Mary Halvorson About Ghosts
Mary Halvorson's About Ghosts arrives as a study in uncanny textures and ensemble democracy, earning confident praise from critics while answering the question of whether the record is worth attention. Across four professional reviews critics consistently point to the opener “Full of Neon” as the album's keystone, and they single out “Carved From”, the title track “About Ghosts” and “Eventidal” as standout songs that reveal Halvorson's balance of composition and improvisation. The collection earned an 85/100 consensus score across 4 professional reviews, a signal that reviewers found more strength than flaw in its adventurous orchestration and guitar-led inventiveness.
Professional reviews emphasize Halvorson's textural experimentation and the record's orchestration - dense harmonies, added saxophones and brass textures give many passages a cinematic, sometimes uncanny brightness. Critics repeatedly praise the way Halvorson shares the spotlight: restrained guitar turns, Patricia Brennan's duets, shimmering vibraphone and marching snare moments let the ensemble bloom rather than foreground solo pyrotechnics. Tracks such as “Amaranthine” and “Eventidal” are highlighted for their contrast of weird and beautiful, where oddball guitar techniques resolve into wandering brass melodies and intimate duet textures.
While reviewers are united about the album's strengths, some note a tension between avant-garde impulses and melodic invitation - moments of kinetic improv and driving horn arrangements sit beside languid, luxurious pieces. That balance, more than any single solo, defines the record: critics agree the best songs on About Ghosts reward repeated listens, and that Halvorson's bandleading turns orchestral color and improvisational risk into a compelling, collaborative statement. Below, detailed reviews unpack how these textures and standout tracks map the album's distinctive place in her catalog.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Full of Neon
4 mentions
"creeping, simmering opening track, "Full of Neon""— PopMatters
About Ghosts
4 mentions
"The glorious, languid title track is a leisurely stroll"— PopMatters
Carved From
4 mentions
"Horn arrangements are one of the many highlights of this beautiful record, spiked throughout tracks like "Carved From""— PopMatters
creeping, simmering opening track, "Full of Neon"
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Full of Neon
Carved From
Eventidal
Absinthian
About Ghosts
Amaranthine
Polyhedral
Endmost
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 5 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Jazz lifework and generous bandleading define Mary Halvorson on About Ghosts, where the best tracks are the ones that let the ensemble bloom. The opener “Full of Neon” sets a creeping, simmering mood that pays dividends, while “Carved From” stands out for its horn arrangements and a surprising Pocket Piano coda. The languid title cut “About Ghosts” showcases Halvorson and Garchik in a luxurious spotlight, and faster pieces like “Absinthian” and “Polyhedral” provide kinetic contrast and dazzling solos. This record is at once adventurous and warmly collaborative, which is precisely why listeners asking "best tracks on About Ghosts" will be pointed to these highlights.
Key Points
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The title track is the best for its spacious, collaborative spotlight moments between Halvorson and Garchik.
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The album’s core strengths are rich horn arrangements, ensemble interplay, and adventurous textural shifts.
Themes
Critic's Take
Mary Halvorson’s About Ghosts stakes its claim on the strength of the guitar in jazz, and the best songs on About Ghosts - notably “Full of Neon” and “Amaranthine” - prove the point. The opener “Full of Neon” is praised as a fine ensemble cut, driven by strident percussion and shimmering vibraphone, while “Amaranthine” is singled out as a standout for its tense marching snare and odd-ball guitarwork that resolves into a wandering brass melody. Across the record Halvorson balances all-out passages with quieter, stripped-back moments, so the best tracks reward repeated listens for their blend of beauty and restless experimentation. This is an album where composition, orchestration and uncanny touches cohere into thrilling pieces that compel return listens.
Key Points
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“Amaranthine” is best for its tense opening, odd-ball guitarwork, and satisfying brass-led resolution.
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The album’s core strengths are Halvorson’s orchestration, guitar versatility, and the balance of beauty with restless experimentation.
Themes
Critic's Take
On About Ghosts Mary Halvorson remains a democratic bandleader, and the best songs - notably “Full Of Neon” and “Eventidal” - showcase how composition and improvisation entwine. The opener “Full Of Neon” establishes that lilting but slightly disturbed melody, while “Eventidal” reads as an eerie duet between Halvorson and Patricia Brennan that makes her guitar techniques sing. Throughout the record Halvorson often lays back so the ensemble becomes the star, which is precisely why the dense, sax-augmented tracks register as the album’s strongest statements. This is an album of texture and collective invention rather than solo pyrotechnics, and that restraint is its chief reward.
Key Points
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The best song, particularly “Full Of Neon”, succeeds by foregrounding ensemble interplay and a disturbing, memorable melody.
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The album’s core strength is its democratic bandleading and textural balance between composed material and free improvisation.
Themes
Critic's Take
Mary Halvorson’s About Ghosts finds its best moments in tracks that balance invention with inviting tune-play, notably “Full of Neon” and the title track “About Ghosts”. John Fordham writes in his typically observant, slightly exuberant tone that opener “Full of Neon” is a textbook display of ensemble variety, while the title track evolves from tenderness into a captivating journey of improv - these are the songs that answer the question of the best tracks on About Ghosts. He also singles out “Eventidal” as a graceful guitar-and-vibes ballad and praises “Carved From” for its driving improv, which together map where the album’s strengths lie.
Key Points
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The best song, "Full of Neon", showcases Halvorson’s ensemble variety with fluent solos and luxurious passages.
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The album’s core strengths are its melody beneath avant-garde edges, rich brass textures, and inventive improvisation.