Music Review: Chelsea Wolfe - Abyss

Chelsea Wolfe returns with her newest experimental art-meets-rock album, Abyss, building on the successes of prior albums like Pain is Beauty (2013). Those seeking the short form need look no further - Abyss is another strong showing from Wolfe and you would be reminisce to merely dismiss it as art rock noise.

Chelsea Wolfe - Abyss (2015)

Nailing down Wolfe's work depends largely on which album you choose to listen to - from experimental post-industrial sludge to deeply brooding neofolk with nearly everything imaginable between, Wolfe has consistently gone for complete artistic freedom and an unwillingness to do the exact same thing every time.

Abyss is easily the darkest of her albums yet, and the first to truly bring to the forefront the flecks of metal genre influence that have been sprinkled sparingly in past albums. Where it was a subtle hint adding to the rich musical landscape in the past, those tones now growl to life as a barrage of doom and gloom guitar distortion that can only be described (by me, anyways) as industrial sludge (said with full affection and praise).

Chelsea Wolfe has always walked the fine line of goth aesthetic without plunging fully into it musically. That all changes with Abyss. Photo by Johanna Torell.

Another refreshing twist in the landscape of Abyss is an immediacy with each song. Wolfe's vocals are, as always, spot on and powerful, even as they serve in stark contrast to the music (clear perfection against a backdrop of sinister distortion). These are songs meant to be immersive from the start, not taking their time to build and grow into something. Where Wolfe's prior work certainly carries that indie "take it or leave it" feel, Abyss comes off being the first album to truly draw in the less musical savants among us.

Abyss, based around the concept of sleep paralysis, opens with "Carrion Flowers" and immediately throws the listener into that panic state of being unable to wake up, fighting to escape, before lightening up towards the end, resembling a moment of briefly waking and escaping the dream. As "Iron Moon" begins and immediately returns to that harsh panicked state, we lapse back to sleep and find ourselves surrounded by the nightmare once again. Other tracks of particular notice include "Dragged Out" with a particular haunting, ghost-like quality at the end, "Grey Days" for its more reserved feel and driving cello as Wolfe sings about the River Styx, and "Color of Blood" for its initially gloomy and persistent moody atmosphere molded around Wolfe's notion that we should all "Grow old, let [our] hair grow."

Throughout the album, Wolfe serves as the guiding light through the periods of unease, wakeful fits of hope, and vast depths of darkness. In the deluge of post-80s "gothic rock," so much of what is called goth has become mired in terrible cliches and drab (no pun intended) melodramas, perpetuating ages old stereotypes that none of the original art-meets-glam-rock bands would have endorsed. Wolfe brings the artistic expression back by creating a musical embodiment of sleep paralysis through a combination of visual lyrics, rapid shifts in music from panicked and schizophrenic to calm and comforting in the blink of an eye, and a voice to guide the dreamer through the nightmare they've embarked. Though not strictly a concept album, Abyss does a near flawless job of transforming the listener from start to end. While it won't be everyone's cup of tea, this may easily be Wolfe's strongest showing to date. And if her attitude is any indicator, this is just the beginning of what will surely be a long and lasting ride.

Wolfe returns to Dallas (fun fact, Abyss was actually recorded here in Dallas) at the Kessler Theater this Sunday (September 20,2015) with Wovenhand as openers. Tickets are on sale now (purchase tickets from the Kessler Theater). By all accounts, this won't be a show to miss.

Music Review: Siouxsie Sioux - "Love Crime"

It's been a long time (general business with a long term web project I've undertaken and going back to school), but some of you have asked, and so here I am with a new addition to the music reviews! It's been a major buzz topic these last couple weeks, but today we'll look at Siouxsie Sioux's latest musical offering, "Love Crime."

Siouxsie Sioux

For those who follow the post punk genre as I do, the name Siouxsie Sioux is unmistakable. She is to the post punk world what Elvis Presley was to rock in the 50s. Always one for a distinctive style, be it in physical appearance, musical style, or witty comebacks during interviews, Sioux has always embodied a particular penchant for reinvention in each music project she's endeavored. From the seminal work as Siouxsie and the Banshees, arguably one of the defining bands of the 80s British post punk offerings, to the percussive-heavy project The Creatures, to an eclectic yet familiar powerful first solo album, Sioux is perhaps one of the very few artists who does great things regardless of the project, having yet to make a large musical mishap.

