Siiiii needs no introduction in the Goth and Deathrock communities.  They are one of the classic underground bands of the ’80s.  Though their career was all too short ,  they left a legacy of absolute musical excellence that  stands the test of time.   “Ancient”  is a collection of their music from  1883-1986,  and their music is just as impressive today as it was  then.  I was fortunate enough to see Siiiii perform at a music festival back in 2006, and always regretted not being able to speak to the band.  So  I was overjoyed to see this release, and hope that new listeners will be introduced to Siiiii.

“Split” is classic deathrock/postpunk, with plodding percussion, edgy guitar, and dark compelling vocals, and doom-laden bass hovering in the background.  The song is  visceral, and apocalyptic .  “Concentration”   has a distant  sort of sound, with very evocative guitar, and echoed vocals.  Staccato percussion is masterfully light, and the song is wistful yet with very dark undertones, somewhat reminiscent of Joy Division.   “Overgrown Eyes” is more ominous, with a slow funereal cadence.  Icy guitar, and moody vocals are enhanced by a wind sound-effect, that adds a sense of bleakness to this very atmospheric song.

“Dust” is  stylistically broadly similar to Bauhaus.  Fine bass lines, with strident vocals are accompanied by fast percussion and inexorable guitar.  I like the way the bass changes gears, so to speak.   Before the listener grows too complacent, “Still Waters” erupts with powerful bass  and forceful vocals that could almost be neo-swing,  while deathrock guitar saws eerily in the background.   Percussion is harsh and relentless.  At about two minutes, the guitar careens wonderfully off the rails, but is edged back by the steady bass. This would be a great song for a modern Film Noir soundtrack!    “Speaking in Tongues”  has a slow, choir-like intro, with discordant guitar and echoes that grow into a rumble, while spoken vocals emerge, sinister and  cryptic.

“Statue” is simply magnificent.   Slow and languid, with layered echoes that resonate with the edgy, aloof guitar and understated bass.  The measured vocals are deeply reflective and dreamlike.    Imagine a cross between The Doors and early U2.   The pace changes abruptly with “Rictus”.  Frantic, tribal drumming and galloping bass combine with the racing vocals    “Equator” has always fascinated me.  The guitar and bass are very reminiscent of ‘70’s Funk and Soul, very artfully combined with eerie atmospherics and sophisticated vocals.

“Is Still” charges along with rhythmic percussion and bass, razor sharp guitar, and howling, growling, vocals.   The awesome “Fixing” changes direction yet again, with slow,  growling, Bluesy vocals; distorted harmonica effects;  plodding cabaret-style percussion and bass, surrounded by swirling, disjointed  guitar.  Another fine Noir piece that  has evokes images of a smokey ‘40’s cabaret in some sort of alternate universe and has me looking around for Bogart and Jill Tracy. Being an aficionado of the Victorian era, I was immediately taken with “Springheel’d Jack”.  The song has an infectious, short bass line with a punch  overlaid with oddly disquieting and echoing  guitar.  Percussion is abrupt yet constant, and the vocals are remote yet strangely aggressive.   “Over”  features strong bass,  with a piercing, buzzing guitar that becomes a cacophony before the strident, layered vocals reemerge.  Crashing percussion accentuates the last half of the song.  Overall there is a “wall of sound” feel that echoes nicely at the finish.    Next is a fine  alternative version of “Dust”,  before the album finishes with a very moving piano rendition of ‘Statue”.

“Ancient” is a true joy to behold, showing that this music is just as relevant and visceral now as it was when it was first released.   Indeed, Siiiii epitomizes the qualities that first drew me to Postpunk, Goth, and Deathrock many years ago.   Before this,  I found no music that really resonated with me.  The alternative  music that emerged in the late ’70′s and early ’80s had a gripping, otherworldly sound that was different  from anything else I had heard before.   It echoed the disenchantment and alienation of that era but which held out the promise of a new horizon.  The production of “Ancient” is excellent.  Whether you are a new or old listener of Siiiii, this album is a classic that no fan of Goth and its related genres should do without.   Their  upcoming album is most eagerly awaited!

http://www.facebook.com/siiiiimusic

The project of the Ukrainian couple  Alexey Nightchild A. (vocals, guitar, keyboard, programming) and Olga ‘Holy Cat’ (bass), Nightchild is another band who shows that Gothic Rock is by no means the defunct corpse that many people in the electro club scene would have us believe.  “Some Stories and Thoughts”  is a delightful return to the early to mid-eighties era of Goth/postpunk, (the March Violets, Rose of Avalanche, etc.) with a stripped down  approach that also fits quite well with the post-punk revival.  All of the songs on the CD evoke a visceral sort of emotional resonance that is a hallmark of  classic goth.

