Piece Comment

Review of Embarrassed


When you see that a piece "uses spoken word as an element of musical creation," you (at least I) expect to hear something abstract--the phonemes of spoken language employed as musical notes. Instead, in ths striking short creation by David Grimes, you get a piece that's simultaneously music and punchy political sermon. Mario Cuomo is (was) known as a powerful orator, a man who spoke in almost musical cadences--especially in his historic 1984 address to the Democratic National Convention. But you've never heard him like this.

For lots of stations, this piece will have two huge strikes against it: it's artsy *and* polemical. But call it a new kind of radio commentary and run it. Anyway, I'd recommend giving it a listen.