As it were, following a strong debut solo album (2007's Mantaray), Sioux would essentially drift off into the shadows, making small appearances here and there as a reminder that she's not gone, just hiding. Brooding. Much with David Bowie's mysterious ten year hiatus, Sioux would seemingly vanish for approximately eight years. After all that time, the "Ice Queen" returns with a new song, "Love Crime."

Brian Reitzell

Sioux, a fan of the television series Hannibal, was tapped by Brian Reitzell (former drummer of Redd Kross and current musical supervisor and composer for the Hannibal series) with the suggestion of a collaboration. Sioux immediately agreed and inquired what the final season would more or less be about - a love story, as it were. Sioux began writing lyrics without having seen any of the final season or receiving any major details on the overall plot line. What resulted was "Love Crime," the first song Sioux has written and sung in roughly eight years, and possibly the first of many in a line of collaborations with Reitzell.

The song itself is on the slower side, reminiscent in some cases of 1992 Banshees hit "Face To Face" (featured in Batman Returns). It is an eerie song, driven by drums, violin, and bass, before a moving guitar section kicks in behind Sioux's ever refined and spotless vocals. Though cliched as it may be, Sioux is a perfect example of how age can make the voice even stronger and richer than it was already. Listening to this song literally gave me goosebumps. It's a glimpse into what Sioux could have been doing all these years, but has kept pent up instead, evolving and growing into an incredibly strong first showing in eight years. Not that Sioux needs my approval or anyone else's, but "Love Crime" makes a strong argument for her full return to music. Let's just hope that future collaborations between her and Reitzell find their way to a music release...and sooner rather than later.

Concert Review: Midge Ure (1/18/2015)

Starting things off right for 2015, Midge Ure played the historic Cactus Cafe in Austin last night (January 18, 2015) to a sold out crowd. What took place was easily a brilliant (see what I did there?) show and one that if you missed you should kick yourself over.

Midge Ure

Midge Ure, known for his work with Visage and Ultravox as well as a nice solo career, played Austin for the first time last night, opening to cheers with Waiting Days from his 1991 album Pure. Between songs, Ure told plenty of jokes, making fun of how certain Ultravox songs became big hits everywhere in the world except in the United States, and how audience members seated on the side of the stage were getting to enjoy a rather interesting view of his "enormous backside" and should receive a refund.

The twenty song set included newer Ultravox song Brilliant and classic favorites such as Hymn and Vienna, all arranged for a one man acoustic show. Considering the rich instrumental complexity behind many of the Ultravox songs (as in guitars, bass, drums, synth, etc.) it sounded like an impossible feat to convert those favorites into faithful acoustic renditions, yet, somehow Ure accomplished this feat perfectly. One such shining moment of this was when Ure performed the Visage dance club sensation Fade to Grey (which I dare say I think I enjoyed this version a bit better than the original!).

Prior to the encore, Ure joked about how he could run out the door next to him and freeze his backside, walk through the crowd and stand outside pretending like he may or may not come back for an encore, or just act like an adult and stand in the corner for a second before doing an encore. After playing an expertly done acoustic version of the Ultravox hit Dancing With Tears In My Eyes, Ure did exactly as promised, standing in the corner of the stage for a bit while the audience gave him a standing ovation.

Ure finished the night with the title track to his newest album, Fragile, followed by an impromptu performance of Do They Know It's Christmas for the two young kids in the audience who were enjoying the show with their family (the group having made a 500 mile drive to see Midge Ure perform, no less!). The night ended with the audience singing along to The Voice.

Following the show, Ure came out to greet fans, take pictures, and sign autographs. He was in no rush and spent ample time talking with each fan, sharing stories and happily taking multiple photos.

Personally, I don't know which was better - the performance or the jokes. Both were great and show Ure's absolute comfort and domination of the stage. The other good news of the night? Ure hinted that Ultravox may yet be touring the United States in support of Brilliant. A perfect night with a wonderful musician. Ure heads to Florida next to continue his tour. Don't miss out on this great performer!

