TOUCH / JACOB'S ROOM
by MORTON SUBOTNICK

Worth the price for Jacob's Room

By Rick Hines, Sept. 21, 2005

Like the last reviewer, I'm disappointed with the reviewers who panned "Jacob's Room". I was a big fan of Subotnick's early electronic works like "Silver Apples" and "4 Butterflies". However, I've always had trouble getting into his work once he began to incorporate organic performance into his synthetic soundscapes. I purchased this CD to get "Touch", the electronic work. It doesn't fail to entertain, but it also can seem like simply an extension of his earlier synthesized works (not necessarily a bad thing).

When "Jacob's Room" came on, I was simply blown away by the sheer imagination and originality of the composition. The only thing I can compare it to is John Cage's "Aria With Fontana Mix". Subotnick's score displays a warmth and accessablity not usually associated with his work. However, Joan LaBarbara's vocals take the piece to somewhere quite unique. Whereas Cage's "Aria" is very abstract, the narration in Subotnick's piece keeps the vocals anchored despite some very impressive sound gymnastics by Ms. LaBarbara.

Overall, this CD presents two very different sides of Subotnick. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to taste both the old, synthetic, and new, organic, Subotnick. I knock one star off for "Touch's" lack of originality, but if you are unfamiliar with other works by Subotnick, this piece makes a fair introduction to his early style. However, I recommend "Jacob's Room" for anyone who enjoys listening to a first-rate vocalist wrap herself around some incredibly avant-garde music. It sounds cliche, but "Jacob's Room" gives me shivers every time I hear it.