ALBUM REVIEW: Greg Lisher - Songs From The Imperial Garden
By Jess Klausing
With Songs From the Imperial Garden, guitarist and composer Greg Lisher delivers a captivating third solo release—an evocative, genre-defying instrumental journey that showcases both his compositional finesse and his expansive musical vocabulary. Best known for his work with alternative rockers Camper Van Beethoven and Monks of Doom, Lisher here fully embraces his voice as a solo artist, crafting a lush and introspective record that traverses folk, ambient, Celtic, and Middle Eastern influences with seamless grace.
Produced by long-time collaborator David Immerglück (Counting Crows, Monks of Doom), the album is richly textured and bolstered by an ensemble of accomplished musicians. Drummer Michael Jerome, upright bassist Jon Flaugher, violinists Tim Weed and Michael Star, and multi-instrumentalist Eric Rigler (noted for his work on Braveheart and Titanic) all contribute to the album’s sweeping sonic palette.
The three-part suite “Spider Season” serves as a playful thematic thread throughout the record. Each reprise of the melody introduces subtle instrumental shifts, creating a sense of continuity while keeping the listener engaged through variation and nuance. Tracks like “From Canyon to the Sea” evoke a sense of tranquil movement—suggesting sunlit coastal drives and open air—while “The Exterminating Angel” haunts with pedal steel and organ textures, offering one of the album’s most stirring emotional peaks.
“Three Kings” is another standout: a richly layered composition where Celtic motifs are woven through acoustic guitar, mandolin, and violin. “Passage Through Baghdad,” in contrast, pulses with energy, blending modal melodies and dynamic percussion into a vibrant Middle Eastern-inflected arrangement. “The Science of Sleep” is a textural dreamscape of synths and bass, conjuring the surreal quiet of lucid dreaming, while closer “The Tourist” feels like a poignant epilogue—contemplative and wide-eyed, looking back on the album’s musical odyssey.
Though Lisher’s roots lie in alt-rock, Songs From the Imperial Garden is an ambitious and deeply personal statement that confidently explores far-reaching sonic terrain. It’s a record that rewards both deep immersion and casual listening, full of emotional shading and cross-cultural resonance.
A masterwork of instrumental storytelling, Songs From the Imperial Garden stands as one of Lisher’s finest achievements. Whether drawn by its cinematic flair, global textures, or meditative calm, listeners will find themselves returning to its gardens again and again.
Recommended Tracks: “The Exterminating Angel,” “Passage Through Baghdad,” “The Science of Sleep,” and “Three Kings.”