Description
Patience is the sophomore studio album by the American alternative pop band Over the Rhine, independently released by the band in July 1992. The album was recorded by Tim McAllister of Flock 14 and World Theatre fame at MCA Music in Nashville, Tennessee; with band member Linford Detweiler producing. Patience was remastered and re-issue by I.R.S. Records later the same year featuring a slightly different song sequence, though same artwork.
While words like “crossover” and “mainstream distribution” were becoming part of the Christian music industry’s vocabulary, this Cincinnati, Ohio-based band was quietly building a devoted regional following. Everywhere now and again, it tested both the Christian and secular waters with critically-praised projects such as ‘Till We Have Faces (1991) and Patience (1992), two of the most lavishly packaged and gracefully executed albums we’ve seen in many years. The quartet’s persistence (and yes, its patience) has paid off, as I.R.S. Records (which practically birthed alternative music when it launched R.E.M.) has signed the band. Although O.T.R. wanted to do an entirely new album, I.R.S. opted first to re-issue Patience, which has received minimal exposure in either market. That’s good news for the readers of this magazine, who have been unable to find the disc and might have tired of hearing us rave about this band for three years.
Over The Rhine has drawn comparisons to Innocence Mission (for the ethereal quality of Karin Bergquist’s voice) and to 10,000 Maniacs (for the sometimes opaque nature of its lyrics) mainly penned by bassist Lindford Detweiler, with occasional assistance from Bergquist and guitarist Ric Hordinski. Hordinski and drummer Brian Kelley provide the rock side of the “modern rock” equation, while Detweiler frequently echoes Bergquist’s wispy voice with a counter-melody on his bass. Listen for the first single «Circle of Quiet» on your local alternative music outlet, and even if you’ve already gotten a copy of the album from the band, buy another one – it’s been remastered and the song sequence is slightly different. Besides, music that is so artfully counter to most of what radio plays deserves your support. [Bruce A. Brown, CCM, August 1993]
Two words come to mind repeatedly when listening to ‘Patience’, the national, major-label debut by Over The Rhine. Those two words are strange and wonderful. Though the words may seem odd when used together to describe a pop/folk record they are just the right words for the task.
Over The Rhine is a quartet from Cincinnati. The band’s name came from the neighborhood where they live. They have been writing and performing together since 1989. ‘Patience’ was originally released independently in July 1992. Their first record, ‘‘Till We Have Faces‘, also an indie product, was well received critically but did not catch on widely. Now Over The Rhine have signed on to I.R.S. and except for «Circle of Quiet» moving from number 10 track to number three, the record’s fine art-work and recording has been elegantly reproduced for national distribution.
The part of ‘Patience’ that is strange is the lyrics. Primarily the work of bassist/keyboardist Linford Detweiler, the lyrics read like e.e. cummings or others of the “beat” poets. There are obscure metaphors and terrific turns of phrases in equal numbers. Lest Detweiler carry all that responsibility alone, he is assisted by singer/guitarist Karen Bergquist and guitarist Ric Hordinski on a few tunes. Bergquist also wrote two of the thirteen pieces all on her own and they are every bit as obscure as anything Detweiler does.
This strangeness in the lyrics is not a problem for Over The Rhine, nor will it be a problem for their audience. ‘Patience’ is about feeling more than it is about thought or idea. The songs are structured to elicit emotional responses from we the listeners. «Jacksie» is a song about the death of a loved one, but the key line is “a love that never dies takes you by surprise.” «I’ve Been Slipping» is a love song in which Bergquist sings “and I’ve been rhyming myriad lines/full of your face and the gleam of the moon.” «Flanders Fields» is another song about loss. The entire lyrics reads, “In Flanders fields far away/I lost my love one day.” Flanders Field is an American World War I military cemetery in Belgium. ‘In Flanders Fields’ is a famous poem by John McCrae, written about the suffering he witnessed in the first war to end all wars in 1915.
While the lyrics may be obscure they are also literate. Detweiler’s vocabulary is superb. When was the last time you heard “festoons” used in a pop song, or “myriad,” or “mademoiselle,” or – well, you get the picture. In addition to Flanders Field, there are also historical/literary references to ‘Catcher in the Rye’ and to the Furies, also known as Eumenides, from Greek mythology and probably others I did not catch.
On the wonderful side, ‘Patience’ is filled with haunting, rapturous music. This music transports us to a world beyond. Bergquist’s voice is both supple and strong. She’s had formal training, and she knows how to use her voice effectively. Her style overall is reminiscent of Margo Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies. When Bergquist does a rap bit («HIDF [Reprise]») she does it with a coolness that is just right. And when she reads «Grey Monologue» it is sensuous and sultry.
Most of the music is composed by Detweiler, who also produces with a sure and steady hand. The music is captivating. Detweiler has an amazing touch with pop music. He is willing to experiment as well, which allows the band’s unique presence and delicate stylings of guitarist Hordinski to shine through. In «Lullabye», Berquist sings to an accompaniment of percussion and falling rain. «Grey Monologue» is a spoken text backed by drummer Brian Kelley on a brushed snare drum.
‘Patience’ is indeed strange and wonderful. There is never a dull moment with Over The Rhine [T.L. Faris, Syndicate, Vol 8/Issue 4, July/August 1993]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/patience/716640370)
CD tracklist:
01. Jacksie – 4:36
02. I’ve Been Slipping – 4:55
03. Circle Of Quiet – 4:14
04. How Does It Feel (To Be On My Mind) – 3:54
05. HDIF (Reprise) – 2:10
06. Sister – 4:29
07. Il Est Dans Mon Poche – 2:34
08. Flanders Field – 1:31
09. Little Genius – 1:53
10. Lullabye – 2:07
11. I Painted My Name – 5:00
12. Rhapsodie – 3:19
13. Grey Monologue – 1:25
Note: Released on both cassette and CD by Scampering Songs and I.R.S. Records. The original song sequence of the band’s independent release: 01. Jacksie / 02. I’ve Been Slipping / 03. How Does It Feel (To Be On My Mind) / 04. HDIF (Reprise) / 05. Sister / 06. Il Est Dans Mon Poche / 07. Flanders Field / 08. Little Genius / 09. Lullabye / 10. Circle Of Quiet / 11. I Painted My Name / 12. Rhapsodie / 13. Grey Monologue.
ACM Journal No. 9, 1992, featured a cover story on Over the Rhine.
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