Note: I know it's been a while since I last wrote here. Been very busy, but I've made a resolution to write more, even if it isn't always about brand new albums or shows I've been to. It's just really fun to do! First few articles may be a bit rusty, but it'll get there again. Thanks for the continued support everyone!

Music Review: Peter Murphy - Lion

Today's Music Review will be of Peter Murphy's tenth album (ninth studio), 2014's Lion.

Cover art for Lion

If there is one thing to expect about the "Godfather of Goth," it is to expect the unexpected. Over more recent years, Peter Murphy's career has gone places few would expect - starting perhaps with a turn of the century reinvention that spurred 2002's unique masterpiece, Dust, followed by 2004's return to pop rock form that Murphy had previously built his career on, Unshattered, and ending most recently with 2011's rock triumph full of attitude and energy, Ninth.

Lion, produced by Youth (Killing Joke), is everything you would expect from Murphy at this point and still so much more than you could have guessed. With most of the tracks originally written and recorded on the spot in the studio and in the span of only a handful of days, the album flourishes with an immediacy that makes Ninth feel tame in comparison. Richly sprinkled along the slew of single-worthy anthemic songs are compassionate, emotional ballads that still show off Murphy's rich vocal prowess and beautiful lyrics.

The album opens with the first single, "Hang Up," a synth-heavy song laced with screaming vocals that have been atypical of Murphy's career so far. Afterwards, the album winds into the electro-dance song "I Am My Own Name," which may be Murphy's response to much of the criticism he received in 2013 for endeavoring to do a full Bauhaus tour around the world without the other three original members of the band.

Amid the instantly dance-able songs come slower, passionate pieces that are a bit more reminiscent of Murphy's earlier works, including "Compression," "The Rose," and the soaring "Loctaine." Perhaps a nod back to Murphy's roots in the 80s music scene, songs like "Holy Clown" and "Low Tar Stars" carry the feeling of an 80s new wave song created for the dispossessed (the latter in particular sounding like the dark version of Michael Sembello's 1983 hit song "Maniac").

Lion rounds out with other notable songs "I'm On Your Side" and "The Ghost of Shokan Lake." "Eliza" is a slight change of pace for Murphy, not focusing so much on forms of love, introspection, and religious ideologies, but instead on the idea of leaving self-blame behind, being yourself, and celebrating life.

Murphy's tenth album ends with the title track "Lion," which has a lofty, atmospheric background music to fill in around Murphy's lush, deep vocals, creating a song that alludes to some of the many qualities of an actual lion - powerful, majestic, and encompassing. While not a fast, hard hitting song to round out the album in a fashion of how it started, "Lion" leaves the listener with a feeling of completing a musical journey guided by Murphy through introspection, religion, history, and even a glimpse into the future.

Lion is the rock-dominated album many would expect of him following Ninth. Given his desire on the previous album to prove a point of existence and importance, Ninth was in some regards the album Bauhaus never made, serving to assert Murphy's place as a solo musician and a rock star. Lion is the vastly more experimental follow-up to Ninth now that the audience and self-imposed (to some extent, at least) expectations of the former Bauhaus-frontman are squashed. What comes next only Murphy knows, but Lion may well be one of the best works he has done to date, combining much of what he was originally loved for during the Bauhaus years, the complex lyric writing that has persisted throughout his solo career, and an ingenious musical progression that is neither forced nor completely alien to long time fans. This album will certainly be on repeat for a long time to come.

Peter Murphy will be joined by current band members Emilio "Zef Noise" China (bass guitar, violin), Andee Blacksugar (guitar), and Nick Lucero (drums) for a tour of North America to support Lion that begins June 9, 2014 in New York. Peter Murphy visits Austin at The Belmont on July 29th with local favorites My Jerusalem providing opening support once again (they opened for him on last year's Mr. Moonlight Tour).

