acidfolk review page 4

Hand/Eye Stone Breath : Lanterna Lucis Viridilatis (expanded edition) (US,2000,pub.2008)***°'

By this time Stone Breath were Timothy, Prydwyn, Sarada and RA Campbell. It was also a time when they investigated deeper forgotten spirits related with nature mysticism, Hildegard Von Bingen’s writings, and stories from the Templer Knights, and having an influence of the growing interest in traditional music (while learning clawhammer banjo). The songs often feel like a deeper hypnotic meditation on themes (occasionally folk (dance) related), on which a certain improvisation builds mood around these songs, accompanied by dual/harmony vocals, rhythmical banjo pickings, sliding acoustic guitar, flute improvisation, harmonium, bodhran, and many more occasional instruments. I forgot how good and convincing the album was. Some songs I also forgot about. Each member was in their rightful place making the songs moodier provided with (-also nicely stretched, especially on the last track-) improvised pleasures. Just a few songs are like provoking droning poetry spoken word or singing that sounds like a ritual to provoke a mystic thought, knowledge or understanding. Celebrative elements can be sad for the forgotten commitments towards nature; these are stories of blood and green.

The album is also expanded with recordings from that period, which previously made it to different limited editions and compilations, and a live recording on WMBR, Boston. One of these were a few songs in cooperation with Fit & Limo (for an EP). On the live recording Erik Wivinus (from Salamander, Skye Klad, on guitars, witchfinder dulcimer) and Matt Zaun (now sadly deceased, since 2007, percussionist for Salamander, Skye Klad, Blitzen, Di Dollari, on drums, percussion, sounds) participated.

The first six songs of the bonus CD are much simpler in the arrangements, and the vocal strangeness of Tim’s droning voice is much more bare to the bone core of the songs and are not compensated by mood arrangements. Also on this second disc the mood builds up over the recording (with a few tracks with droning bell and crows sounds), ending in the live session, a warmer version of Stone Breath compared to the more directly working “mystic”-shamanistic visionary provoking on the first disk.

Audio : here & http://cdbaby.com/cd/stonebreath4

More links (of reviews) will be added later

Hand/Eye Stone Breath : Knotwork (expanded edition) (US, ?,pub.2008)***'

This last album is a compilation of rare EPs and unreleased songs, mostly from the later years of the band. The early tracks use interesting new instruments like the revelator-guitar, and a sitar-guitar, both with their own interesting droning/buzzing sound. Especially “A silver crown song” is interesting, not only for this but also for its small part with Latin. There’s a bit more experiments with loops, or the idea of loops, or drones, more than before, and the use of harmonium. The songs are also kept much more basic. Here Stone Breath is acting solo, as a duo or trio with Timothy with Prydwyn and Sarada.

Audio : http://cdbaby.com/cd/stonebreath5

Info & audio : http://www.myspace.com/stonebreath & http://cdbaby.com/cd/stonebreath3

Timothy's homepage : http://www.lostgospel.org/

Label info : http://www.somedarkholler.com/ or distributor info on http://www.shinybeast.nl/...

More links (of reviews) will be added later

Hand/Eye Stone Breath : Songs Of Moonlight And Rain (expanded edition) (US, 1998,pub.2008)**°°

Just like the first album, also this second album, Stone Breath conceived an updated version of a reissue. The notes contain explanations of what happened since then, and how in this second chapter the group will soon evolve from a rather solo band and sound to a more cooperative band, and with the introduction of what would soon become a steady cooperation since then with bard Prydwyn. It also contains a second album full of bonus material of songs published before only on limited compilations albums, together with the non-traditional tracks of the first Spectral Light & Moonshine Firefly Snakeoil Jamboree album, as well as one unreleased track. The SL & MFSJ album first was intended as a third album, but the Camera Obscura label found that the traditional songs fitted less with the expectations for how a new album of Stone Breath would sound, so the group published the album later under a different name. Now, so many years later, it seems that also the group likes the idea of separating the traditional tracks (even when their performance was far from traditional), from the usual material. We can expect another compilation with that material soon. All the tracks listed here were recorded before the final third album.

