Within Temptation: The Silent Force Tour

Sharon den Adel shines in this wonderful album  as a lead vocalist. The Silent Force was released in 2004 . The band's operatic and black metal influences earned them cult following from around the globe. The Silent Force is very much recommended if you want your black metal ethereal and a truly grand listening experience.

Labyrinthine Heart by Sleepthief Now Out

  Long wait is over. The much awaited follow up to Dawnseeker is up for grabs. You can purchase the wonderful album Labyrinthine Heart at amazon.com. Don't forget to read the Interview I did for Justin Elswick, the man behind Sleepthief.

Vienna Teng-Inland Territory

Korean-American Vienna Teng still continues to weave wonderful tapestry of melodies in her latest offering Inland Territory under Zoe, Rounder records. The album is recorded over five months in four cities.

The Last Snow Fall opens with that sampled crackling sounds found in vinyl records. It is a gradual song embellish by oohs and ahhs amidst her sweet sounding voice.

White Light is an upbeat pop tune that comes to mind Vanessa Carlton's territory. The blues guitar works fine here along with the synthesizers. The lyrics deals  with the push and pull of relationships.

Antebellum is opened by piano flourishes. Her legato is excellent. When she hits that high tender note, it is so exquisite that it makes you really want to open your heart and seize the day. This is the style she has been known for, starting with her previous albums and this is her strong point. The orchestral sweep is cinematic and she can really belt out a tune considering that she is a pianist.

Kansas has that waltzing tempo set about by the cymbals. There is a lounge bluesy  feeling that predominates the entire song.

In Another Life Calls to mind that Mary Hopkins song in the 70s "Those Were the Days" with the snazzy brass ensemble and jaunty piano.

Grandmother Song is something totally new and different. Here she calls her live gang to perform the hand claps, the drums as well as the brass on the back up. You can hear people hooting throughout the entire song. You can tell that this has been recorded in a totally natural environment. The absence of her piano makes this song really different. But it works!

Stray Italian Greyhound is back to her territory of wonderful melodies and tinkling piano lines. Again, the introduction of the sweeping strings and walkabout tempo calls to mind those walks on the beach and lazy afternoons.

Augustine has that swirlling harmony of voices. The beat has that  anticipation to it before hitting the beautiful climax of the song as she sings "ooohhh breaking  down,". This is Vienna at her best.

No Gringo opens with a gentle tambourine. Solemn piano follows. Snare drums lead the verse into a breaking harmony . Again the presence of hand claps and orchestra makes the song a grand piece.

Watershed is a kind a gradual song that builds into an anthem.

Radio recaps Whitelight's upbeat spirit and the quirky atmosphere of Grandmother Song. Again the abundance of  syncopated and poly rhythm makes it a slightly uneasy on the end.

St. Stephen's Cross closes this album.Again it's a nice slow tune . Something that you bring along when you walk in the park.

  Vienna Teng has the versatility that can match Tori Amos' piano playing and a heavenly voice of Sarah Mclachlan. Fans and new ears will most like buy this album for it's overall chill out effect. But for those who appreciate beautiful music in terms of skill and artistry, this is also something for you. Though I'd say her previous efforts are those I gravitate more on, but hey nothing is wrong with an artist evolving and going on to new territories right?

Weird Products for Weird Buyers@ amazon.com

  Are you a strange buyer? Do you adhere to what's conventional or do you go further. Some people buy it for kicks some buy it because they REALLY need it. Check this out and you might find what you want :)


http://www.amazon.com/The-Weird-World-Of/lm/R3V6BQ2PE4RV7T

The Fizz Cup (weird)

  I thought this is a joke but if you check http://www.thefizzcup.com ten you know this is really selling well. It says The Fizz iz the ultimate ice cream party idea. Just fill the Fizz cup with ice cream, twist it onto your favorite soda, and slurp it up. Root beer, cola, orange soda — try them all with your reuseable Fizz cup!


Would you? Could you?

