Lia Kohl - Normal Sounds

A Closer Listen

Many people find solace in the sounds of nature; but what about the ordinary and maudlin sounds of turn signals, checkout counters, refrigerators and the like? Lia Kohl is attracted to such sounds, and places them in musical settings on her latest album.  By extension, Normal Sounds becomes an instrumental successor to Talking Heads’ “Nothing But Flowers.”

Before listening, take a moment to consider the “human-made, non-musical” sounds that serve as small comforts in the day: the grinding of coffee beans, the sound of a spoon in a bowl, the rush of the shower, the click of the doorknob.  We are surrounded by such sounds, yet seldom notice them; as the liner notes declare, “While they’re sometimes intended to be heard, they’re not intended to be listened to.”

The album’s opening sound is the buzzing of a tennis court light.  Kohl adds cello, locating hidden harmonics.  The notes flit around the light like moths, but they don’t get burned.  Instead, the light acts as a drone, offering a literal undercurrent.  The bass sounds like footsteps until real footsteps appear late in the piece, crunching on snow; there will be no tennis today.

In “Car Alarm, Turn Signal,” Ka Baird contributes flute and electronics, turning an average ride into an extraordinary one.  Multiple warning signals converge, but instead of prompting fear, they prompt curiosity.  Have they been musical all along?  By the end, it’s difficult to distinguish which are field recordings and which are additions.  The piece closes quietly with distant saxophone.  In “Plane,” one can hear the sound of parents and children, heeding or not heeding announcements as they sink into a bank of synthesizers.  Do we ever quiet our devices and pay attention to pre-recorded words?  Apparently Kohl is the exception.

One of the most interesting juxtapositions is found in “Ice Cream Truck, Tornado Siren.”  Normal Sounds is released in the heart of twister season, with a blockbuster movie to match.  This begs the question, how bad do you want ice cream?  The music is unhurried, calm enough to enjoy one of life’s little pleasures, no matter the risk.  Horses and waterfowl also appear (although they may be sound effects on the truck), a reminder of the cow in the first film (tidbit: the FX people snuck a cow into the second as well).

While “Airport Fridge, Self Checkout” makes for a musical experience, it also makes one wonder how those who work with commence scanners grow acclimated to the repeated sounds.  Is it too much for some?  One also thinks of the afflicted: people disturbed by transceiver hum, especially when others cannot hear it.  Kohl’s compositions suggests that one might hum a counter-melody, like the tones used to offset tinnitus.  The same holds true for “Car Horns,” which features Patrick Shiroshi on saxophone.  If the saxophonist were to stand on a busy street corner in NYC, would those who are honking still get tickets, as they become part of an unofficial concert?

By “Ignition, Sneakers,” one is beginning to feel differently about “ordinary” sounds.  By injecting magic into the maudlin, Kohl challenges listeners to re-think their sonic surroundings.  Perhaps the next time we get into our vehicle, we might turn off the radio and listen to the other sounds inside. (Richard Allen)