This second album, in style, still sounds close to the first album’s approach, which is rather minimal neofolk-like with mystic pagan inspirations, and only contains a few more additional arrangements like two vocalists (especially the flute I like very much). I will give notice to the sad, nice cover of COB, “Evening Air” (with additional tambura), or to “my heart is an acorn buried in the black earth”, with picking banjo and harmonium mostly and (like more or less everywhere else) the typical, whispery somewhat narrating baritone vocals. A beautiful choice of a cover is “Fleance” from Third Ear Band, even when not necessarily a better version. One of my true favourites is “Listen, Listen”, a devotional chant by Yogananda, with nice resonating instruments. New in style and a fine idea of a renewal of Stone Breath’s sound are the last two longer, more experimental and improvised, slightly ritualistic, tracks.

On the second CD some tracks sound slightly folkier. I like very much “path of nails” with picking banjo by Timothy and additional vocals by Ra Campbell. Also nice to hear is Sarada on vocals on “The song of the scarecrow”. I also like very much “stealing the fire from heaven” (by Glenn Danzig, but learned from Johnny Cash’s ‘American recordings’, a true pagan song. “Red Twilight” is made with the cooperation of Fit & Limo. There’s also a different, longer version added of “Listen, Listen”. “Devotional Tree” is the only song I know with electric guitar, and with deformed voice, a sad but well fitting variety. I assume this is the bonus track, which for me is a welcome addition.

Even when for me this might not be the highlight of Timothy’s career, there’s so much interesting inspiration involved, also lyrically, so that I am sure that people with an interest for a soft-darker meditative side of paganism related with mystics of nature will find many songs that will give deeper perspectives to rituals and awareness of their interests.

Info & audio : http://www.myspace.com/stonebreath & http://cdbaby.com/cd/stonebreath3

Timothy's homepage : http://www.lostgospel.org/

Label info : http://www.somedarkholler.com/HandEyeDiscography31_40.html

Description : http://www.tonevendor.com/item/10621 & on http://www.target.com/...

Original album : http://www.cameraobscura.com.au/cam010.htm

Info & audio from the The Sp.L. & Moonshine F.S.Jamboree album : http://cdbaby.com/cd/spectrallight

& review : http://www.rosenoire.org/reviews/spectral-scarecrow.php

Other review : http://www.digitalisindustries.com/foxyd/reviews.php?which=3175

next reissues->

Little Somebody Records Green Mistletoe : Forest Dweller (US, 2007)***°

When my girlfriends sometimes hear some of the psychfolk singers she does not like much the feeling of a not very grounded fragility, or the “I want to be saved by you” attitudes of young girls (potentially coming close). She comes from a very different background of professional dance music, and is mostly only accepting easily music with a purpose of adding some kind of pleasure, something which makes it hard for me to put the right music on when she’s around. But when she heard this Green Mistletoe album she was very enthusiastic, feeling how this music is founded in the peace of nature completely. On the first track frogs sing along the while distant flute whistles, and simply picked guitar introduces. The music everywhere is kept simple but is extremely effective. It is as if some mystic feeling is provoked through an honestly developed inspiration, recalling spirits from old ruins of places where humans lived, that have dwelled around in a beautiful natural environment. Certain guitar and dulcimer themes with bits of distant flute and hand bells softly accompany like rhythmical loops making meditative troubadour moods. The vocals and vocal whispers often mixed with more baritone pitches often sound like coming from some kind of abbot from Gregorian times. On “Evocation to green elohim” such a voice obviously was inspired by a really strange rhythmical sound of an animal, -I assume some kind of frog-, which sounds almost abstract like a natural source alternative for a rich analogue electronic music idea. This combination is a remarkable moment that makes the magic it all stronger. A beautiful to listen to album.

This comes with a very nice carton board package. 366 numbered copies only.

Audio : http://www.myspace.com/littlesomebody

Info on artist : http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pageartist.cfm?bandID=109332

Homepage : http://greenmistletoe.com & with audio : http://www.myspace.com/greenmistletoe

Dutch reviews : http://www.eveningoflight.nl/nl/reviews/greenmis_fd.htm

& http://www.heaven.be/2008_1/extra_2008_1_green_mistletoe.htm

Hand/Eye Stone Breath : Songs Of Moonlight And Rain (expanded edition) (US, 1995->1997,pub.2007)****'

When Stone Breath released their debut in 1996 they immediately showed a distinctive, new style, which showed something of an essence from their group’s name. It was as if there can be heard from a long time, some lost stories from druids, who’s souls were captured into stone for a very long time, in order to make survival possible with their unique bond with nature during changing times. But that was also my own bit of astral imagination in that.