“Away”, which   begins with a  sort of ’80s pop flavor that is suddenly belied by the cutting vocals that are reminiscent of deathrock.   I love the guttural chorus  on this excellent song.  “Questions”  transfixes the listener like a relentless interrogation.  The stern vocals give way to firm guitar before the song resumes its course.  A spoken segment echoes from the background over thudding bass and electro swirls before a sawing guitar throws you back under the glaring lights.  “With Me”  has exquisite  guitar and female backing vocals that give this hard-hitting song even more depth.    With its edgy guitar and bursts of staccato percussion, ‘Sleepwalker” has a fervent chorus that pushes the song to a rising crest, then suddenly drops,  only to swell  upward again.

“Why Would You Wait”   invokes  a dark sense of regret  that is heightened by the echoes on the vocals, and the steady drumming, offset by sharp guitar interludes.   Fast and quirky, “It is Time”  is an anthem that both beseeches and demands.  I particularly like the way the guitar “drops” in contrast with the speed-of-light percussion.  “Shadows of the Past”  has deeper vocals that are very catchy, with faint echoes.  This song reminds me vaguely of Fear Cult.

“”Through the Night”  is another very powerful song, enhanced by deeper guitar, and percussion that reminds me of a horses’ hooves pounding across the desert bearing its rider to an unknown destination.  “Whispers in the Night” is  faster, with an almost frantic pace  that is underscored by slashes of guitar, but drops to a low urgency before erupting with a guitar solo that flashes like a cavalry saber.   The song grinds to an eerie halt, then leaps back into life.

‘Vampire and Witch”  is a simply  awesome song, with a catchy guitar hook and subtle organ-like electronics in the background.  The vocals give the song its bite, with the fast percussion and a great guitar solo pushing  the track  to its  conclusion.     “Will”  opens with  tribal drumming and well, tribal guitar, if there is such a thing.   The razor sharp guitar in the middle is a fine touch.   The ending is unexpectedly poignant and dreamlike.   This is a  very compelling song that is a fitting end to a fine album.  “Love under will….”   ( That sounds familiar!)

“Some Stories and Thoughts”  is a fine, evocative album, and the production is excellent.    I look forward to hearing more from Alexey and Olga!   “Some Stories and Thoughts” is a worthy addition for anyone who truly appreciates Gothic Rock or music with Gothic sensibilities.

http://www.myspace.com/thenightchildband

http://thenightchild.at.ua/web/homeenglish.htm

Sweden’s The Exploding Boy has been hailed as one of the best alternative bands in Europe, and their debut album was in the top ten on the German Alternative Charts, and voted Album of the Year in the Belgian magazine Dark Entries.     Their second CD  “The Black Album” has proved to be just as hard hitting, rising to number 3 on the German Alternative Charts after its release back in May.    Listening to “The Black Album”, it is easy to see why!

Excellently produced, “The Black Album” has  superbly accessible sensibilities that harken back to the best of New Wave, yet darker, edgy undertones that bring to mind classic Post punk and Goth, with a bit of Rock thrown in.    While this album is definitely guitar driven in the vein of bands like the Cure,  electronics are masterfully used to buttress the foundations in a way that reminds me of Nik Kershaw or Joe Jackson.   Vocals are addictive, whether distant and evocative, or layered and energetic.  Eminently danceable, yet emotionally visceral at the same time, “The Black Album” will keep the listener coming back for more.   This CD is on permanent rotation in my auto and home stereos.

Some of my favorite tracks include “Torn”, with awesome buzzsaw guitar;   “I Am Truth”, a perfect freeway song;  the  amazing anthem “Sweet Little Lies”, that will keep the dance floor going; “Get Out of My Head” with its shades of Joy Division; and “Here Comes The Rain”, with fantastic guitar hooks  that remind me of The Cult.   “The Black Album” is highly recommended for Goth, New Wave,  and Post punk music fans, or anyone who appreciates fine music.

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/THEEXPLODINGBOYSE

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“Ballads for the End Times”  is a simply fabulous combination of  Ragtime; Klezmer; Hot Jazz; Cabaret ;  and, you guessed it,  a LOT of Apocalypse Five and Dime.     I hate to make references to other bands in a review, but sometimes a frame of reference can be useful.  Imagine a mix of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Nitroglycerine, and a secret recipe (from the shed hidden deep in the woods) handed down from your great grandfather.   Imagine  if the Earp Brothers had not moved to Tombstone, but headed east, ran into Scott Joplin in New Orleans and started a stage show.  Evoking images of a dark Vaudeville out of a Peter Straub novel that , “Ballads for the End Times” manages to be anachronistic, yet curiously futuristic at the same time, and winds up being sheer magic.