Concert Review: Strap On Halo, The Last Cry Visit Austin on the Near Dark Tour

(Note: Yes, I know the photos are missing for some reason. The site I wrote this article for originally seems to have taken them down. Working to get it fixed, but until then, this posting will look a bit odd)

Strap On Halo (Omaha, Nebraska) visited Austin back on Friday, March 21st as part of the Near Dark Tour along with late-80s post-punk/gothic rock group The Last Cry (Brighton, England) and DJs Martin Oldgoth and Augustine Strange.

Strap On Halo / Laura Davila

Taking the stage first, Strap On Halo performed a 12 song set that heavily focused on their recent EP, Haunted, and visited tracks from their past work, including their debut album The Dead Don't Lie. With each song, frontwoman Layla Reyna's vocals shined mercilessly, soaring from note to note as she sang about various things that could haunt a person. Original founder Sean Rial added to the gloomy mood with a lacing of guitar work that wove between the programmed beats and synthesizers to add an ethereal tone. Bass guitarist Marc Jones rounded out the lineup with his enthusiastic play and fun stage presence. The first half of the set saw Strap On Halo guide us through "Only In Death," "Monsters," and perhaps my favorite off the Haunted EP, "Hunger." While small, the audience enjoyed dancing and bopping their heads in time to the music. As Strap On Halo began to wind down the full set, they pulled out the reworked version of "Strigoi" and "You And Your Ghost."

Layla Reyna of Strap On Halo / Laura Davila

Overall, their performance was amazing. The fog machine was a little distracting, but the three took it in stride and made it work for them. Reyna's vocals were perfect as ever, commanding a similar stylistic quality in person, as on recording, to that of Siouxsie Sioux herself. Rial and Jones both made their instruments come to life, taking them far beyond the traditional roles a guitar and bass guitar play in a band. The only pitfall of the night was that only a small handful of Austinites were there to witness these guys.

Following Strap On Halo were The Last Cry. Having formed in the late 80s, The Last Cry only have two full length albums due to a series of lineup changes and a hiatus during the 90s. On stage, however, the band are as lively as any new act and eager to draw people in. Their sound, as one may expect, is very reminiscent of the original dark post-punk bands, sounding like a mesh of The Cure and Depeche Mode.

The Last Cry / Laura Davila

Frontman Andrew Birch sang each song with a passion and intensity that was very catching. Vocally he sounded very similar to Dave Gahan (of Depeche Mode) which worked very well with the style of music played by the other members of the band. On guitar, Tim Green played with precision and control while also manning the laptop to make the appropriate transitions between songs. Rounding out the group is Chris Carey on bass guitar who also played with great passion and movement on stage. The only thing that felt a bit strange about The Last Cry was that they have no live drummer when the music would be well complemented with one. Additionally, while the crowd had picked up a little more from Strap On Halo's set, it was still a bit thin for The Last Cry which I think was a shame as you all once again missed out on a great group.

The night was made complete with excellent music selections from DJs Martin Oldgoth and Augustine Strange who both played a range of music surveying goth rock, post-punk, industrial, and everything between that the goth culture has laid claim to.

Overall, the Near Dark Tour was a wonderful experience and a great opportunity to learn about some great bands that should be far bigger than they currently are. If you weren't here, you honestly missed out on a fun night with very talented people. The Near Dark Tour just reached its conclusion, but keep an eye out for both of these bands as their future is bright (or should I be saying it's gloomy because, you know, goth music?).

Note: Apologies for the large delay in this posting. There's been a bit of a snafu with media postings at the site Laura and I were with, so in an effort to at least ensure the word got out about this show, I've moved it here to this blog (formatting is also a bit off, so I'll look at fixing that soon). We did conduct an interview with Strap On Halo, but a lot of the audio we took has unfortunately been lost. I'll see what I can salvage from what's left.

Music Review: Peter Murphy - "I Am My Own Name"

It's been ages folks, but we're back with more music and show reviews for your reading pleasure. A little late to the bandwagon, surely, but as a welcome back to everyone, today's Music Review will be on Peter Murphy's second single off of Lion, "I Am My Own Name."

Peter Murphy, 2014.

