Systems/Layers is the final LP by the instrumental group Rachel's. It was released on October 7, 2003, on Quarterstick Records. The album is a collaborative dance/theater piece with the New York ensemble SITI Company.
The album peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart.
Reception Initial critical response to Systems/Layers was positive. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 81, based on 14 reviews. PopMatters called the album "one of the year's finest releases," writing that "its greatest gift ... is its sheer compatibility -- you can take Systems/Layers anywhere and it will speak to you." Exclaim! called it "at once touching and haunted, intimate and disturbingly uncomfortable." The Times deemed it the band's worst album. The East Bay Express labeled it "the soundtrack to your most brilliant, reflective life."
Track listing "Moscow Is in the Telephone" – 3:59 "Water from the Same Source" – 6:18 "Systems/Layers" – 3:11 "Expect Delays" – 3:57 "Arterial" – 1:45 "Even/Odd" – 3:14 "Wouldn't Live Anywhere Else" – 2:47 "Esperanza" – 5:32 "Packet Switching" – 1:09 "Where_Have_All_My_Files_Gone?" – 2:49 "Reflective Surfaces" – 2:00 "Unclear Channel" – 2:47 "Last Things Last" – 3:33 "Anytime Soon" – 2:18 "Air Conditioning / A Closed Feeling" – 3:39 "Singing Bridge" – 2:13 "And Keep Smiling" – 2:38 "4 or 5 Trees" – 6:04 "NY Snow Globe" – 2:28
Personnel Rachel's Kyle Crabtree – drums Christian Frederickson – viola, keyboards Edward Grimes – drums, keyboards Rachel Grimes – piano, keyboards Greg King – films Eve Miller – cello Jason Noble – bass, guitar, drums, toolbelt, keyboards
Additional players Matthew Annin – French horn Wendy Doyle – cello Doug Elmore – stand-up bass Jane Halliday – violin Sarah Hill – violin Jamie Holman – viola Karl Olsen – contrabass Marcus Ratzenboeck – violin Jennifer Shackleton – viola Frederick Speck – conductor Scott Staidle – violin Shannon Wright – vocals Tim Zavadil – clarinet SITI Company and their students at Utah State University and Skidmore College – live performances
Voices Hibba Abdul-Jabbar Dino Bektasevic Akiko Aizawa Jem Cohen Susan Hightower Libby King Arianna Perez-Rivas Barney O'Hanlon Tara Schoch Stephen Webber ; spoken word
Footnotes