Composer, writer and musician extraordinaire Adam Hardcastle hails from the great land of Oz, although he has done his share of traveling. His album Stille is a culmination of his experiences while traveling in his native Australia and abroad. This six-track, 36-minute journey into the heart of Adam’s creativity is not your conventional album. The songs on Stille were taken from film soundtracks and musical theater that Adam has worked on while in Adelaide, and the reason they were put together into this album is a romantic one. While on one of his journeys, Adam got stuck in a train station in Taize, near Lyon France, and he had nothing to listen to. In his silent desperation, he vowed to create an album of songs for moments such as these. The result of that experience is the album Stille, an eccentric and artistic effort that belies conventional music and creates a sensation of memories in motion; a sensation of reliving experiences as they happened. As Adam states in his wonderfully packaged album, “I once thought of home in terms of geographical location – but have come to realize over time that home is truly found in the quiet stillness of memory.” That is a brilliant notion that should not be taken lightly.
Adam Hardcastle makes it evident with this album that creativity is diverse, memories are alive and life is meant to be lived and experienced to the best of our capabilities. Stille opens with “Summer Afternoon” and listeners may get chills as the ocean washes away their troubles. The piece begins with a sound clip of the ocean that was recorded from beneath the Brighton Jetty in Adelaide, and music and lyrics that were written when Adam was still in high school. It is a simple song with thought provoking lyrics and guitar work that is sweetly sad. An overall melancholy tune, this track highlights the soft despair that humanity sometimes feels, perhaps while resting beneath a jetty and reflecting on the past. The song is not intricate in the least, which allows the listener to appreciate Adam’s vocals and the rhythm of his guitar. Beautifully written and hauntingly performed, “Summer Afternoon” is the perfect compliment to memories that are perhaps a bit dusty and should be examined again, with the ocean as the perfect soothing companion.
“The Sky’s the Same” has a tribal flavor to it, with a rustic drum beat and ritualistic chanting. Adam begins to sing over this rhythm and this track is haunting. The sound effects are eccentrically chaotic and the overall effect of this piece is one of organized cacophony. It’s well composed, well performed, and completely unique. There has not been a song written that can even remotely be compared to this one and Adam proves once again that he is as original as they come. “Of Truth and Anguish” begins with a slow bass line and then the vocals kick in and the listener can get a much greater appreciation for the strength of Adam’s voice. An extremely mellow and melancholy piece, “Of Truth and Anguish” is lyrically compelling. Reading the lyrics, one gets the idea that they were originally a letter to someone and have since become a symbol of so much that is wrong with society. The cello is a wonderful touch, as is the theremin, and this piece is endearing because it is rather simplistic in its composition and yet perhaps more complex than any of the preceding tracks on Stille. This track has deep meaning and Adam’s vocals are delivered with heartfelt sincerity and passion.
“The Stoning” is more of a story than a song, one that deals with the human condition of judging others and doling out punishment for what is perceived to be a crime. This too is a piece with deep meaning as it brings to mind ancient rituals and rites. The melodic chanting makes one think of old callous priests in dark robes, walking down dimly lit aisles full of secrets and sorrow. The sound of this track is exquisite, most particularly the cello, and Adam’s vocals are once again strong and consistent. The track ends with a hauntingly slow drumbeat that lulls the listener into a false sense of calm before “Masse” begins, which shatters that sense of calm completely. Another piece of controlled cacophony, “Masse” is full of tribal chanting, whispered vocals, and effects that defy explanation. Adam doesn’t sing this song as he has the previous tracks, but rather he whispers the lyrics in an intense way that gives this piece a feeling of tension and intricacy. Despite the whispered vocals, the sound is not lost and everything going on in the background is heard clearly as well. Exceptionally engineered, “Masse” is one of the more eccentric pieces on the album and also one of the most endearing.
Stille closes with “Dazed,” which starts off with some beautiful piano work, coupled nicely with the guitar. Adam’s voice is once more strong and confident in this piece and the effects he uses to create something of an echoing sound is a brilliant touch. This track is perhaps the saddest and the most hauntingly melancholy one on the album, but it is also the track that is the most conventional in terms of your average, every day music. Don’t get confused, though. It is not conventional in the least. It is still wholly unique in the Adam Hardcastle style, with a sound that never has been, nor ever will be, replicated. The album Stille cannot be classified into any specific genre, nor does it sound like anything that has been done in the world of music. It is the brainchild of Adam Hardcastle and his travels around the world. It is the sound of memories. It is the soundtrack to the thoughts, ideas, and artistic compulsion of a man who has spent much time searching for himself and his home, and then coming to realize that the search is over. Everything he ever needed or wanted was right there in his own head and in his heart. Stille is truly more than just an album compiled from various pieces of music. It is also a work of art and creativity that cannot be duplicated by anyone. And in that, it is extraordinary.
Review by Rhonda Readence
