Eclectic Earwig Reviews - Review by John W. Patterson
(October 2000)

ETHER DOME
Richard Bone

     With the same strong composing and performance skills found his earlier release, The Spectral Ships, Bone offers yet another winner. Etherdome however takes the listener into calmer worlds, soothing and restful niches. Elegantly simple, vignettes echo the likes of Brian Eno, Time Story, Steve Halpern, Wally Badarou, and Kit Watkins. Supreme peacefulness oozes forth. Synth textures are breezes wafting an essence of drowsiness, an ambience of opiate dreaming. Voice samples dangle at an "edge-of-wakefulness" as Lethean forgetfulness encroaches outer realities.

     Soon, find yourself adrift, on melody and mind-massaging synths. Bone's Etherdome is purposefully unadorned, airy, and feather-light. Density, complexity, and tension tools are cast aside. For an odd example, hear "The Incubus Wave" using chordal passages and keys solos that are Dick Hyman pop-jazzy! Wait a minute now. Bone is on an elevator-music groove now! Thankfully that is over, soon vanishing like your parents' radio station just left the receiver's range.

     Bone's work is very much his own tho' influences of the cream of the genre filter through clearly. It is his treatments and overall song-smithing that keep listener interest high. Continuity of Etherdome from track to track is overtly rigid to the point of nearing "sameness". This is barely noticed as Etherdome is more a thematic release versus a song-based release. I believe Bone intended each part as a facet of a cut stone or puzzle pieces. It works. Etherdome is recommended to Eno-heads and to society's stressed souls. Sit down, close your eyes, kick back, and press PLAY.

. John W. Patterson