More strange product on this site: http://www.strangenewproducts.com/

KEXP 90.3 from Seattle Washington

Here's the coolest radio station in Seattle Washington,KEXP 90.3. It plays a variety of never heard anywhere music from indie bands…ok tell me what you know about Black Mountain , Clearlake and Camera? KEXP also plays some British music like those from Radiohead and The Charlattans. New Music has always been a source of fascination to me…while on the other hand keeping a firm root to my Celticism.

   It’s great to be able to listen to radio stations not from your own country because it gives one a wide perspective about the musical culture in other parts of the world. My musical taste has always been predominantly European but I am now going  back to  American music which was first spawned by the Grunge culture of the early nineties.Yes American music is cool…as long as it is indie.
(On the pic: DJ John Richards Variety Mix, The Morning Show Mon-Fri 6-10AM)

Two Suns by Bat for Lashes

Original Release Date: April 7, 2009
Indie,Pop,Alternative,Rock


  The first thing that came to mind when I saw her was: OMG she looks like Lily Allen. Natasha Khan who’s project is Bat for lashes creates amazing atmospheric music in the vein of Kate Bush and Clannad. I chanced upon her through you tube. She's wearing this 80's 'Footloose' getup haunted by men-shaped shadows.   That video Daniel made me want to learn about the album more.  The cover reminds me of Vegas for some reason.


Two Suns opens with Glass. A gradual sound that moves into a climax of tribal beats. This is where the Kate Bush reference comes up. Acoustic and synthesizers merge to create an ethnic and ethereal feel; highlighted by her heavenly wails. 


Sleep Alone has that reggae meets early Goth feel. When she sings "Lonely, Lonely..." Occasional choral  aaahhhs' embellish the tune with a suspense cinematic flavor.


Moon and Moon has that haunting resemblance to the intro to 10,000 Maniacs' Because the Night only that this is gradual and fluid. Again there's that backing vocals that sounds to me like Philip Glass meets the Beach Boys. There's also hints of operatic soprano doing a vocalise. But it's a brief song.


Daniel has a strong 80s feel. From what I've read it's a tribute to Ralph Macchio's Character in Karate Kid. Just watch the video and you will see the strong reference that I am talking about. Somehow it reminds me of "Running Up the Hill" by Kate Bush only that Natasha's vocals are gentler and more Moya Brennan. The synths are what you will expect in such eighties arrangements . There's also strong pizzicato that calls to mind Enya's style of composition. 


Peace of Mind is something that never sticks with me. The odd scale makes it uneasy . The gospel type choral singing sounds off on this one. I don't know, it's just me I guess.


Siren Song gives back the moment taken by the previous song, with the beautiful floral flourishes of the piano . The 'easy' listening is however trampled by the disturbing chorus that sounds more Diamanda Galas ...


Pearl's Dream opens with a downbeat . "There's a place I must go, There's a place I must go" She sings in the opening track. This is the kind you would listen to on a late night run. Again it almost gets you to that pinnacle of listening experience but somehow it is off.


Good Love opens with a 'funebre' synth style that is more 60's horror film sounding . Again so far this does not topple the standard set by "Daniel'. But what she lacks for musical consistency she compliments through her hypnotic narrative. "The house set fire to my heart.." Awesome.


Two Suns opens with a poetry but I forgot by whom. Anyway, again there's that poly-rhythm and ethnic feel. 


Travelling Woman has tempo akin to most songs present in Natalie Merchant's debut Tiger Lily. Again the melody is off. For some reason I suspect that Natasha Khan hates to sound sweet. 


Big Sleep is perhaps intended to be a lullaby. But that male vocal sounds like a disturbing attempt to sound Broadway. You don't want to listen to this on you way to sleep.


Overall, I still think that two Suns is a rewarding experience if your expectations are met. Her voice is superb and I think I prefer her's than Kate Bush. But unlike Kate Bush, Enya and Liz Fraser who carved the road behind them, Ms Khan has to work hard to prove herself. Otherwise she's just a second rate copy cat. 

