Cody Fry might have had a lot of things in his favour. Being the son of Garry Fry, a master composer and orchestrator in his own right, Cody never really slunk around in his shadow. The musical movements that he was going through were more defined by pop and the kind of music the internet was consuming at the time. From his 2017 album ‘Flying’, a single song exploded on TikTok.
Weaving through stories
The song was called “I Hear a Symphony”, and though Cody always knew the beauty and depth of this song, it flew under the radar when it was released. It was only in 2021, when the song was discovered, that Cody Fry started to be recognised for not just his multi-instrumental talent. The year when ‘Flying’ was released was also when his dream for ‘The Unlikely Mariner’ started, and what a journey it is.
Observe this project as the baroque expression of an odyssey that it is. Paired with a 16-minute short film, Cody Fry takes us through a thematic journey. It is reminiscent in some ways of the famous poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. In this case Cody Fry is trying to describe the state of emotions that the mariner is going through. The trauma that he wanted to leave ashore is now being carried by him and he has no choice but to process it as he battles the waves of the sea.
The movements involved
This collection is broken into four movements, three of which have two parts each. It begins with Cody Fry on the piano playing ‘Can You Hear It?’ It is the title track, orchestrated in two parts. There is the melancholy and vastness of their sea that Kodi is able to capture from the opening of the song. It is just him sitting at the piano, singing the lyrics but truly, truly believing them. When the SONOS orchestra joins him, you feel your soul leave your body to be just a mere observer of this journey.
Capturing the visuals
I would be remiss to review this symphony without giving due credit to Zac Dixon, Gary Fry, and Cody Fry. Directing this emotive short film, it tracks Cody as he moves alone and through the orchestra. All visual elements are synced in such a way that Cody becomes the protagonist, the mariner. From the darkness of the ocean to how the stars would reflect on the sea, it is captured through extremely emotive ambiences and Cory’s vocal performance. Walking and sitting on a tank filled with water, the symbolism of the water never does leave your sight or mind. When the jaunty Irish tune does come in, you have no choice but to dance to it.
By the time the sea calls again in the second part, Cody recedes back to his piano. The orchestration itself is made for the contemporary listener, those who can connect references to classical tunes while still having the attention span of pop songs. This entire release is also paired with a 60-page orchestration for ‘The Unlikely Mariner’ that can be downloaded for free. Cody has not just followed in his father’s footsteps but, instead, taken certain guidelines and drawn his own way. You can hear this in how he threads certain parts of the track flowing into the other, just like the water he stands on.
Reaching act III
The third part is where the sudden drama, swelling, and rising tensions get captured. It is at minute 7:20 that the colours and composition of the short movie change to reflect ‘Sinking’. This is where his true love for French horns comes in, something he has been teasing for a very long time. He stands like a commander, moving with the orchestra and feeling the dramatic fold of the music. As he conducts the orchestra, waving his arms around, you can clearly see how proud he is of his concept. When you’re reading the line “no generative AI was used in the making of this music,” you have no choice but to nod to yourself, for this feels deeply personal and thoroughly enjoyable.
It is incredible to see Cody move from a multi-instrumentalist to a pianist to an orchestrator and the young singer who participated in American Idol all those years ago. As he plays ‘Sinking Part 2’ with just the guitar and the horn section, you can feel the depth that he’s trying to bring out through his lyrics. This truly Baroque arrangement is what stands out from what major artists with record deals have been making in the past few years. Sure, it’s not comparative, but the effort really reflects. Cody stopped becoming an independent artist the moment he got his major Decca record label deal. Now he is an artist who used his independence to make something that he would never have the resources for earlier.
A journey worth silverware
‘The Unlikely Mariner’ tracks not just Cody’s composition, his growth, and his complexity as a performer. This is not just worth a Grammy nomination and win but has to be seen as the masterpiece it is, with the level of work and characteristic style that has gone into it. The Sonos Orchestra and Gary Fry have been an integral part of elevating this music to match Cody’s vision. The closing track of this album is one of the most majestic performances you will see this year, and I am ready to bet on it.
The entire album is below and make sure you watch the video above for the visual and aural masterpiece that it has evolved to become:
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