New Review of Our World Fusion Classic Sacred Earth Drums

We were happy to see this new review come in from DailyOM of our influential world fusion album, Sacred Earth Drums.  When it came out in the 90's there had never been anything quite like it.  It became extremely popular, creating years of albums from many other artists that combined traditional world music instruments with modern electronics, electric guitar, chanting and keyboards as we had done.  In many ways, this album started the whole 90's world fusion music explosion.  After all these years it is still one of our most popular albums. – Steve

"Prolific and profound, brothers and musicians David and Steve Gordon incorporate colors and textures from all over the world in their music, capturing the spiritual root beneath all sounds, be they drums, flutes, bird calls, rain, or guitars. Sacred Earth Drums finds them bridging the gap between Native American shamanic-style drums, with play-along-at-home melodic signatures and a steady parade of natural color and instrumental shading. Pan pipes, wooden flutes, and classical guitars parade through the mist on their way past the sacred fire, which is surrounded by a solemn circle of drummers. The music here is healing and mysterious, rooting, comforting, and yet ancient and uncanny. Surrender to its moods and there's no telling how far you can dance into the outer space of the inner self. 

The Native American pounding drumbeat and melodic wooden flute of "Sunset Ceremony" are so strong it takes awhile to realize that the shakers and cricket noises have blurred imperceptibly together over rain sticks and spirit rattles. "Call of the Medicine Drum" sets up a nice call-and-response between whispering wooden flute and classical guitar playing over low, rumbling synth chords and the thunderous drums of the title. Underneath it all the nighttime menagerie of birds and crickets and other natural ambience precede and end each track, giving the proceedings a campfire calmness; all of nature is with you. The birds are recorded so well you might feel they are inside your apartment, and so might your cats. 

The vibe gradually grows mystical and otherworldly, with lonesome whippoorwills and rolling, whispering desert winds fading in and out of the steady, relentlessly flowing Native American drums for "Return Journey." When the return is made home, the journey over, there's still time for one last jam, with fretless bass and happily chirping morning birds with "Sun Rise in Peace," a final track to send everyone off to bed in a merry mood, the rhythms and pleasant feeling of physical exhaustion moving blissfully with the funky steel drum and rattles. No one is thinking about what tomorrow will bring; they're still in the moment, gradually disappearing into their tents until all that's left is a fire still burning fairly well, and the glimmer of pink along the eastern tree line slowly turning the black night on fire with the coming day. Whatever happens next, you'll be fine with Sacred Earth Drums coiling like a sleeping serpent in the warm nest of your CD changer, ready to! wake and work its rooting magic at a moment's notice." – DailyOM