Roquefort Blue Cheese

Enough with all the Art and on with Food. Yummmm...Weekends are complete when one can make a simple snack out of crackers, salad and blue cheese. My fave brand is Roquefort Blue Cheese which I acquired while living in Manila along with eating the smelly Dorian fruit. I admit I grow restless after tasting the same ol' thing . Having something 'different ' can be a refreshing experience. 



Here's one interesting video. 

How to make a Cornucopia Video

I haven't done this but seeing this guy's expertise just gave me the spirit.I can't wait for the season to make one of these babies.


From Wiki:

The cornucopia (Latin: Cornu Copiae) is a symbol of food and abundance dating back to the 5th century BC, also referred to as horn 'o' plenty, Horn of Amalthea, and harvest cone.

In Greek mythology, Amalthea was a goat who raised Zeus on her breast milk. When her horn was accidentally broken off by Zeus while playing together, the god in remorse gave her back her horn with the power to give to the person in possession of it whatever he or she wished for. This gave rise to the legend of the cornucopia. The original depictions were of the goat's horn filled with fruits and flowers: deities, especially Fortuna, would be depicted with the horn of plenty. The cornucopia was also a symbol for a woman's fertility.

In modern depiction, the cornucopia is typically a hollow, horn-shaped wicker basket typically filled with various kinds of festive fruit and vegetables. In North America, the cornucopia has come to be associated with Thanksgiving and the harvest.

Cornucopia is also the name of Whistler's annual Wine and Food celebration held in November.

Two cornucopias are seen in the flag and state seal of Idaho. There is also one seen in the state seal of North Carolina, as well in Peruvian Official Shield.

Jack Kerouac Reads from "On The Road"

You can't love Jazz music without knowing Jack Kerouac, the literary icon of the Beat generation. He is one of the people I would like to party with on the other side. But who knows? I might meet his spirit this coming Halloween which is a few months ahead..


  You can check out his books here.

Supernatural

For anyone who has an affiliation with the scary and the strange, this is your ticket. Just make sure to turn the lights off on a rainy night and cover your legs with that comfy blanket.It works. I'm talking about this ongoing Warner Bros series, Supernatural. It's scary but aside from that it has a cool sense of humor. It stars Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki as brothers Sam and Dean Winchester.


  When their mother died in 1983 following the demonic presence in their bedroom, their father turned into a bounty hunter tracking down the very demon responsible for the death of his wife. Unlike Dean who never planned of leaving the family, Sam got into law school only to encounter the same tragedy that happened 22 years earlier. Every episode shows the contrast between the two brothers(Dean's into 80's rock metal). 


  All types of beings from urban legends will be encountered as you watch along each episode. Sam discoveres a psychic ability that will become a turning point as this show progresses into a climax.The special effects are ok. This is the best things that happened to television since the X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Introduction to The Orchids of Asia written by: Mark L Isaac-Williams

 Australian botanist, illustrator and photographer Mark Isaac-Williams wrote this comprehensive guide to orchids.This wonderful hardcover(Angus and Robertson) is 261 pages with colour illustrations that would give the newbie a wonderful introduction to the more than 25,000 species of orchids existing in the world today. It was inspired by his travels to South East Asia ; from the famous Kadoorie Farm and Gardens of Hogkong , to the Orchid Society of Bagiou Philippines.This is a rare and wonderful book aimed for coffee tables as well as for academic research. It has this wonderful quote from Confucius :"The acquaintance of a good man was like entering a room full of [orchids]".

Landslide by Fleetwood Mac

I heard this Fleetwood Mac song back when I was growing up but I never paid so much attention until Smashing Pumpkins did a remake and I started going through the lyrics. I felt the tremor as Stevie Nicks sang the lines:


 oh, mirror in the sky -what is love?
 -can the child within my heart rise above?
 -can I sail thru the changin' ocean tides? 
-can I handle the seasons of my life?


 I don't know..... It's got to be one of those life-changing songs that make you think about Joni Mitchel's Both Sides Now and Sandy Denny's Who Knows Where the Time Goes

Resident Evil (Extinction)

  Milla Jovovitch kicks ass in the tradition of Segourney Weaver (Alien) and Linda Hamilton(Terminator). She has mystique whose closer rivals would have to be Greta Garbo and Ingrid Bergman. It was The Fifth Element that introduced Milla as the action heroine but other than giving kicks and punches she has that emotional depth we found in Joan of Arch.Yes Milla Milla Milla is the best.


