William Ryan Fritch - The Waiting Room

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 13 / 8 / 2013




William Ryan Fritch - The Waiting Room


Label: Lost Tribe Sound
Format: CD
Evocative soundtrack from composer William Ryan Fritch for documentary soundtrack set in the emergency room of a Californian hospital, which, even for those who haven’t seen the film, is absolutely compelling



Review

A soundtrack is always hard to describe without having seen the film or documentary. The score to 'The Waiting Room' deals with how Northern Californian residents experience their local health services. Involving modern composing with flavours of post rock in a Mogwai manner, 'The Waiting Room' describes, in music, the routine felt at an overcrowded hospital, with no decent health service in support. Fritch's minimal electronic music can be heard as lifesaving signs, like on 'Light in a Dark Hour' with its meandering melody line. The swinging bassline leads a couple of tracks to their respective ends, but there's nothing equalling 'Urgency'. From the first sounds onwards, it stands clear that something needs to be done immediately, and like surgery, the music gets deeper down to the core. In the spell of the moment of this, one dreads to imagine what happens. Birth, recovery and death align in sound. The theme revolves around impatience, hope and despair. Let's not forget that Fritch's score of individual beauty and quality most certainly can be enjoyed without the visuals from the hospital documentary. A master of suspense and of composition, there can be no denial of Fritch's talents. Adding pàst post rock melodies to modern and versatile composure in sound, he brings real virtue to this score. 'The Waiting Room' is not about muzak at all. The album stands testament to the achievement from just one musician, occasionally acting like a one-man orchestra. The few moments of self-indulgence - 'Hold Your Head High' sounds like a chocolate bar advertisement – should be forgiven.



Track Listing:-

1 Any and All of Us
2 It Moves with or Without You
3 Coda
4 A Matter of Life
5 Light in a Dark Hour
6 What Are You Waiting For
7 Last Line of Defense
8 The Cost, The Value of Health
9 Urgency
10 Hold High Your Head
11 Time Changes When in Pain
12 The Waiting Room


Band Links:-

http://www.williamryanfritch.com/
http://williamryanfritch.tumblr.com/
https://twitter.com/WillyRyFry
http://williamryanfritch.tumblr.com/
https://www.facebook.com/williamryanfr
https://www.instagram.com/wfritch/


Label Links:-

http://www.losttribesound.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/losttribe
https://twitter.com/losttribesound
https://www.facebook.com/Lost-Tribe-So
https://www.pinterest.com/losttribesou
http://losttribesound.bandcamp.com/



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Interview (2013)
William Ryan Fritch - Interview
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