HOW MUSIC WORKS

With author Byrne reading the introduction and Andrew Garman narrating the rest, this production gives listeners a taste of the author without necessarily pinning the success of the production on his voice. Byrne mixes his life, opinions, and philosophy of music into a quirky and nonlinear exploration of music. Though unclear at times, each chapter seems to weave back to a larger point on music. In delivery, Garman is clearly more capable than Byrne in navigating passages with clear enunciation and projection. He does particularly well with complexity, using emphasis to better communicate Byrne's finer points. However, his narration lacks a certain amount of energy. His voice comes across as reserved rather than engaging or emphatic. In the end, his delivery isn't fully credible in representing the author. L.E. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2013]