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VARIOUS ARTISTS VIER FACTOR #1 (Dancing Ferret) ~reviewed by Mick Mercer This is a nice idea where four singles are roped together, with extra tracks, starring The Cruxshadows, The Dreamside, Thou Shalt Not and Paralysed Age and assuming it’s a mid-priced thing I can see it being attractive to many who want to try out some names that may be new to them, but it has to be said that it also works overall through having a fairly united feel to the bands involved. Mainly it’s previous work remixed, or things which you might find hard to find, so we’ll concentrate on the new tracks. Each artist has one track unavailable elsewhere. The Pet Shop Cruxshadows mainly give you three version of ‘Return (Coming Home)’ which is pleasant enough but ‘Dream Yourself Awake’ is far less predictable vocally and a slinky, slow item, which is highly becoming. The Dreamside have two versions of two songs not on albums, ‘Somewhere Before’ which is beautifully still, unfolding like a ballet score, and the stark attack of ‘Spin Moon Magic’ which becomes a melodic maelstrom with wonderfully stark, severe vocals. Paralysed Age have ‘Raindance’ which is pretty but fairly bland, and Thou Shalt Not do themselves nothing but good by including ‘The Final Year’, blessed with aromatic acoustic and those bright clear vocals which dominate even the quiet passages cleverly, involving the listener without being bombastic, and the rest of their material is equally charismatic and inspiring. THE CRUXSHADOWS - RETURN (COMING HOME)
02/05/04 |