 1.Plot: The storyline follows her departure from her companions with the hope of bringing down the Umbrella Corporation lead by the murderous Robert Wesker.While travelling the Nevada wasteland she teams up with her long lost companions battling killer crows and genetically enhanced zombies.


 2.What to see: The stunts are cool. We see Milla in her perfect form . I like that part when the killer Crows attack. That's riveting. I also like that part when she fights the zombies on the Las Vegas ruins.That's flawless!

Mary Fahl: From the Dark Side of the Moon

 I have never really gotten into Pink Floyd's music until the later part of the 90s when I met a musician from Prague by the name of Floydie. Although there were endless hours of chat about music (he's also a guitarist)it soon escalated into trading of recorded materials. He recorded me songs he composed and even dedicated one instrumental track for me :Man On The Road". I sent him my original materials which was received with favorable reaction. 


  I lost contact with Floydie when he got married and also when I moved to Manila. But hearing Pink Floyd reminds me of him and our friendship at that time. That's why when the buzz in the internet about Mary Fahl doing a song by song interpretation of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon finally came I was so excited. I truly admire her work with October Project and as a solo artist. I wasn't disappointed when I got to hear the copy from a friend. unfortunately, it seems that V2 records folded up even before the album was released and a limited promotional copy is still out there somewhere but it looks like some online stores will sell it to you at $48.00.


  Mary Fahl has an exquisite voice. Gifted with a big contralto, and vocal abilities, she proved to be the only one on her field. As one critic noted, She has the nuance of Enya, the power of Celine Dion and the mystique of Lisa Gerrard. From the Dark Side of the Moon, is more electronic and ambient oriented .There are critics out there who said it's chaotic and goes nowhere. All I can say is that these critics who think so are musical idiots. They don't know what beautiful music is even if it is already kicking their foreheads. 


  There are standout tracks here like” Great Gig in the Sky' where she swoons into aria-like onomatopoeia, and then wine meets cigarettes of "Money" which showcases her jazz influences when he spent time in Holland singing in a band composed of expatriate musicians. This is a special project worth hearing for years to come.

Rick Springfield's Working Class Dog on Vinyl

 I finally unearthed my Rick Springfield record Working Class Dog circa 1980.The sleeve looked dusty and I had to wipe the surface of the vinyl. I got the inspiration after seeing him appear twice in the Wonder Woman series from 1977-78 second and third season .The last time was on this episode called "Amazon Hotwax" where he played a band member backing Lynda Carter  while she was doing her recording (since she posed as a detective trying to uncover a recording hoax.Well my my , I knew Lynda Carter was a singer too but to actually hear her is a different experience.She has a beautiful voice).That episode was perhaps a way to promote her solo album called "Portrait" released in 1978 and she actually wrote 3 songs in the album but I am yet to own the album.

Rick Springfield not only plays the guitar and keys on his recordings in his career , he is also a good lyricist."Jessie's Girl" is what I played again and again. Unlike most television actors out there, Rick can REALLY sing and compose as well. I think he has been blessed for years and years being able to work with different musicians and appearing on different TV shows as well as movies.

Dusk and Summer Artist: Dashboard Confessional

Tracks: 1. Don't Wait 2. Reason To Believe 3. Secret's In The Telling, 4. Stolen 5. Rooftops & Invitations 6. So Long, So Long 7. Currents 8. Slow Decay 9. Dusk & Summer 10. Heaven Here 


Dashboard Confessional: Chris Carrabba (vocals, guitar, keyboards); John Lefler (guitar, keyboards); Scott Schoenbeck (bass guitar); Mike Marsh (drums, percussion). Additional personnel include: Adam Duritz (vocals). Recording information: Avatar Studios, New York, New York.


