Record Review: Michael Kurth

‘Everything Lasts Forever’ brings pop mischief to classical music

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Photo credit: Courtesy ASO Media
EVERYTHING LASTS FOREVER: The debut CD by ASO bass player Michael Kurth.

Composer and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra bass player Michael Kurth’s debut CD, Everything Lasts Forever, brings a dose of pop mischief to classical music. Opening number “Toes” — inspired by a Cabbagetown mural left behind by the late graffiti artist Harrison Keys — kicks off a three-part title movement that sets the tone for an impressively varied compositional style coming together under the direction of Robert Spano. Kurth’s writing wavers between bouts of austere beauty and playful mystery. The three-part “Everything Lasts Forever” hangs in a balance of whimsical motions and thunderous stomps as “Bird Sing Love” and “We Have All the Time In the World” unfold. The melody at the heart of “You Must First Look Past” momentarily evokes the sly, grunge rock rhythms of Stone Temple Pilots’ “Sex Type Thing.” Elsewhere, the textures, rhythms, and ambiance give nods to Björk, Chaka Khan, Sigur Rós, and the Shins, all peeking out from behind little nuances tucked away in numbers such as “Beneath: My Sinister Groove Machine” and “May Cause Dizziness.” Kurth’s style is rife with subtlety, and mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor brings operatic depth to several pieces through “Miserere.” The entire body of work comes together in one grand and sweeping motion with many intricate parts that, at times, involve the ASO Chamber Chorus, a smaller, more elite branch of the Chorus. But Kurth is a composer of the people, and for all of the beauty and majesty that comes bursting through here, Everything Lasts Forever is a whole lot of fun. ★★★☆☆ — Chad Radford

★★★★★ This album will change your life | ★★★★☆ A truly great album | ★★★☆☆ A solid effort, worth a listen | ★★☆☆☆ No thanks | ★☆☆☆☆ Don’t bother