*sold out*
self released cd-r
hand screen printed cover with vintage photograph sewed on
each one different, edition of 50

Matthew Riley (who also goes by the Moss Collector) composes and plays epic solo electric and acoustic guitar pieces. In addition to guitar, he utilizes several effects and samples to add another dimension to his music. The album itself consists of five tracks and seems to be a loose tribute or concept album based on Stonewall Jackson. The album title, for instance, are the last words of the Confederate general, and the track, "As I Sit Upon the Lonely Grave of the Arm of Thomas J. Jackson" (Thomas J. = Stonewall. He lost an arm in battle) is the centerpiece of the disc. I'm not entirely certain of the connection to Jackson, yet regardless, Riley's album is filled with introspective moments, heavy riffs, and altogether solid music.

The first track, "Terra Incognita" is a dusty electric guitar piece with swimming, fragmented guitar echoes floating in the background. A melancholy, slightly ominous feeling rises up out of the music (thanks in part to a creepy voice sample toward the end of the song) and this does well to set the mood for the rest of the disc. Next up is "Prayer in Bad Weather." Here, Riley relies on sludgy, fuzzed-out, multi-tracked guitar to set the mood in the forefront while high-pitched drones pulse behind them. "As I Sit Upon the Lonely Grave of the Arm of Thomas J. Jackson" follows and is the first acoustic guitar track on the album. While the acoustic guitar is at the center, light washes of electric guitar still shimmer in the background for a nice contrast in sound. After that comes "Asleep Beneath the Poison Tree." This piece also relies on multi-tracked guitar, but this time several diverging, plucked electric electric guitar lines are intertwined over a background of guitar fuzz. Closing out the disc is a piece called "Maltum In Parvo." Probably the most gentle music on the disc, it relies on a base of acoustic guitar with light punctuation of spare electric guitar flourishes.


While he relies on fairly basic musical elements, Riley's "Let Us Cross Over the River and Rest Under the Shade of the Trees" manages to tread into a lot of unexpected places. His keen attention to both the foreground and background of each track makes certain that there's always more going on than is apparent from a casual spin through the album. Riley's music rewards repeat listeners (especially those equipped with a decent set of headphones) with lots of subtle sounds and details. Also worth noting: This CDR release is a limited edition of fifty and comes tucked inside some amazing handmade packaging. Really, it's obvious that a lot of work went into putting this together. For starters, the heavy cardboard gatefold sleeve is has silkscreened photos, graphics, and text inside and out. Also, every copy has an individual antique photo stitched to the front cover. Paired with the music, this release stands as an excellent piece of both audio and visual art. 8/10 -- Matt Blackall (17 December, 2008 from Foxy Digitalis)