Nordstrom, Monte
After All...
2004 album from Ptarmigan's Monte Nordstrom. 'After All' features material composed over five decades, including the debut of Ptarmigan material written prior to the release of their album. One such track is 'The Waiting,' a suite composed in 1969, but never recorded at the time. Hand-percussion and didgeridoo add a mystical quality to another "lost" Ptarmigan composition, 'Song To The East.' Solo passages feature fluid harmonica, and there is no mistaking Nordstrom's rich vocals and guitar playing, both of which seem to have attained greater depth with the passage of the years. There is a distinct retro vibe to the album, as indicated by Nordstrom's choice to use a vintage Mellotron, which provides an eerie, majestic ambience, at times recalling Procol Harum or an earthier Moody Blues. Lest we mislead you, we must point out that this is a well-produced, modern album. But it has a special quality, a feeling of past days, with a vibe that is perhaps reminiscent of the best moments of Neil Young's acoustic albums. This is certainly a return to form for Monte Nordstrom as an artist, and a fascinating companion to the reissue of the sole Ptarmigan album.