Mourning Cloak was the group’s first name, with a more experimental long track approach, before they changed name, making more compact, acoustic songs. These songs were inspired while having dwelled in nature, finding some lost graveyards, a free imaginative ride taken on these places. These early songs started to breathe gently and naturally. By this time Stone Breath was only Timothy Renner with some help of Alison.

At this stage, the music of Stone Breath sounds as if coming from a gravestone of a long lost friend, who is breathing his messages through the air and stone. Timothy uses beautiful instrumentation harmonies that are somewhat indebted by sounds inspired by nature (flutes, glass, chimes, slightly ritualistic-meditative rhythms, wood-like and iron-like rhythmical and sound-developing elements), with use of some offkey harmonies that have a beautiful but also extremely sad effect, again of something lost. Perhaps through inspiration the “lost” things are rediscovered, but still feel they have been lost in time for too long, and so they almost become like a last breath. Also real nature sounds appear just once-in-a-while, like a blackbird whistling before a song. We also hear lots of bowed zither parts, finger picking guitars that stretches themself, through its meditative use, beyond any neofolk associations. Timothy’s beautiful baritone voice approaches the songs with a, typical for early Stone Breath, rather narrative way of singing. Hearing this album back after, what seems to have been already 10 years, I still think this album shows its own unique form.

Some of the early extra tracks fit well, but are somewhat more simply arranged. Fit & Limo appeared on one of the bonus tracks. What I think completes the album very well is the track with additional vocals by Christianne Knight, a song recorded by Lyn Madison & Tom Rapp, showing fresh folk harmonies. Sarada’s contribution (she later became a member of Stone Breath) makes a beautiful, more liberated in feeling, conclusion.

For those who missed the début when first released, I recommend trying this version out. Stone Breath after this evolved a more arranged group sound (also Prydwyn), with many side projects worth discovering (of which many are reviewed on this page).

Info & audio : http://cdbaby.com/cd/stonebreath2 & http://www.myspace.com/stonebreath

Description : http://www.bompstore.com/servlet/Detail?no=7596

First version : http://www.cameraobscura.com.au/cam001.htm

Discography : http://www.somedarkholler.com/SB_Audiography.html

Label entry (down) : http://www.somedarkholler.com/HandEyeDiscography.html

next St.Breath release->

Hand/Eye Hoofbeat,Caw & Thunder (US, 2006)****

Almost exactly one year ago, around Christmas and New Years Eve, Timothy Renner had this idea of creating something around the end of ‘Time’, having in mind the image of gathering crows, and what he would experience suring such an event. Besides the use of acoustic instruments and his voice he also wanted to include some engine whistle sounds, like the loudest instrument in the world, the factory steam whistle in York, which is played every Christmas at midnight and can be heard for miles around. He also invited Sarada, mostly for harmony vocals, and Shane Speal, a guitar box specialist, who also plays bass and a 2-necked bass. To that, some sound engineering changed the evolution and effect of some of the recordings. The chore is called a tribute psalm, perhaps also to those who were unprepared for this moment of death (like by accident, or just unexpected) and stand still in time.. In some way, it is also a meditation on the effect which might be experienced just one second after departing life, when the awareness of time stops and nothing remains part of the life energy. This can be frightening, a lonely horror of losing this, expressed well in the first part, and with strange deformed harmonies in the voice, and which started with backward sounds. Thoroughly in steps, the whole piece evolves into different sections which is connected vaguely by some droning compositions, while other expressions have beautiful pickings mostly (guitar, or guitar and banjo,…), or an improvisation on un-tuned guitar in middle eastern psychedelic mode, with Timothy solo and dark, but also guided by Sarada, ghostly singing, with feeling of emptiness, or tempering with beauty, with some sweetness, and caring, accompanying the process of darkness. Some parts become like druid rituals, others like troubadour expressions, while elsewhere the horrifying awareness of stagnations can overwhelm, or be expressed by dark prayers with no hope, or with moments of trying to put it all together. Crows are of course symbols of death. The death bell becomes an apocalyptic communal whistle. While this sounds all pretty terrifying, the music by expressing it, and by forming its sections, inhabits the cure and a deeper meditation on salvation that can’t stop the gentle careful beauty of the ‘Creation’ itself. The album, beyond my expectations, is one of the best pieces I have heard from Timothy so far. It is very expressive, and has much variety, which despite its theme, wins completely over stagnation.

