PAINTING BY RENE MAGRITTE " THIS IS NOT A PIPE"
Posted by Hello

PAINTING BY RENE MAGRITTE
Posted by Hello

Surfing the net : Music DEAD CAN DANCE

Anyway while pondering the music of Erik Satie I went searching for more contemporary examples of similar soundscapes. So I downloaded some John Cage & then some Ambient music from Brian Eno to Loreena Mckennit to Buddha Bar to Cafe Del Mar to Evaresence to Enigma & Massive Attack etc. But most of what I found did not really grab me as it were until I came across the group Dead Can Dance. The main members of the group are Lisa Gerard & Brendan Perry. For the last few days I have immersed myself in Dead Can Dance the music is haunting & has a resonance & stays with me while I sleep.

Some of their songs remind me of people such as Nick Cave & Jim Morrison & the vocal stye is sometimes like Frank Sinatra but also reminds of Bertolt Brecht & Jacques Brel. Their musical range is astonishing from medieval european to classical & Indian folk & Oriental & African & Mideastern music & on & on. I would suggest listening to some of their music a few times over; it speaks for itself & you'll connect with it or you won't. I remember hearing some of their songs years ago but I was unable to connect with their sound or just wasn't exposed to a wide range of their sound . Now it feels so natural . For some I guess they are old news but for me they are a great find. I also remember watching the film Whalerider some time ago for which Dead Can Dance did most of the music & it was in part the music of the soundtrack that helped make it a powerful & haunting film. It should be noted the group dissolved in 1998 but has reunited to go on tour this year. This was my little epiphany for the week.

Here is a sample of their lyrics for the song The Carnival Is Over. this song & Black Sun are so far two of my favourites.

The Carnival is Over

Outside
The storm clouds gathering,
Moved silently along the dusty boulevard.
Where flowers turning crane their fragile necks
So they can in turn
Reach up and kiss the sky.

They are driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye
Someone is calling.

I remember when you held my hand
In the park we would play when the circus came to town.
Look! Over here.

Outside
The circus gathering
Moved silently along the rainswept boulevard.
The procession moved on the shouting is over
The fabulous freaks are leaving town.

They are driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye.
The carinval is over.

We sat and watched
As the moon rose again
For the very first time.

Related web sites: /www.4ad.com/artists/catalogue/deadcandance/
/www.alwaysontherun.net/dcd.htm - this site contains most of their lyrics

Be forwarned a number of Dead Can Dance sites I looked at have not been kept up to date & the links no longer apply.

Books: Just read a book on Surrealist artist Rene Magritte( 1898-1967) by A.M. Hammacher(1995) some great reproductions & possibly a good entrance point for someone who has never really read much about Surrealism & Dada.
I have a couple of other books on these subjects on their way from the public library more about these later.

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