  Emo God Chris Carrabba has once again weaved a tale and longing and rage in this 4th full length album . He sounds desperate, even frantic in tracks like Don't Wait and Reason to Believe but finds nuance in heartfelt songs like Slow Decay and Heaven Here. The predominantly jangly guitar that has been the signature of the band is till present, however this album could have been better if it has not been too 'clever'. I still see a little resemblance of that primal rage found in Swiss Army Romance and Places you've Come To Fear The Most. I just hope Mr Carrabba never loses his edge. I think this is a good album to listen to while driving home or when you are alone at home watching people in your neighborhood smootch and you feel weird because you don't have a partner so it's either A.You are ugly B.You are just a helpless son of a bitch C You look like you ate a lizard and D.You are gay and no one wants to date you . Either way, this is a good album to let the afternoon pass you by and hope that the next summer is more promising that the previous.

River by Joni Mitchell

 Joni Mitchell continues to write songs that are not only felt and understood by women but also cuts deep in any heart. Take for instance "River" Its coming on christmas Theyre cutting down trees ,Theyre putting up reindeer ,And singing songs of joy and peace, Oh I wish I had a river, I could skate away on, But it dont snow here, It stays pretty green, Im going to make a lot of money ,Then Im going to quit this crazy scene, I wish I had a river I could skate away on..... Not only they appear to be auto biographical but they are also an excursion into self...the conflict between the super ego and the id to quote from Freud.I think the one that stayed with me for so long would have to be the done- to- death "Both Sides Now'. 


  I  admit I love the Judy Collins version because she has an amazing voice and she put harpsichord on it-one of my favorite keyboard instruments. The songs are not intrusive because of the arrangement . She doesn't over blow them with orchestra, saxophones or electric guitars. These are songs composed decades ago but they don't sound 'old'.I have been a slob today in front of my computer listening to her.If you are not into folk and jazz then it would be hard to get into her. You have to have a wide appreciation of music to know where her creative ideas come from. more Joni Mitchell resources can be found here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joni_Mitchell

The Smiths - There is a Light That Never Goes Out

  
I am paying tribute to one of my fave bands called The Smiths. I grew up somewhere along the late eighties and early nineties so pretty much of what I listened to at that time was New Wave but then I rediscovered them in the late 90's when when i heard most of Morissey's solo efforts I took heavy interests in bands like U2 and The Wild Swans.
In terms of wit and sarcasm, I don't think there is anybody who could match Morrissey's.For me, his works are pure genius.


There Is A Light That Never Goes Out


Take me out tonight
Where theres music and theres people
And theyre young and alive
Driving in your car
I never never want to go home
Because I havent got one
Anymore


Take me out tonight
Because I want to see people and i
Want to see life
Driving in your car
Oh, please dont drop me home
Because its not my home, its their
Home, and Im welcome no more


And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten-ton truck
Kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure - the privilege is mine


Take me out tonight
Take me anywhere, I dont care
I dont care, I dont care
And in the darkened underpass
I thought oh god, my chance has come at last
(but then a strange fear gripped me and i
Just couldnt ask)


Take me out tonight
Oh, take me anywhere, I dont care
I dont care, I dont care
Driving in your car
I never never want to go home
Because I havent got one, da ...
Oh, I havent got one


And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten-ton truck
Kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure - the privilege is mine


Oh, there is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
  

Bitterroot Landing by Sheri Reynolds

  Last time I posted Sheri Reynolds' Firefly Cloak. This time I want to highlight her first novel BitterRoot Landing. My desire for reading started in grade school, when I saw my folks with books in their hands when they're not doing something.We had shelves of books in our old house in Hervias , Bacolod City and those were the years that really made a good impression on me. It was perhaps around 1980 up to 1983 before we moved to a new place and after that, I started 3rd grade.


  The first book I ever read was  an Alfred Hitchcock novel called "The Case of a Stuttering Parrot" and I think I was in 4rth grade at that time. It was quite a personal  triumph for me at that age to finish a novel of about more than 200 pages . There was also Shakespear's Hamlet around but I never really picket it up until much later.
Right now my TV is busted which is probably a good thing because at least I was able to finish one novel.This book is called(again) BitterRoot Landing by Sheri Reynolds.This haunting novel was written from a point of view of an incest  survivor  by the name of Jael. She grew up in a remote place called Bitter Root somewhere in the South.
She hear's voices in her head, and these voices are sometimes hopeful; sometimes they are scary.