Audio : fragment ; Legal download (with more audio fragments) on http://www.wovenwheatwhispers.co.uk/...

Label entry and info : http://www.somedarkholler.com/hct.html

Review with 3 audio tracks : http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=22360

Homepage of Timothy : http://www.lostgospel.org/

& http://www.myspace.com/timothyrevelator & http://www.friendster.com/1838911

Other review : http://www.digitalisindustries.com/foxyd/reviews.php?which=1718

Dutch review : http://www.subjectivisten.org/caleidoscoop/archief/002387.php

* More on Shane Speal's Cigar Box Guitars : http://www.geocities.com/cigarboxguitar/macanudo.html

& http://www.myspace.com/cigarboxguitar

* Homepage of Sarada : http://www.myspace.com/xelucha & http://www.friendster.com/530340

* This release now is now considered as a Crow Tongue release. Other Crow Tongue releases on next page->

Silber Rec. Black Happy Day : In the garden of ghostflowers (US, 2006)***°

Described by the label as 'ambient roots music' this is in fact a crossroad creative combination of styles from Timothy Renner (Stone Breath,..) and Tara Vanflower (Lycia,..). While Timothy’s music usually was rooted in a kind of neo-folk style, with some experimentation, Tara Van Flower used voice with ambient music, with a not too deliberate Gothic association with an individual choice of style. In this melting pot, both talents were often deeply mixed with the extra phoenix-factor derived from creativity. There were also chosen four traditionals of which some of them were an inspiration before by Timothy, but in a different way. I think also previously used songs by Timothy were used to receive a complete new arrangement and sound. This new sound is in fact a whole new style inspiration for both artists who have assembled all what they’ve done before into a new marriage of style. The collection is mostly weeping songs with the theme of death and destiny. None of the grieving in the songs comes too much forward in real emotions-on-the-moment; the songs are more like ghosts of these lost and unattended cries, carried away by the wind (this is like “how the weep and moan" is described).

"The leaves of life" sounds like a death ballad, with some echoed distortion on the voice, hung-over of where and why the cry was set. "In the garden of ghostflowers" is sung in acid folk styled duet with picking guitar. Even with lots of feedback on the voice, like on “whore”, another story of sad destiny, lead by Tara, the folk flavour is also never too far away, like on “Edward”. "Of the wind and loneliness" is like a musical box lullaby from a left alone and unattended child’s (or person’s) grief. Also "A lake wake dirge", which is arranged with various harmony vocals, carries a similar cry, -do I hear oud here (?)-. "How many hours" has an Indian flavour. The background vocal arrangements by Tara here come very close to the way Amelia Cuni experimented with Indian singing overdubs. We hear here also some Indian flavoured drone instrument, caused by effects on the instrument recording, and by the specific droning instrument sound (?). On “Hand in Hand" I recognise Tara's style of voice loops and water. This has a second part of guitar by Timothy, with wa-wa-like effects echoing around, and the actual song. "Wolf and hare” is another nice and simple folk duet with guitar. These last few songs lead almost unconsciously to a spiritual solution of the darkness of its themes. Last song "Be thou vision" is therefore also like a happy ending, in a gospel psychfolk style, an expression as if the voices of these ghosts one day will gather and unite in harmony. Like the series of pictures of a wolf and rabbit in the booklet, united in themes of death, trying to find peace, the concept of this release is surely a successful expression of a black happy day. An interesting collection and succesful concept.

Instruments used were vocals, guitar, motheart (?), water, ektara (?), relevator-guitar (?), ministrel banjo, glitchgear musicbox, dulcimer, saintbanjo (?), harmonium, feedback.

Audio : "Edward" & http://cdbaby.com/cd/blackhappy & http://www.myspace.com/11341317

Info : http://www.somedarkholler.com/blackhappyday.html

Label entry : http://www.silbermedia.com/blackhappyday/

Press info : http://www.silbermedia.com/presstools/silber053.pdf

Timothy Renner page : http://www.lostgospel.org/

Tara Vanflower page : http://www.lyciummusic.org

Other reviews : http://www.opuszine.com/blog/entry.html?ID=3141

& http://www.musictap.net/Reviews/BlackHappyDayGhostflowersCD.html

Other Crow

Secret Eye

Various Artists : For the Dead in Space VOL. II & III (var.,2003)**°/**°° (g-vg & ex)

