Sounds of Silence

posted in: Artist Features • Pop

Words”overrated? We’re used to hearing them in music, but that doesn’t mean they’re necessary (think of how great Ke$ha’s songs would be without them). Ronnda Cadle, a guitarist from Washington, certainly doesn’t need them. Her instrumental compositions manage to be expressive without any verbal assistance. With simple, finger-style picking; soft, patted percussion; sonorous violins and cellos her music communicates the full spectrum of emotions. There’s moody melancholia (After), wistful retrospection (Letting Go), benevolence (Rosemary’s Dawn) and joy (The River Runs). Of course, the translation depends on the listener. Cadle gently coaxes skeins of melodies from her instrument, weaving them together to create rich, emotive tapestries. Though great as soothing background music, you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t listen carefully to what the arrangements are saying. Just because the music is wordless, doesn’t mean it isn’t eloquent.