Navigating Life's Invisible Forces with The Whispering Tree

The Whispering Tree
“Invisible Forces”
Eyelash Soup Music LLC
2018

With the promise of a new album release later this year, it seems like a good time to revisit The Whispering Tree’s 2018 second album, “Invisible Forces.” The name The Whispering Tree evokes an image of wind-kissed leaves gently in motion, as if nature’s voice were delivering a message. This moniker, along with all the mysterious wonders and delights it suggests, is fitting for the genre-bending duo of classically trained vocalist/pianist Eleanor Kleiner and guitarist/bassist Elie Brangbour.

Make no mistake, these highly intelligent musicians are deep thinkers; they express themselves without self-consciousness or apologies, as none is necessary when done with such artistry and precision. With only eight songs and a runtime of just over half an hour, this album demonstrates that brevity is the soul of wit. In this concise package, they succeed in exploring the human condition from various angles and articulating some of our deepest fears. However, fear not; the stunning vocals and collective efforts of the duo and their band are never dull or tedious.

Beginning with “These Houses,” the lyricist contemplates the deterioration of dwellings whose previous inhabitants are no longer present, “returning to the earth like growing in reverse,” serving as a metaphor for life itself. “Heavy” is a weight-of-the-world ballad contrasted by “California’s” hopeful longing for a new beginning and starting one’s life anew.

“Fat Cat” calls out wealth and privilege and wonders, “How do you sleep?” as it rhythmically confronts an egotistical, greed-driven figure in their survival-of-the-fittest world. The marvelous bass-driven “Split in Half” captures the isolation we can feel within our communities and even inside our own homes.

“Garden” is by far the darkest offering here, with its apocalyptic vision of a scorched and ruined earth. Remembering all the wonders lost, it’s a vivid, startling lamentation delivered with beautiful, haunting guitar and piano. By contrast, “Bells'” hopeful declaration, “I hear bells ringing for change,” concludes the album with a positive song that would fit comfortably on a playlist alongside Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come.” While this collection of songs navigates some turbulent waters, the enduring hope for a better tomorrow is ultimately within reach.