Many people asked after the appearance of the first very good Tom Rapp / Pearls Before Swine tribute if and when a second volume would appear, so here are two-in-one follow-ups at once. For those who are not familiar with Tom Rapp songs, I would describe them myself as the true poetic side of the late 60's, in various ways. The poetic words used are symbolic in a personal, transcendent and general way, while the music colours the mood of them. I don't know if listeners would all listen the same way to Tom Rapp and his PBS group's releases, but I surely have this in mind when I listen. I had the impression with the first tribute album that many contributions came close to that same spirit of what I understood from Tom Rapp. Most participating musicians on these new tribute albums however, mostly were not even born at the time of PBS, and I think they must have a very different approach from me to PBS music, because I don't feel this angle, not even in a variation of it. This double CD release mostly sounds like a post 80's groups tribute album, with a more "cloudy moods" alternative sound. Where in the 60's and early 70's the clarity of ideas was important, in alternative 80's inspired groups, IMHO I think there's less talent needed or at least being explored, because expressing "music" with the sounds of more vaguely cloudy moods, always works as an effect, even if it hides a lack of talent, because the music has at least an effect. Within this tendency of expression, the compilation with many of these more 80's inspired groups, the compilation still is very consistent, mostly for the first CD, and after a couple of entirely different tracks with lesser "mood creation", also for the second. Still I wonder how much an appearance on a Pearls Before Swine tribute album is not more than an occasion, instead of a real tribute in its spirit. People who experienced the 80's think differently, and they are creative with sounds in a different spirit. PBS seems to work for them as mirage stimulation to make a variation of their own kind of reflective sounds. This means also that these groups have a slightly darker sound, with more attention to electrified sound effects, than to the poetic, esoteric and symbolic open psychology core, with acoustic translation of a deeper lying inner vision that covers more than what the effect brings to us. But there are exceptions on this release, that have the end 60's and 70's in their core as well. Marissa Nadler, for instance -(see review of her solo release)- who succeeded in creating a (Elisabeth Wayne Gharley, ex-PBS)..kind of mood. (with her version of "Ballad to an amber lady"). The tracks of the talented Prydwyn and Kitchen Cynics are a bit short to say too much about them, but I know from earlier contacts and listens that these people understood the essence. It are mostly the Prydwyn related groups that really succeed to make real tributes in its completeness of what a tribute could mean. The Prydwyn related groups here are Green Crown (see review of their earlier releases here) : with "Raindrops", and Stone Breath ("Ring Ting") with perfect male & female vocals, guitar, noises. A few other musicians did fine attempts to reconsider the real original content (with Ron Chelsvig being closest to being inspired from a similar musical content source, and Mutter with a fine personal version). Most of those who tried something similar all have this neo-folk darkness finding a closer similarity to alternative music. Very welcome on this release is also an unpublished original live recording of Pearls Before Swine named "Translucent Carriages" with string and organ arrangements, '67,'68.

Although, like I said before, most groups are more arranged like post-80's alternative Indie flavoured music, and their expressions are for me already far away from Pearls Before Swine, it is mostly the first CD that gives the most balanced consistent listening. In general I still don't understand this approach much. For me the double release does not bring me much closer to the music of Tom Rapp or PBS, not even from a different angle. Therefore the approaches of most groups is too much from a completely different angle to be entirely successful. But, Woolfman added to my conclusion correctly : "Still in a world of commercial bland palliatives, this tribute CD thankfully does a valuable service to the flame of Tom Rapp / PBS in that it makes him opaquely visible to a potentially new generation". For those of new generations PBS might began to mean something different which I don't see or understand yet. It is fine music, but for most of the CD it's not acid folk or psych folk with a 60's or '70 edge any more.

PS. I also don't understand the cover very well. While the first tribute's album cover was really perfect, referring to the content beyond songs like "Rocketman" and a lot more, I don't see why there must be three Christ's among a star cluster. Symbolically this theme seems also distracted..

PS. A few remarks on the different approaches on a few more of the not yet mentioned groups will be added later, at the time of giving this airplay. I also need a few more listens before I can finish this.

