The Burning Season_音乐专辑
The Burning Season
表演者: Faith and the Muse
专辑类型: Album
介质: Audio CD
发行时间: 2003-07-08
唱片数: 1
出版者: Metropolis Records
条形码: 0782388028622
专辑简介
Monica Richards and William Faith took their time when it came to following up 1999's Evidence of Heaven. They spent four years sifting through their wild imaginations and wide sonic palettes for a reason; they wanted to be ready to take on the shift in music and be powerful enough to stand alone. Faith & the Muse have never been ones to follow what's appealing on a mainstream level, but this time they embraced certain elements of dance and pop to create their best album in years. The Burning Season is an atmospheric soundscape, both gauzy and hypnotic with string arrangements and Faith's classic blistering guitar work. There's a newfound confidence burgeoning on this album as well, and the immediate kick-start of "Sredni Vashtar" represents the duo's desire to be taken seriously. They're not just another token goth rock act. Faith & the Muse are artists in the most literate sense; however, unlike their counterparts, they have a spark. The Burning Season is unapologetic in its dynamics. Richards is a temptress on "Boudiccea," a swirling shoegazing trip of fluid acoustics. Just when you think the band's got you in its circle, "Gone to Ground" switches things up. This is Faith & the Muse's own lounge selection, and again Richards is a siren. Fans who adore the band's incorporation of mythology and neo-classical folk will enjoy "Visions" and "Whispered in Your Ear." These particular tracks thrive on the band's roots, but with an electronic twist. The redesign is impressive. Ten years after their formation, Faith & the Muse have a firm grasp on what they want to be, and The Burning Season captures how unshakable they truly are as artists. Instead of making something curiously artistic just for the sake of it, Faith & the Muse are exquisite finding something fresh..
- MacKenzie Wilson
All Music Guide/2003
Since 1994, William Faith and Monica Richards have created romantic myth-rock with flashes of their shared punk roots. After the consistent elements among the first three albums (and one retrospective, "Vera Causa"), "The Burning Season" is a sharp slap up the side of the head. All the usual emotion and drama are present, but with a fiercely updated atmosphere. Ain't no "Sea Angler," ain't no "Reine La Belle." The beats are faster, the vocal tactics are more varied, and there's an honest-to-God guitar solo! The intro "Bait & Switch" is a warning shot of deathrock across the bow. Then POW!-"Sredni Vashtar" has an even faster beat and relentless rhythm. Seven years ago, Monica sang "Come to life my second skin / Come protect the madness locked within." Well, now: "Time to drop the seventh veil and let some madness wander in." The trappings of Renaissance and Celtic music I've come to expect are stripped away, even on songs of historical legend like "Boudiccea." Much of the instrumentation and song structure runs 1980s-present. A notable exception is the funeral-jazz "Gone to Ground." A controlled weariness creeps into Monica's vocals here, and it works. Still, it isn't a TOTAL departure; Monica's vocals on "Boudiccea," "Whispered In Your Ear," and "Visions" are in that gentle, comfortable mid-range she and the late Kirsty Maccoll own. William's acoustic guitar is as soothing and intricate as his electric guitar is energetic. Speaking of which, the old-school punk declaration "Relic Song" features the aforementioned solo, with a hilarious sample of a cheering stadium crowd. It's gallows humor (exhibit A: page 2 of the lyrics, bottom right corner), and it works for me. "In The Amber Room" is a seductive ethereal piece, with NIN-esque electronics and soprano vocals that harken to Liz Fraser (Cocteau Twins). William puts a twist on the wrath he brought to "Trauma Coil" with "Failure To Thrive." He doesn't yell this time, but the anger and admonition are clear: "A torch to the error and a cold hard look in the eye." The truth-seeker Diogenes would like this tune. No, this CD isn't a retread of the first three. Faith and The Muse are artists; it's not SUPPOSED to be. They don't sound tired - they just sound tired of the petty aspects of this big, cyclical journey we endure. ("This is not a darker age / Just the turning of the wheel.") As for the gentle closer "Willow's Song:" this may be the ultimate Third Date Song. Monica wore bells on her ankles while recording this one. After about two minutes, ankle bells may be the ONLY thing you're wearing. Trust me.
- Scott Sweet
Amazon.com/2003
曲目
1. Bait and Switch
2. Sredni Vashtar
3. Boudiccea
4.The Burning Season
5. Whispered In Your Ear
6. Gone to Ground
7. Relic Song
8. In the Amber Room
9. Failure to Thrive
10.Visions
11. Prodigal
12.Willow's Song
