In Rotation, June 2006
Mistress McCutchan
Hannah Fury – Subterfuge
Track Listing: You Showed Me, Je T'aime, My Next Victim, Carnival Justice (The Gloves Are Off) Part II, Girls That Glitter Love The Dark, A Latch To Open.
It’s been three years since her last recording, I Can’t Let You In, and well worth the wait. This album is her unique brand of delicate etherea and yet is bolder than her previous releases. Rich melodies swirl with lyrics that paint poisonously vivid and unsettling imagery. A prime example: “Girls That Glitter Love The Dark” spouts poetry such as “Girls that glitter defile hope, We think that love is just tightening that sad little rope”; That tongue-firmly-planted-in-cheek delivery makes me firmly plant the back of my hand to my forehead.
Sure, she’s along the lines of Kate Bush and Tori Amos, but Hannah’s work is quite distinctive and sublime. Subterfuge is easily her finest work to date. Recommended to fans of bittersweet ethereal and devotees of finding beauty among decay.
Kali Yuga – The Cosmology of Decay
Track Listing: Aliza, The Cosmology of Decay, Jackal Head, Submarine, Swampwizard, Trace, Perish, Ada Marsh, Unrequited Unforgiven, London Dungeon.
Does this name sound familiar? They recently played Convergence XII in New Orleans along with Rasputina, Belle Morte and Voltaire. This Louisiana-based band takes its name from the Hindu “Age of Iron”, the dark and apocalyptic phase of the world.
Kali Yuga’s guitar-driven gothic rock sounds a lot like The Damned or early Cult with a touch of rockabilly on tracks like “Swampwizard”, but there’s something about lead vocalist Riley Bordelon’s voice that doesn’t sit well with me.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Show Your Bones
Track Listing: Gold Lion, Way Out, Fancy, Phenomena, Honeybear, Cheated Hearts, Dudley, Mysteries, The Sweets, Warrior, Turn Into.
Imagine an Alison Shaw-cute PJ Harvey-type with Debbie Harry attitude and you have Karen O of the New York based trio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They totally rock out! The open-ended lyrics are layered with brilliant guitar; the songs are memorable and left to your own interpretation. Although the influences here are obvious on this album, it is undeniably catchy and a great listen.
They’re playing with Sonic Youth here in New York this summer. I hear they are fantastic live.
Revolting Cocks – Cocked and Loaded
Track Listing: Revcolution Medley, Ten Million Ways To Die, Caliente (Dark Entries), Prune Tang, Fire Engine, Dead End Streets, Pole Grinder, Jack In The Crack, Devil Cock, Viagra Culture, Revolting Cock Au Lait.
Heavy stuff. No Chris Connelly this time around, but whoa – there’s Jello Biafra on vocals on several tracks, so you know I’m “aw yeahing” in the background here. Cocked and Loaded is very much in line with the style of the later Ministry albums: heavy, unforgiving metal-industrial, with traces of Jimi Hendrix and other recognizable riffs here and there. No EBM like days of yore.
“Caliente” is a hard-hitting cover of Bauhaus’ “Dark Entries” which I definitely got a kick out of hearing, and otherwise, among the raunchy, ridiculous lyrics and aggressive thuds, this ain’t literary gold, but mighty fun to listen and rawk out to.
Written in Ashes
Track Listing: Solemnity VI, The Sea, All I Never Wanted, Hell Hope & High Water, Pale September, Lament For Lanore, By The By, Maskin, Unfaith, Gypsum Rain (Hallowed Grounds Mix), Solemnity VII, Gypsum Rain (Original Mix).
If Deine Lakaien and Lacrimosa defined what darkwave was in the 90’s, this could very well be one of the albums to define this decade’s darkwave. I know these guys have history; although their first release was nearly ten years ago, I think this album could seriously put them on the map. A good fusion of classic gothic rock and dark electronica. I have a feeling you should keep an eye out for these guys.
Dresden Dolls – Yes, Virginia
Track Listing: Sex Changes, Backstabber, Modern Moonlight, My Alcoholic Friends, Delilah, Dirty Business, First Orgasm, Mrs. O, Shores Of California, Necessary Evil, Mandy Goes To Med School, Me & The Minibar, Sing.
A spectacular listen, worthy of being on repeat for weeks. This album is all we’ve come to know and love about Amanda and Brian; rocked-out cabaret paired with scathing lyrics, such as “She’s the kind of girl who leaves out condoms on the bedroom dresser, Just to make you jealous of the men she fucked before you met her.” It’s hard to pick a favourite track here when this album is chock full of gems. Yes, Virginia is much tighter and focused than their debut release. If you’ve never heard them, you’ll understand their cult appeal here.
Collide – Live at the El Rey
Track Listing: Intro, Beneath the Skin, Crushed, Complicated, Falling Up, Dreamsleep, Slither Thing, Modify, Razor Sharp, White Rabbit, Wings of Steel, Like You Want to Believe, Somewhere, The Lunatics Have Taken Over the Asylum, Euphoria, Euphoria-video edit
Generally, I’m not a fan of live albums. The last one I listened to was Siouxsie & the Banshees’ Seven Year Itch; Siouxsie, at that point, was having throat issues and it’s very obvious on the album. Her singing wouldn’t have gotten past round one of American Idol.
This recording is the accompanying CD to their DVD and all the power and beauty is there. Collide is one of the top 10 bands of what’s new and wonderful musically in the gothic scene. Remember how Switchblade Symphony was the new face of the scene when Serpentine Gallery came out? Collide gives me that feeling for this decade. If you haven’t heard or don’t own any Collide cds yet, you need to take care of that situation straight away. You’ll be glad you did.
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