 I am going to put here the review from amazon.com in case you guys are interested to purchase this wonderful book. I  got this hard cover copy (With a different design than the one in amazon) at the Metropolis in Alabang when Crissy and I had nothing to do but just walk around and do some window shopping.
http://www.amazon.com/Bitterroot-Landing-Sheri-Reynolds/dp/042516246X/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product/104-4737899-5813541?ie=UTF8
Here's the link to her website:http://sherireynolds.com/


  In the end we walked out with a handful of books. Right now I am in the middle of "My Dinner With Andre" a screen play which was  made to a movie starring Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory. It is absorbing and I might write a review about it  ,as soon as I finished the whole thing.


  In the past I was asked to do a book review but it never really got into print so I am posting that in my other site. Anyway, if you are interested on my take regarding Poppy Z Brite's "Drawing Blood," here is the link.
http://musingsandteardrops.blogspot.com/2006/09/love-horror-meets-gothic-angst-in-vein.html

The Devine Comedy by Milla Jovovitch

  Scouting along the streets of Quiapo in Manila, I came across this tape from Singer/Actress Milla Jovovitch. The title of the album is 'The Devine Comedy" and it's simply by Milla-without her last name.Most people probably know that this wonderful  Ukrainian-born actress can also sing and write her own songs.She can even play the guitar, mandolin and flute well.


  The album opens with the track titled The Alien Song, an ethreal allegory of our future as well as environmental crisis. Here Milla sings with a mournful voice .Beautiful effects and acoustic instruments are enmeshed with electronic ones creating a wonderful sonic collage.


  The Gentleman Who Fell follows and it's her big hit.The pizzicato strings remind me of Enya's Orinoco Flow.The melody however is very Slavic and anyone who digs ABBA would appreciate this (unlike ABBA though ,this is not a happy song).Consider these lines from that song:

A voice is speaking
He's the prophet
Blinded by the light
A heart is breaking
I can hear it
Dropped when gone beyond my sight

  The rest of the songs follow in a smooth transition from mellow to rocking types .The song Clocks  is actually about Anne Frank,the little girl who was a victim of the Holocaust in the Nazi era;

I'm locked in a box
With a window and a clock
Sometimes I can't sleep
I watch the second hand feeding
Time is ticking, ticking

  Of all the tracks I think the standout is this arresting song called In A Glade which is a Ukranian traditional song.I think I can hear the balalaika there(the same instrument prominent in the film called Dr.Zhivago).She doesn't sing about gooey lovesongs that a lot of female artists are doing right now.At 17 she was tackling serious issues . 

  She made wise musical choices which could have rivaled her screen picks if she was given a choice to sail between these two rivers (although she is also sailing the seas of modeling so dig that).Milla has a voice which is a cross between Anne Lennox and Kate Bush.A recording like this deserves a follow up which unfortunately never happened since other career choice took most of her time. In another lifetime perhaps. 

  Over all the record quality is excellent except for the much extended chanting on track like "Clocks"  which should havebeen reduced to one minute .There is also too much synth effects on "The Alien" song which is unnecessary, since the melody has a strong sense of itself, really. However this is a brave debut album.

Track listing:
"The Alien Song" – 4:45

1. "Gentleman Who Fell" – 4:39
2. "It's Your Life" – 3:45
3. "Reaching From Nowhere" – 4:10
4. "Charlie" – 4:10
5. "Ruby Lane" – 4:36
6. "Bang Your Head" – 3:23
7. "Clock" – 4:15
8. "Don't Fade Away" – 5:43
9. "You Did It All Before" – 3:58
10. "In a Glade" – 2:27

Man of Colors by Icehouse (vinyl)

 This time it's an LP  review  from Austrialian  New Wave band Icehouse. I got hold of their cool song "Electric Blue" when I bought this new wave compilation CD back in 2000. It was not until this year that while walking on the busy streets of Quiapo one rainy afternoon, I came upon a store that sells tapes and vinyl records. Electric Blue also reminds me of Boracay way back the lent of 2000. I was suffering from unrequieted love and then I hopped in this bar where most American guys hang out to play billiards. I got myself a glass of iced tea and then this song played. It was so perfect, the state I was in, the mood and what the song is saying .'If a boy had a chance, a change with someone like you,would you break his heart,make him cry for the moon..."