Info : Secret Eye Label : http://www.secreteye.org at http://www.secreteye.org/se/a05.html

Links to involved groups :

Marissa Nadler : www.marissanadler.com

My review of her demo release with link to homepage : http://singersong.homestead.com/folk2.html

Kemialliset Ystävät : pienipalatsi@hotmail.com

Olivetree : www.jewelledantler.com

Bardo Pond : Their contribution : "Uncle John". Contact : www.threelobed.com/bardo

Aquarium Poppers : http://aqpop.fupp.net

My review of their demo : http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/Psychfolkpopreview.html

Gentle Tasaday : erik@skyclad.com

Noxagt : www.noxagt.com

Kawabata Makoto : www.acidmothers.com

Oren Ambarchi : www.orenambarchi.com

Prydwyn : prydwyn@post.harvard.edu

More at http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/wicca.html

Fursaxa : www.fursaxa.net

Black Forest / Black Sea : www.blackforestblacksea.com

My review of first release at http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/acidfolkreview2.html

James Jackson Toth : oracle909@aol.com

David Rapp

Aspera : www.aspera.tv

Bevel : bevel@jagjaguwar.com

Monster Island : www.thebookbeat.com

My review of CD at http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/Psychfolkpopreview.html

Ron Chelsvig : www.ronchelsvig.com

Adrian Shaw (Bevis Frond & Co/Runs) : www.woronzow.co.uk

Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) & Mike Watt (Minuteman) : www.sonicyouth.com & www.hootpage.com

Alaistair Galbraith : His contribution : "Everybody's Got Pain". Contact : a.galbraith@actrix.co.nz

Green Crown : see my review at http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/WICCAREVIEW2.html

Dead Raven Choir : http://wolves.tamu.edu/hist.html

Cauldron : ruralspace@hotmail.com

Mutter : topofthedown@yahoo.com

Pearls Before Swine info : http://members.rott.chello.nl/cvanderlely/pearls.html

Covers of most Pearls Before Swine albums at http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/acidfolkreviews.html

Hand/Eye

The Does : sleep deprivation blues EP (CAN,rec.2002)/

Breathe Stone : Crow Omens EP (US,rec.2003)**

Because I reviewed the Breathe Stone CD on this page before, I'll also review the split release here (Breathe Stone/The Does) with 2 EP's on it.

The Does is an alternative neo-wavepunkrock band or whatever. The guitarist, Neddal Ayad, I heard, has a particular interest in the dark folk side too. Breathe Stone I described before as the electric version of Stone Breath. This time they go even more electric. They are suited stylistically with The does.

Still strange to see an A/B side on one CD, a concept that would fit perfectly for vinyl, but a CD you cannot / don't have to turn to the other side...

First track of the Does has a great Sonic Youth like accompaniment (so, with hypnotic electric sound tone-loops), with distorted voice. Second track is more alternative slide-guitar heavy rock'n roll, with a more funny voice, influenced by P.J.Harvey and stuff like that. The last track, with slowly distorted bass, with a 2-chord droning jam, creating a semi wavepunk feel, is much too basic for me.

Breathe Stone's "Rara Avis" (with Alicia, vocals), fits perfectly with the Does on top it. Basically the Stone Breath sound is recognisable, but electric this time. This gives a really enjoyable variation, with an certain alternative rock touch. On "Crow Omens", Breath Stone goes electric folk (el. Guitar with banjo, and with Sarada & Timothy on vocals). "Maria walks amid the thorn" goes the same direction, but here Timothy's voice goes off key.

For those who look for neo-folk, I wouldn't recommend this album. For those who like alternative music as well, and like to hear a more electric variation of Timothy's related groups, this is the album to check this sound out.

Info The Does : http://www3.nf.sympatico.ca/nayad/does.html

Breathstone info : see one item up.

Perun

Stone Breath: the long lost friend : a patchwork (US,2004)***°

This is another beautiful release by Stone Breath, with perfect art-work by Timothy Renner with a fine layout by Mirt. Most tracks were earlier recorded tracks from very limited compilations (including the "Minstrels of Song" compilations). We hear lots of droning voice accompanying melancholic songs, often with banjo & fingerpicking guitar. I also like very much the second vocals of Sarada, who appears a couple of times over the album. The album was split in three parts. First 9 tracks were called "Stones Breathed", last 3, most worked out & complex, and my favourite songs, are those collectively entitled "Stones Cast", all essential listens to any neo-acidfolk lovers. The middle part however, after the different mix of the earlier recorded "Listen,Listen" (not the Sandy Denny song), we hear a couple of songs somewhat out of tune, some of it still charming. Syd Barrett's "Golden Hair" (text : James Joyce) for instance, in that way focuses more on the tragedy of the figure of Syd Barrett, than on the beautiful poem. The voice of Timothy in general is very different from a usual folk related voice. The inspiration with roots in dream like visions create a shamanistic kind of acid folk drone mood where voice and use of instruments gives us the oportunity to focus on such inspiration well. This is an essential release, not only to those who heard Stone Breath before. And it is another good starter too. Lots of the texts have, because of their interest and sensitivity in the mystical related aspects, similarities with Paganism, and are also interesting to check from this point of view.

