This piece is a richly-textured work, a lyrical ode to humankind's fascination with nature. The story of a man's obsession to find a species of bird that may or may not exist contains great insight into the human condition, specifically the imperative to explore, and in so doing, learn about oneself. Technically, the sounds transport listeners into a remote, isolated world. There is one recurring sound in particular that in part defines the sonic quality of this piece...a subtle heartbeat-like pulse that unlike in some radio pieces is not contrived. It's a magnetic thread running through the piece. This is also an immensely entertaining work as the story's principal subject is engaging and humorous. The producer's writing is both sparse and full of vivid imagery that complements the tape.
This piece is lovely, both sonically and in its content. It has a feeling of a CBC or Radio Nederlands sort of piece.......there is an assumption that the listener has an attention span. The pay-off for continuing through the rather odd quotidian entries of a nerdily passionate ornithologist is huge. You become acquainted with two very rare and special birds through the sounds they make while pursuing their exquisite existences in the bush. One is the Coacca (sp?) and one is the man whose life choices are made around finding and documenting its existence.
This piece is perfect if you are interested in changing the Earth Day discourse from the usual degradation/preservation antagonism.
"Grey Ghost" reminds me why all those old "what public radio is good at" cliches were coined in the first place. It takes you to a place you've never been, to learn about something you might not think would interest you at first, but ends up fascinating you. It is 100% tape - just the voices of the people whom the story's about - voices you probably wouldn't hear otherwise. It's exotic, arresting, engrossing, maddening, dream-like and gorgeous. It is also so meticulously and creatively edited that the producer completely disappears. The program seems to just unfold organically, relentlessly even, as if of its own volition.
At bottom, though, what really counts is that "Grey Ghost" is just a damn good yarn, the audio version of a page turner in which an obsession becomes its own brand of religion.
"It's the raisin ants" -- oh, I mean "resonance." GG is a listening exercise on a couple of levels. For one, the natural sound here is wickedly cool. Two, the voices on this piece have the Crocodile Dundee sort of accent that make you puzzlingly cock your ear toward the speaker. And that's why this piece works for me, because as I often strain to understand what the speakers are saying, the sound of a cackling bird suddenly shoots out my speaker and my ear takes all of it in. Then the piece unfolds and all of this beautiful resonance follows and wraps around the voices that drive this piece. If the nat. sound was consistently a bit higher in the mix, I would have nothing but praises for this piece. Very nice.
This feature is a perfect restorative after the US Presidential elections. It conveys the passion of birdwatchers who, for more than two decades, have been trying to sight and record the legendary New Zealand kokako (which Kiwis pronounce 'korkakoo', 'kookahku' or even 'kawkahkkiew'...).
The program--itself a kind of musical composition--blends first-person narration, gritty archival tape, bird calls, and silence. It relaxes, yet at the same time enthralls as we strain to hear distant birds in the forest, or imagine, from one brief call on an old cassette played over and over, the ghostly beauty of the kokako in the "Lost World" of South Island, New Zealand.
After a time, even the cheerful voices of the New Zealanders start to strike the ear as a so many quiet, gentle chirps--heard over an ethereal bed of forest ambience and Tibetan bells.
Comments for Grey Ghost
Produced by Allan Coukell
Other pieces by Allan Coukell
Rating Summary
5 comments
Lorne Matalon
Posted on February 12, 2006 at 11:47 AM | Permalink
Review of Grey Ghost
This piece is a richly-textured work, a lyrical ode to humankind's fascination with nature. The story of a man's obsession to find a species of bird that may or may not exist contains great insight into the human condition, specifically the imperative to explore, and in so doing, learn about oneself. Technically, the sounds transport listeners into a remote, isolated world. There is one recurring sound in particular that in part defines the sonic quality of this piece...a subtle heartbeat-like pulse that unlike in some radio pieces is not contrived. It's a magnetic thread running through the piece. This is also an immensely entertaining work as the story's principal subject is engaging and humorous. The producer's writing is both sparse and full of vivid imagery that complements the tape.
linda tarr
Posted on April 06, 2005 at 11:02 PM | Permalink
Review of Grey Ghost
This piece is lovely, both sonically and in its content. It has a feeling of a CBC or Radio Nederlands sort of piece.......there is an assumption that the listener has an attention span. The pay-off for continuing through the rather odd quotidian entries of a nerdily passionate ornithologist is huge. You become acquainted with two very rare and special birds through the sounds they make while pursuing their exquisite existences in the bush. One is the Coacca (sp?) and one is the man whose life choices are made around finding and documenting its existence.
This piece is perfect if you are interested in changing the Earth Day discourse from the usual degradation/preservation antagonism.
Sean Cole
Posted on November 17, 2004 at 02:31 PM | Permalink
Review of Grey Ghost
"Grey Ghost" reminds me why all those old "what public radio is good at" cliches were coined in the first place. It takes you to a place you've never been, to learn about something you might not think would interest you at first, but ends up fascinating you. It is 100% tape - just the voices of the people whom the story's about - voices you probably wouldn't hear otherwise. It's exotic, arresting, engrossing, maddening, dream-like and gorgeous. It is also so meticulously and creatively edited that the producer completely disappears. The program seems to just unfold organically, relentlessly even, as if of its own volition.
At bottom, though, what really counts is that "Grey Ghost" is just a damn good yarn, the audio version of a page turner in which an obsession becomes its own brand of religion.
Justin Grotelueschen
Posted on November 14, 2004 at 07:56 AM | Permalink
Review of Grey Ghost
"It's the raisin ants" -- oh, I mean "resonance." GG is a listening exercise on a couple of levels. For one, the natural sound here is wickedly cool. Two, the voices on this piece have the Crocodile Dundee sort of accent that make you puzzlingly cock your ear toward the speaker. And that's why this piece works for me, because as I often strain to understand what the speakers are saying, the sound of a cackling bird suddenly shoots out my speaker and my ear takes all of it in. Then the piece unfolds and all of this beautiful resonance follows and wraps around the voices that drive this piece. If the nat. sound was consistently a bit higher in the mix, I would have nothing but praises for this piece. Very nice.
Alex van Oss
Posted on November 11, 2004 at 04:20 AM | Permalink
Review of Grey Ghost
This feature is a perfect restorative after the US Presidential elections. It conveys the passion of birdwatchers who, for more than two decades, have been trying to sight and record the legendary New Zealand kokako (which Kiwis pronounce 'korkakoo', 'kookahku' or even 'kawkahkkiew'...).
The program--itself a kind of musical composition--blends first-person narration, gritty archival tape, bird calls, and silence. It relaxes, yet at the same time enthralls as we strain to hear distant birds in the forest, or imagine, from one brief call on an old cassette played over and over, the ghostly beauty of the kokako in the "Lost World" of South Island, New Zealand.
After a time, even the cheerful voices of the New Zealanders start to strike the ear as a so many quiet, gentle chirps--heard over an ethereal bed of forest ambience and Tibetan bells.