“Mississippi Ghost Rag”  is a love song of the most macabre, compelling  sort.  This  brass-driven shotgun blast  of a song admirably sets the tone of the album.   The theme of water as a dark release will be revisited more than once during the course of this musical journey.   “Ghost ships are swaying in the river they’re talking to me….” “Tomorrow“  starts out with a bit of violin and quickly turns into a rousing heavy Klezmer stomp, as the violin weaves though like a Spad fighter in the clouds.  The  male/female vocals evoke the Roaring Twenties.  The female vocals are magical:  grainy, alluring, distant, and distorted like a radio station from era.   Eminently danceable, the song ends on a bit of harmony. The next tune  “Addicted to You”  is catchy, and deceptively smooth.    Seemingly simple alternating vocals suddenly emerge into rather complex near-harmonies that are simply superb.

Plaintive gypsy violin combine with rather muted brass  on “Love Life”, backed by ticking percussion and rising horns.  The pace picks up, with evocative  female vocals over a foundation of cadenced male vocals.   I can sense a hint of Swing here, and interestingly enough, even a touch of Soul!   The song ends with a bit of poignant violin. “Broken Chair Waltz” starts out as, the name suggests, a traditional waltz.  Yet the astute listener will quickly discern that this belies the sheer complexity contained here.    “Have you come to stay, my love?” Very moving arrangements include very visceral segments of quiet banjo and violin.  The vocals are magnificent,  with rather epic sounding harmonies and counterpoints.  The song rises to a flourish, then fades to a n almost operatic vocal finish.  ‘Fire It Burns” is a bit slower, a languid journey along summer roads of yesteryear.  Wandering violin and layered vocals are accompanied by steady brass, with  banjo and ukulele cleverly providing sort of a percussion effect. ‘Dance Floor” starts with a bit of vintage radio sounding violin and trumpet, then suddenly bursts into a rousing romp.   Very fetching female vocals pair up with powerful brass and percussion.  The violin reminds me of Stephane Grappelli.

“Surface of the Sand”  is another blast of brass-driven energy.  Vocals and arrangements evoke a careening, no-brakes dash to the nearest speakeasy,  filled with flappers and illicit pleasures.   I particular like the jaunty violin and percussion, with banjo and jazzy horns.   Oh, and be sure to avoid the Coppers.   “Broken Hearted” is an adrenaline fueled love song, with incredible vocals and backing horns that remind me a bit of ska, believe it or not.  Very forceful, with a dramatic ending. With a rhythm  reminiscent  of a marching band, “Do It Again” is another song that hides a complexity beneath a charming veneer.   I love the choppy banjo or ukelele interspersed amid the  strident horns.  Even with the abrupt end, the song is not quite over.   Listen carefully for an alluring  “Yes” at the very end.    One of my favorite tracks, “Only Yours” begins with very cool ukelele and violin before the brass kicks in.  Then rollicking banjo and catchy, yet edgy vocals merge into a fabulous romp that includes unexpected and wonderful breaks and interludes.  Absolute brilliance.  This song somehow manages to evoke a plaintive longing and a sense of raucous abandon at the same time.

Next we have  something totally unexpected, a cover of Justin Timberlake’s “My Love”.  The band pulls this off fantastically.   The fast female vocals have a little bit o soul, and when the song slows down midway through, the sparing  sax is perfect.   Then, everything slows down to an almost reggae sway, before the sultry vocals end.  “Let Me Go”  is another river-themed song, with an ominous beginning that shortly erupt into a Dixieland sort of romp  I love the stark, edgy, yet anarchistic violin, ably assisted by the whole ensemble.   The male and female vocals are magnificent, alternating between counterpoint and a harsh, yet engaging harmony.     “The take me down to the river / and let me go wrap my body tight / so it won’t ever show” The dark imagery of water continues with “Category of Lullaby”, which  resonates with loss and losing.    Starting slow and languid,  the vocals are sultry with a touch of despair.    At about four minutes,  the song rises to a familiar  spirited and dynamic crescendo  and   then subsides.    “you’re gone and nothing matters  alone under the water” “You”  is plaintive and very moving.    Harmonies are exquisite, and the slow-plucking banjo brings to my mind visions of abandoned fields and buildings from along deserted and forgotten byways.      “And you, well you never loved me true“

I feel that I haven’t quite done justice to the music itself.  Listen to this CD  with headphones to fully appreciate the  pure artistry of the arrangements.  As the reader may surmise, I am very partial to violins and vocals, but everything about this CD is excellent.  For a dark yet stirring musical foray into a past as it should have been, and which perhaps actually does exist somewhere within us,  “Ballads for the End Times” is just the ticket.   Hey, Apocalypse Five and Dime,  I’ll be waiting at the station….

http://www.apocalypsefiveanddime.com/