Audio : "Listen, Listen (agape mix)" Info : http://terra.pl/perun/stonebreath-eng.html &

Other review : http://www.digitalisindustries.com/foxyd/sbreath_patchwork.html

next St.Breath release->

Private Green Mistletoe : Linga Silvarum (US, 2004)***

Surprising to hear there exist similar bands like Stone Breath, like Green Mistletoe for instance. This music is performed by minor key acoustic guitar & flute accompanying improvisations, some handpercussion, baritone whispers. I notice also pagan like associations. I personally think it should interest any Stone Breath fan. One of the main inspirations is “the greening Christ”. This can be an occasion to educate some conservative Christians, so we can say once more : “No, the “greening Christ” hung on a tree is NOT a blasphemy. It has associations with much older European & Germanic symbolism. Odin/Wodan was the first initiator, symbolised by the hangman on a tree. He was also struck by the spear, and was resurrected after his going to the underworld. This well-accepted symbol was adapted by European Christianity ; in this way symbols of Christ and the personal initiator through nature became interconnected. This was the reason that in early European Christ statues, you can still see him hung on a tree, in the form of a symbol which now still can be seen in the middle of the peace-sign, instead of a cross. Further we hear on this album, beside one minimalist medieval dance tune, a couple more songs, this time with real –baritone- singing, sometimes with a (dark) mystic flavour, always connected with nature, and perhaps also some ancient associations with nature. Besides the music is alternated by various shorter tracks a few times with rather psychedelic mixes of acoustically recorded sounds and inspirations.

Audio : "Dychymyg"

Info : http://greenmistletoe.com & http://embark.to/hemlock Contact : loveflurry@healingwell.com

next ->

September Gurls

Spectral Light & Moonshine Firefly Snakeoil Tamberee :

Burning Mills (US,rec.2000-2002, re.2004)**°°

I really liked the first album by the group (which is another off-shoot of Stone Breath). There they used often pagan and other themes related with harvest and winter events, with lots of banjo driven kind of acid folk songs, so of course I really looked forward to a new release under this name.

After the first track, I had to leave it aside for a few minutes. On that specific one, Timothy’s voice there is so much out of tune it is too much for me. Timothy has a really special voice in sound colour which fits with the magical moments of evening campfires, but when the voice really slips away completely this mood is killed for me too. Luckily all tracks after that sung by Timothy work just perfectly. The improvisation like guitar and banjo with story like telling songs are somewhat rooted in the Appalachian traditions. In combination with the Celtic folksongs traditions they create almost a new folk genre on its own, with “Little Matty Groves” as a first highlight. After Sarada on “Silver Dagger” which makes slightly the same slips, the mood from then on is kept really well together, in an almost hypnotic and mystic way. Very nice is “The Two Magicians”, with minstrel banjo, dulcimer, and dual vocals. “Pretty Polly” is nicely arranged in the “new” traditional style I described before, in between Appalachian and Celtic traditions. “The three dead boy”s is a nice murder balllad. “O the dreadful wind and rain” is a beautiful psych folk lament with bouzouki, dulcimer, flute, harmonium, zuk, with vocals by Timothy. Also “Gypsy Davey” is fine. Here the combination of voice, harmonium on the banjo melodic rhythm I really like a lot. “Sleep Baby Sleep”, with banjo,harmonium, whistles, dual male vocals (Prydwyn and Timothy) and humming by Sirona is a really fine closer. It leaves me the feeling it truly is another album worth discovering and treasuring.

This group consist of Timothy Renner (Stone Breath,..), Sarada (Belladonna Bouquet ; see at the end of this page) and Prydwyn (Green Crown see next page).

Info : http://www.septembergurlsrecords.com/...

PS. At the same time the first, still highly recommend, release of the band, "Scarecrow Stuffing" (1999) is rereleased as a double LP together with this second album. Only 400 printed. Be quick !