I nearly gave up on this album on first listen, but after learning more about the context, things fell into place and I quickly became fascinated by it. Across 11 tracks and in styles that range from dancey techno to crazed piano, Rehearsing My Choir covers the life of bandmates and siblings Eleanor and Matthew Friedberger's grandmother, with Grandma herself providing much of the vocals.

The story of Olga Sarantos' life is fractured and initially hard to follow because the album doesn't follow a linear timeline. Instead of being a biography set to music, it's more like listening to someone reminisce, telling stories as they come to mind with music accenting, harmonizing with, and clashing against Olga's spoken words and Eleanor's sung ones. They speak and sing of loves lost and found, gypsy curses, war, death, and family tensions. The music itself is difficult to describe, as it's abstract and by turns harsh and gentle.

Rehearsing My Choir is definitely a concept album and not one to load onto the iPod and hit shuffle. Take the time to listen through and pay attention to fully appreciate to beauty and loss of one woman's life told in a beautiful and unusual way.

Written by Jen Warren



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