And those who remember the Christian Dior ‘Fahrenheit’ adverts in the late 1980s may be familiar with a small excerpt of the track: All sounds are textural and in the service of the whole piece.)Ī superb live version was featured on the 1983 Metheny Group album Travels. Pat doesn’t get any solo space at all – he just plays some unobtrusive bass, chiming 12-string electric and a little six-string. (Another reason for its success may be the complete lack of instrumental solos. You might even describe it as cathartic, dammit. It’s more John Carpenter than Keith Jarrett.
The track plays out like a good movie (its working title was ‘Apocalypse When’). The enigmatic title (apparently nicked, with permission, from an unreleased Steve Swallow composition) and superb album cover certainly help.
Then again, the whole album was recorded in just three days! Lesser musicians could have taken a month to record this track alone.Īpparently chiefly written to play over the PA system before Metheny Group concerts, it’s pure headphone music. ‘As Falls Wichita’ may be the most ‘rock’ music released on the ECM label during the 1980s, with the possible exception of David Torn’s 1987 record Cloud About Mercury. He was rapidly becoming a Joe Zawinul for the 1980s. Side one’s 20-minute title track delivered a full-on prog/fusion masterwork, ably assisted by Lyle Mays in classic-synth heaven (Prophet 5, various Oberheims, Roland CR-78 and Linn LM-1 drum machines), always totally recognisable, and at a time when polyphonic playing had just become possible.
But As Falls Wichita fell smack bang in my favourite era of Pat’s music (between American Garage and Song X), and represented a real change of scene. The Cult Of Metheny has ensnared many, and puzzled just as many. We all know albums which have one good side and one bad one (I’ll throw in The Seeds Of Love, Fulfingness’ First Finale, Music Of My Mind, The Colour Of Spring for your consideration…).īut another humdinger is As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls, released 40 years ago today. ‘A game of two halves’ is a common expression in football, but it can apply to albums too.