The condition of the LP is still excellent.I never encountered needle skip or  loud hissing -though I need them because that is what vinyl records are supposed to sound. I am a sucker for that little frying sound . Nice poppy and sophisticated  rock album.Very atmospheric too. It is true that Aussies make a different take on music.This is one record you would love to listen to on a sunset, while setting on a veranda, having cappochino and watching the waves roll. Something to remind you of old loves and better times.Too bad only few bands nowadays make music the way the 80's bands did. Makes me long for a time machine . track list: 1. Crazy 2. Electric Blue 3. Nothing Too Serious 4. Man of Colours 5. Heartbreak Kid 6. Kingdom 7. My Obsession 8. Girl in the Moon 9. Anybody's War 10. Sunrise

Bela Lugosi is Dead

   I got my self a tape of Bauhaus (In The Flat Field) when I was discovering  Goth for the first time in the 90's.I think I played them to death on a Halloween . I was mesmirized by the dark but sensual vocals of Peter Murphy.There were a lot of good bands in the 80's that made a crossover into the 90's because most of them found an audience known as Dark Wavers.
I did not classify my self as Goth though I did spent sometime visiting graveyards at night, and at that time I as already reading a lot of Baudelaire, Anne Rice, Clive Barker  and Edgar Allan Poe. Apart from Bauhaus, there was Dead Can Dance of course (they are not really Goth but they play good gothic music) and The Crow soundtrack.
Bela Lugos is Dead  is a cool song featured in the movie The Hunger. Iwas still a kid at that time to appreciate but it made a huge cult following here. Of course we all know that Bela Lugosi took the role of Dracula in the 1950's.
 I think My fascination for vampires did not actually take off until I read Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice and shared a correspondence with writer Karen Kunawicz who was writing these wonderful articles.
Unlike most Goth track, this one does not really on synthesizers to create an atmosphere .Everything is done through guitars.

Bela Lugosi's Dead

White on white translucent black capes
Back on the rack
Bela Lugosi's dead
The bats have left the bell tower
The victims have been bled
Red velvet lines the black box
Bela Lugosi's dead
Undead undead undead
The virginal brides file past his tomb
Strewn with time's dead flowers
Bereft in deathly bloom
Alone in a darkened room
The count
Bela Logosi's dead
Undead undead undead

An Immense Journey written by: Loren Eiseley

  I have been revisiting this book like a treasured graveyard (come on there IS such a thing). It seems that reading it again and again have sprung out seeds of thought in me that comes to life and I am not even aware of them until a certain time when I punder life and what keeps me going...I mean just living each day. Anthropologist,ecologist and poet Loren Eiseley added soul to the logical world of science.


  His essays compiled in this classic is a testament not only of his love for humanity but for the earth and the humility it bestowed upon him and everyone who shares his thoughts until this very day. I remember I was in high school when I read his essay called "The Bird and the Machine" . It's about an incident about the hawk he captured for the institute and which he set free: He lay there a long minute without hope, unmoving, his eyes still fixed on that blue vault above him. It must have been that he was already so far away in heart that he never felt the release from my hand. He never even stood. He just lay with his breast against the grass..... I didn't know what came over me but I remember weeping over the old book and the immense beauty of his story, his humanity.


   Loren Eiseley died in July 9,1977 but his contribution to science will always be remembered. Look for his other books and this one:The Immense Journey (1957), Darwin's Century (1958), The Unexpected Universe (1969), The Night Country (1971), and the memoir All the Strange Hours (1975).