ALBIREON - 'Mr. Nightbird Hates Blueberries' CD (Old Europa Cafe)
A dark comedy or a folk drama about drunk birds, mocking spiders, empty bottles and lost souls. For this decadent party, recorded between late 2008 to early 2010 and graced by great emotional neofolk ballads and more experimental gloomy soundscapes, Albireon invited some very selected guests to share this tasty blueberry cake and offer the album a different palette of vocal nuances and a multi-national coven of damned artists' parade: David E. Williams, Lloyd James (Naevus), Sonne Hagal, Future Whirl (formerly Oberon) and Die Weisse Rose are the selected guests of Mr. Nightbird's party. These great artists offered a priceless contribution to Albireon's music and lyrics, and perfectly painted the sad main character, in his struggling pilgrimage toward love, loss, forgiveness and rebirth, but all seen through the drunk eye of the mocking spiders.
From Changes' inception, R. N. Taylor and Nicholas Tesluk have woven bardic tales of gallantry, chivalry and of larger-than-life legendary and mythical heroes. They've sung of new love, love unrequited and love lost. They've written songs foretelling a dark apocalyptic future, which later came to pass while currently prophesying a society in the seminal stages of an even darker fate. With their new album, "Lament", they turn their gaze inward, to their own personal apocalypses, stemming from their long marriages ending in dismal dissolution. Only by being able to immerse themselves in their art and create works expressing these sorrows would they be able to maintain their sanity. "Lament" reaches out to all who've had their lives disrupted by modern societal partners going through mid-life crises, becoming antagonistic strangers to their families overnight. Also included are new versions of three of Changes' earlier works; "The Saddest Thing", "Sweet Eve" and "Memorabilia". 13 tracks of Folk Noir. Guests: Der Blutharsch, David E Williams and Axel Frank (Werkraum). Digipak with a 16-page booklet.
UK 12£
Europe 13£
World 14£
QUANTITY
DAVID E. WILLIAMS ENSEMBLE EXPERIENCE PROJECT - 'Untitled' 7" (Tesco USA / Ur Muzik)
Nearly a quarter-century into a staggering solo career, David E. Williams has decided to join a band. Granted, the David E. Williams Ensemble Experience Project is a band that bears his name, but it still signifies the first time the noir singer-songwriter has collaborated so freely on new songs with other musicians. He wrote these tunes as he normally does - at the piano, in the kitchen, under heavy sorrow - but the final arrangements represent the creative contribution of five people. The result is a David E. Williams release where his trademark absurdity ad profundum is equally matched by organic breadth, pop majesty and catchy subversion. Ltd x 300 copies.
UK 8£
Europe 9£
World 10£
QUANTITY
LUX ANODYCA - 'Soul Meshes' CD (Old Europa Cafe)
Debut release by this new Italian project, set up in 2006 by Redux (Kirlian Camera) and his wife Claudia Morel. Of course the master inspires the follower; Lux Anodyca sometimes sounds pretty Kirlian Camera-like but on the other hand, they explore wider fields. Lux Anodyca dives into the realms of experimental music, gothic ballads, noir-cabaret and minimal electronics, which definitely confirms their very open-minded way of composing. Think of something like a mix of Kirlian Camera vs. David E. Williams... like a Noir movie soundtrack and songs sung by drunken singers. Ltd x 300 copies.
THE GUILT ØF... - 'The Guilt Øf...' LP (At War With False Noise)
Debut full-length from Mike Williams (Eyehategod, Arson Anthem) and Ryan McKern (Wolvhammer) after their recent split LP with Merzbow. This is very different to Mike's usual output and provides him with the perfect outlet for his singular, dark world view. Early industrial, punk, electro and noise are all references here and are tied together by Williams' distinctive vocal style. This is some very dark stuff and definitely has the feel of Eyehategod even though it's got a totally different sound. Reference points: (early) Skinny Puppy, Throbbing Gristle, Suicide, Head Of David. Equal parts primitive industrial, noise and punk; most certainly their most fully-realised recording to date by some way. Ltd x 250 copies on black vinyl.
