Untitled from Opium

These were my notes from my mobile blog (read notebook) entered on October 5th after nearly one hour of the Untitled from Opium track played on repeat.

The chant pulls you in. Unable to break free and having no wish to, the sound of the bass lifts you. Now a vapor, you float free, unchained from Earthly bonds.

Electric guitar wakes you from the trance but does not force you back to reality. Moving through the air, the wind at your face and the ground moving below, all there is to be heard is the music. It fills all that is known.

The chant maintains the hypnosis. The bass keeps you aloft. The guitar powers the flight and guides your senses. The visual is of your own design.

Adam is a Real Cool Guy

After a fruitless search on October 11th, I thought I would have to wait for Winter Rose. It seemed none of the usual stores would be carrying the new CD until closer to Christmas. Sure, I could have downloaded the album but it seemed that Winter Rose deserved the full presentation. And then Adam stepped in.

Adam purchased his CD at Tower Records. Up until now, there were no Tower Records locations in Arizona. The ever intrepid Adam checked the Tower Records website and found the new location just 10 minutes from my door. I found that it had just opened within the last few months. He e-mailed me yesterday to let me know and I picked up the CD after work.

After ripping mp3’s for the player and making a copy for work, I settled in for a real listen. All I can say is life is good.

Thanks Adam!

Ottmar at work

Ottmar at work
Originally uploaded by Matt Callahan.

“Do you play guitar?” “Is that your brother?”. Over the last month I’ve gotten questions like these from co-workers, most people I’ve never met. They are responding to the pictures I have hanging on my cubicle wall. Two of these photos have been there for nearly a year. The others are from the concerts in Tucson and Phoenix last June. I’m not certain why it’s taken so long for the questions to surface.

Invariably, I’ll smile and explain my passion for Ottmar’s music and attempt to provide a description of what the music is like. After nearly four years of listening, it still takes far more time to express than most people have time to wait for. Some show an interest and others jut nod politely. In situations like these, I realize just how difficult it is to transfer feelings into words. Only experiencing the music itself will provide the answers for those who wish to feel it.

Can you see the family resemblance?