A personal sense of individuality is the common thread that links Constellation Records’ artists, both label alumni and those currently on the roster. Cellist and composer Rebecca Foon has left her personal imprint on the works of Esmerine and Thee Silver Mt Zion, but her solo work as Saltland is where Foon best expresses her artistic and personal self.
Foon’s cello playing is at the core of Saltland’s second album, A Common Truth, which fuses “unadulterated, processed, and sampled cellos” as its accompanying press release states. Warren Ellis (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds) adds violin and pump organ to the record’s instrumental tracks, lending an effortless nuance to Foon’s already intense and dynamic playing. A Common Truth is also a vehicle for Foon’s climate change and sustainability advocacy. The musical push and pull of its nine compositions mirrors the contentious socio-political debate surrounding these crucial environmental issues.
From the emotional intensity and urgency of its title track to the intimacy and warmth of its instrumentals (closer “Forward Eyes II” saves the best for last), A Common Truth is a deeply personal and profoundly affecting realization of Rebecca Foon’s many selves.
