In Rotation, July 2005
Kit McAllister and Andrew Fenner
Revue Noir (CD Single)
Track Listing: Gravediggers, Amsterdam, A Girl, A Smoke.
In the last few years we’ve seen clubland plundering from the ghosts of Burlesque and early 20’s Cabaret; with the results of such plunder ranging from amusing, to embarrassing. Revue Noir, however do not fall into the latter. Okay, I do find their catchphrase, “Weimar-Republic-era Expressionism” precious, but I won’t begrudge them that. What we do have here is a playful, if not restrained campy stance, with faint echoes of Lou Reed, Nico, and Marlene Dietrich.
The arrangements are economically arrayed, using only guitar, keyboards and drums. Nicki Jaine throws herself whole-heartedly into the role of the jaded,
world-weary chanteuse. Mind you, there’s never a point where you feel overwhelmed with angst with this single. No, Sam and Nicki are definitely winking at you as if to say, “enjoy that glass of Absinthe, but don’t over do it!” Exactly. So put this CD in your deck, light up a cigarette (if you must), have that espresso, or something stronger and enjoy! And delve into a world of drama, intrigue and heartache
from an era way before your time! (Review by KM)
Falling You – Touch
Track Listing: Something About Eve..., The Art of Possession (no escape), Hope Thrown Down, Less Likely to Believe,
Moth and Flame (sadness of the witch), March Thirty-One, ...A Cry for the Broken-Hearted, The Light Between Us, The Canoe and the Waterfall, Reading the Leaves (by moonlight).
This album is a haunting sirensong of an exquisite quality. Very well done John Michael Zorko musical arrangements infused with female vocals by an impressive array of singers: Dru Allen of This Ascension, Sara Ayers, Victoria Lloyd of Claire Voyant, and Erica Mulkey. I am crashing my ship on the rocks now. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm... bliss.
Psychophile – Vodka Milk
Track Listing: All in the Mind, Cracked, Waves, Sussurus, The Otherside, Circles, Gentle, Not Listening, Dreams in Vain, Pigs Pots and Pans.
Delicious! Psychophile’s Vodka Milk is an inviting intoxicant that goes down smooth. Lucy Pointycat and Smogo’s chemistry has produced a masterful collection of songs that will both excite and intrigue the listener. Lucy’s voice encompasses a spectrum ranging from plaintive to Valkyrian. She will seduce you. It’s also gratifying to hear a group who has conscientiously written solid, melodic songs that grab your attention; yet will transcend the Darkwave/EBM ghetto. Five out of five skulls, for this one! That’s it. I need not say anymore.
i – The Nominonivore
Track Listing: Underwater Aquatic Environment, Ubahvision, 21st Century Stigmata, Chembe, Bring Hell, Like Hate, The Happening, Locomo, Woe, Thenuic, Jabbywalk, We, Marjaba, The Nominonivore, P.W.P.A.L.S., T.W.O.T.C.O.G.
Very song oriented, as in rock/pop/alt/indie. Very rockish male vocals, with solid, butt thumpin’ rockish accompaniment, complete with what the weasel industry terms “hooks”. This music might leave little piles of devil dung all over the Clear Channel sidewalks. But who knows, this Bristol band might even sell to the overground 12-30 year old female audience that is continually hit on by establishment radio. Sounds like it would be good live too. Well structured, well played, high energy British alt rock. Not really goth/darkwave material at all though, even with the sitar on some tracks.
Jute – A Violent Narcotic
Track Listing: Southern Exposure, Ephemeral, Rising of Reason, Free
Advent, Of Zero, Darksand, Clay, Vow, Invertebrate, Narcotic, Opium.
A promising debut from this group, but it just falls short of being a solid effort. Fans of Massive attack will enjoy this CD, but therein lies the
problem. It’s just a little too derivative of Massive Attack. The tracks themselves are lush, well produced, with some nice rhythm tracks that in
some instances are quite hypnotic. In the end though the group cannot sustain the momentum and a number of the songs just become redundant. Julie
Axis’ vocals also sound just a little too wispy in the mix. Three out five skulls for this promising, but flawed CD.
Destination Oblivion – Shock Therapy
Track Listing: Our God Greed:Questionable Abyss Remix, Lies:Amputee Mix, The Haunted, Buried Alive, Shock*13, Cauterize, Desensitize:Catholic Mix, Wormhole:Orchestral Reconstruction.
I am not the world’s biggest club-mix techno fan, but I like this album. It is disturbing in complex ways and a lot more than shake-your-ass dance music; sort of an audio examination of the seven deadly sins. They somehow slip a hell-Mickey into the punch that leaves the reveler unsure of what went on while they were tranced out... but quite certain it was dirty. Danceable and deep... music for both ends of your carcass. And oh yeah... don’t mind the date-rape; you liked it.
Infinity Interrupt – Hybrid Still Life
Track Listing: Aperiophobia, Gravity Well, Still Life, Once Again, Hybrid, Between, Retnal Fetish, Endless Gray, Silence, S.E.P., Crawl.
Another disturbing record, albeit more electronica than techno. Half whispered, intoned, male and female vocals entwined into darkambient textures. I am wondering, with all the extreme overkill of psycho/horror culture I have ingested, why does this album, as well as the previous one, leave my hair raised? Curious, and enjoyable.
Scream Silence – Curious Changes
Track Listing: Curious Changes (single version), Curious Changes (the serenade remix), Elegy (taken from the pre-recording sessions), Video Track.
Classic goth male vocals, beautiful and sentimental. This EP has only three songs, and two are different mixes of the same one. (There is also a video track.) I await the full album. Very fine and emotionally touching material.
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