Clerestory, a nine man a cappella ensemble founded in the Bay Area in 2006, has released its first studio recording, Night Draws Near. This meditation on death, loss, and living in the face of human mortality is inspired by the traditions of Halloween, All Soul’s Day, and The Day of the Dead.
Though not true to the form of a Requiem Mass, Compline, or Evensong service, there is a frequent return to Mass-like elements throughout Night Draws Near that at least conjures this sort of structure. Great attention was paid to key relationships from track to track, and the CD flows in a well-conceived manner…
