Ki (Devin Townsend Project album)
Occupation
- Vocals, Guitar: Devin Townsend
- Bass: Jean Savoie
- Keyboard: Dave Young
- Drums: Duris Maxwell
Ki is the tenth studio album by Canadian musician Devin Townsend. The album was released on May 22, 2009 on his independent label HevyDevy.
Background
"Ki" is the first album of a cycle, the Devin Townsend wants to complete within one year. Each album should show up in a closed facet of the musician. "Ki" is to be the comparatively quiet prelude, followed by the published in November 2009, " Addicted", which continues the melodic and bombastic style of the 1997 album " Ocean Machine ". The third album " Deconstruction " will take up the style of the publications of Strapping Young Lad, the fourth as yet unnamed album is called " Ambient finale " planned.
The album title "Ki" has two meanings for Townsend. For one, it is in Japanese metaphysics for the force or vital energy (see Qi ), for others it is the title of an album by the Japanese Kitaro.
Formation
In the years after the release of the previous album " Ziltoid the Omniscient " there had been far-reaching changes in the lives of Townsend. He became a father and overcame his drug addiction. He began to write tons of songs and decided to use them for a cycle of four albums. For "Ki" he engaged alongside keyboardist Dave Young musicians who had never anything to do with hard rock music. The bassist Jean Savoie he knew to be employees of a music business. Drummer Duris Maxwell ( born 1946 ) hatt already played with known bands such as Jefferson Airplane and The Temptations. Townsend saw him at a blues club know. The female vocal parts are from Ché Dorval, a friend of the keyboardist.
As a studio musician came from other styles of music, Townsend gave them specific instructions on what they need to play like. On the other hand, he was open to their opinions and suggestions. The recordings therefore, a total of about three months. A tour to this album, it will not be loud Townsend, because he wants to finish the other three albums of the cycle first.
Reviews
The album is considered to be atypical of Townsend and therefore received mixed reviews. Greg Prato of Allmusic keeps the album for as groundbreaking as other publications of the artist, but it shows that Townsend was able to make the music that fit his mood. Fix Sadler of Baby Blue Pages characterizes the album as Townsend atypical and holds it for this reason, for the best album of the Canadian. On Michael Rensen of Rock Hard Album initially looks like " plenty of spartan instrumented, climax low ambient works", whose magic unfolding after several listening sessions.
Title list
Chart positions
In Europe, the album could be placed only in the Finnish charts ( position 26 ), and in the French charts ( position 179). In the U.S. entry into the Billboard 200 album charts failed " Ki " reached position 69 instead of the U.S. Top Heatseekers.