layered,
sparkling in gauzy splendor, unassuming but gently firm and quietly expository.
Orsi styles somewhat after Bruford...Temperament and thought pervade his
craftsmanship, oft magnified by filigree and shimmering pastels."
-MARC S. TUCKER writing in Progression Magazine
"Someone
to Break the Silence is an album with remarkable and varied stylistic
textures that mix the Dark Neofolk with Ambient atmospheres, or the
meditative
airs with romantic Pop and Psychedelic Rock. The music has a pleasant
freshness, thanks to the imaginative melodies and architectures."
-ALEJANDRO HINOJOSA writing in Amazing
Sounds
"Knitting
By Twilight invent electronic trance-inducing rhythms, embellishing
them with clever sound bytes, bells, whistles and basically anything
that will add color and depth to the composition and arrnagement. The
end result is a truly artful auditory experience"
-DOUGLAS SLOAN writing in Metronome Magazine
"The
opening "Sigh" and closing "Audrey" are unusual
instrumentals:
the former isguitar-as-orchestra led by Mike Marando, with "gitcello"
that transfixes
like a hypnotist, the latter is an indescribable, possibly keyboard
waft with a
just-before-sleep feeling. As intriguing, "Holiday to Holiday"
might be like
the nicer moments of The Cure's otherwise harrowing Pornography.
Elements of such Goth, tribal, and experimental music also inform. "Mr.
Santini", which has a more caustic air. As usually, this is music
as artist collective."
-JACK RABID writing in The Big Take-Over
"Defying classification, Knitting By Twilight is progressive and
atmospheric, pensive and minimalist. The limited lyrical content and
focus on percussion results in a sort of modern chamber music that
seeks to create mood more than anything else. The atmospheric nature
of Someone to Break the Silence lets it easily into the background,
but
close attention reveals distinct variations in mood from song to song."
-BRIAN MCGRATH writing in Northeast Performer
"A very 'odd'
CD... doesn't 'fit' into any clean little niche...
difficult to classify for the prospective listener... but that does
NOT mean that it's not great - in fact, it IS, just because it's
different.... highly creative &
well crafted music that will transport
you beyond the norm & make you think! A GREAT little CD that gets
a
MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED from us, especially for those
listeners who demand 'different'."
-DICK METCALF writing in Improvijazzation Nation
"Such a great title. It’s how I feel
most of the time right now, like
my life is one long giant sigh; an exhalation of breath into the
darkness. And if there’s no-one around to see you cry, are the
tears real? Whatever the answer (and I suspect that you’ll agree
the answer is most likely ‘more real than you will ever know’),
this track is both a delicious antidote and empathiser all at
once. Supple like a sapling and moody as a dark shady oak..."
-ALISTAIR FITCHETT writing in Tangents UK
'"Two tracks,
"Sigh" and "Mr. Santini" should really please
King Crimson fans with its Levin like bass and great
percussion. Two other tracks, "Holiday to Holiday" and "She's
Not Here She's Far Ahead" are more ambient in style and feature
some vocals. Perhaps the music of Sylvian/Fripp would be a good
reference point. Finally the album ends with an instrumental
ambient piece featuring a lot of electronic percussion"
-MARC ROY writing in Proggnosis
"Knitting By Twilight is a Providence music
and art collective lead
by John Orsi (Incandescent Sky), this ep features tracks from the
forthcoming disc, An Evening Out of Town. Ambient and gritty
mix nicely here, from the Noir-ish "Mr. Santini" to the lo-fi,
outsider
artist vocals of "She's Not Here She's Far Ahead."
While "Holiday to Holiday" sounds more like perfunctory
Knitting Factory rather than Knitting By Twilight, the
five songs here show a band willing to add their wide
palette of colors to their electronic trance.
There's daring here.
-MIKE WOOD writing in MusicEmissions.com
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