Solitudes Volume Six

Dan Gibson - Solitudes Volume Six

You may have seen these CDs with the Solitudes name on them at shops such as Bed, Bath, and Beyond and Super Target. They have blends of new age or classical music with nature sounds or music designed to relieve people from stress which I don't think really do so. These CDs and similar ones stocked next to them tend to usually suck. I paid little attention to these Solitudes CDs until I came across this LP at a thrift store. This LP is among the first 11 volumes released in the Solitudes series before a change of emphasis to what has been described in the above sentences. The first 11 volumes have only nature sounds. They are "acoustical environmental sound experiences composed of authentic natural sounds" created by filmmaker and producer Dan Gibson from sounds that Gibson himself recorded. The first 11 volumes are worth getting.




STORM ON A WILDERNESS LAKE

Since emotional responses to the wilderness vary widely, your reactions to 'Storm On A Wilderness Lake' might by totally at odds with the reactions of others. If it's your first time alone in the wilderness you could be exhilarated by nature in one of her moderately violent moods. Or you could be downright scared out of your wits.

If that's the case, then you aren't ready for the call of the loon. A call that easily transmits as a ghostly sound to some of us. Or beautifully haunting to others.

If you regularly 'cut out' to find refuge in the wilderness, eager to give yourself up to nature, you might never feel closer to the wilds, and to your inner being, than when thunder rumbles across the forest. You hear and watch the birds react, and the rain moves in, walling off the rest of the world. Now you are truly alone with your wilderness, and with yourself.

This side will act as a flashback, recreating a wilderness storm in intimate detail. The loons haunt the storm tossed lake, the raven practically talks to you about the storm in a surprising variety of vocal pyrotechnics. You'll recognize other voices from the lake and the trees, and you'll hear the familiar musical drip of the rain on the leaves and calm water.

Just when you remember that you thought the rain would never again let up, and the sun would never again come out, the rain stops. But not for long. Nature has you in her hand, and she's not through with you yet.

Until she's ready, you won't move from this wilderness lake.

WILDLIFE SPECIES FEATURED: Northern Waterthrush - Red-breasted Nuthatch - chestnut-sided Warbler - Common Raven - Common Loons - Spring Peeper Frogs - American Toads

NIGHT ON A WILDERNESS LAKE

The dying embers of the campfire glow dimly now. The aroma of fish fried in butter, fish you caught only hours ago, lingers over the campsite. The moon hangs above the trees, and casts a silvery-orange path across the lake. The breeze has died. Stillness is everywhere. You're alone at last.

Ah, but are you?

Of course, you are not. Just how many pairs of eyes have been peering curiously at your campsite, and at your activities around the campfire, you'll never know. But tally up a few of them, just from their voices.

The crickets we won't even try to estimate, but a loon, not far from shore, cries out, and further down the lake, other loons call across the water.

And what was that? A call that seems to come from slightly overhead. Startling, when you hear it for the first time - the barred owl lets you know you are right smack in the middle of its territory.

And, what was that? Just a few yards away, or so it seems. Not wolves! Not that close!

Yes, timber wolves. That close. After all, everybody enjoys a campfire.

There's no experience anywhere quite like night on a wilderness lake. Some find it's like trying to get through a night in a haunted house. But some of us think it's the epitome of the great escape.

WILDLIFE SPECIES FEATURED: Common Loons - Timber Wolves (adult and young) - Barred Owls - Crickets

Tracklisting:

Side A

1. Storm on a Wilderness Lake {29:54}

Side B

1. Night on a Wilderness Lake {29:50}

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