Murphy approaches Lion from an interesting standpoint - it will be his tenth album (ninth studio), the follow-up to his successful rock monster Ninth (his prior work has categorically fit under pop rock where Ninth became his first solo album to firmly grasp the rock field and take it by force), and an album born mostly during a time where the singer revisited the vast catalog of his original band, British post-punk act Bauhaus.

"I Am My Own Name" is a healthy dose of everything you expected given the above (a very gutsy, complicated mesh of emotion and freedom), and yet Murphy surprises the listener by throwing in something utterly new and foreign - synthesizers in a Numan meets Reznor-esque produced dance track for the dispossessed.

The song opens with moody electric violin work from current bass guitarist and violinist, Emilio "Zef Noise" China. In a style that classically eludes to the Middle East (which Murphy, who has called Turkey home for the last roughly 20 years, has done on nearly every album, both subtly and dramatically), this soft introduction begs the question of "What is he doing? What does Murphy got up his sleeve?"

The vocals then kick in, smooth at first, but then with an edge, a harsh scream as Murphy declares that he is "[his] own name." The song then gains in tempo, guitars and drums starting as Murphy tells his story of who he is and is not, merely to say that he is his own name, for what that may or may not mean.

"I Am My Own Name" lyrically appears to focus on some of the recent naysayers who have criticized Muphy both professionally and personally. Some such lyrics include at the beginning "No thin Pixie/white and drawn/no shaded shadow...no jaded shock star..." (Apologies for any errors in the lyrics as they've not been published and this is a best guess) The first part about not being a pixie could be a reference back to the Bauhaus song "Crowds" which has the line "A slim Pixie, thin and forlorn," suggesting that he may not be so innocent and gullible, in a sense, as he was when younger and also not depressed as many have been led to think (also in line with the upbeat tone of the music). "No shaded shadow" to perhaps mean he is no longer going to "hide in the shadows" and not do certain things because it is frowned upon, and not a jaded shock star as there is more value in his work than just going for the easy shock that many stars today try for.

Whether these interpretations hold any merit is, of course, unclear. However, Murphy takes us down an interesting journey with this song, proving once more that he can do something incredibly different, yet still make it his own without alienating the listener. One thing is for certain with this song - if it is performed live and no one is moved by it, either physically or emotionally, nothing will move them.


Lion, produced by Killing Joke's Youth, roars to life June 3rd. Murphy kicks off his North American tour to support Lion June 9th in New York and will visit Austin July 29th at The Belmont (regular and VIP tickets on sale now). Finally, Murphy is in the middle of a Pledge Music campaign to fund the release of a live DVD from the Mr. Moonlight Tour. Check it out here and support today!

Concert Review: Nine Inch Nails (11/5/13)

Tuesday (November 5, 2013) saw the return of pioneering industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails to Texas for their 2013 Tension Tour in support of the new album, Hesitation Marks.

Nine Inch Nails during the 2013 Tension Tour. Photo credit to Rob Sheridan (image from nin.com)

The show took place in San Antonio at the AT&T Center to a very packed audience. Down in the pit before the fun began, everyone chattered on about the songs they loved most and hoped to see and there was a good mix of NIN veterans seeing the band yet again and newcomers at their first show, all eager and excited.

Tension 2013 comes as the first big tour for Nine Inch Nails since 2009's Wave Goodbye Tour, which at the time was dubbed by founder, creative writer/producer, and frontman Trent Reznor as the end of Nine Inch Nails, at least from a touring perspective (full details of the band's history and an overview of Hesitation Marks can be found here).

The night began with opening act Explosions in the Sky, a post-rock band from Austin, Texas, formed in 1999 that have played previously with Nine Inch Nails. The group delivered a strong set of instrumental "mini symphonies" packed with power and emotion, proving that vocals aren't a requirement for great music. The crowd seemed a little hesitant at first to get into the group's music, but after the first couple songs, everyone was engaged and bopping their heads along. Albeit a bit different of a choice for an opening act, Explosions in the Sky delivered the kind of performance you hope for from an opener and far exceeded expectations by pushing the envelope.

After Explosions in the Sky, Nine Inch Nails hit the stage with current live line-up featuring Trent Reznor (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Robin Finck (guitar and some keyboards), Alessandro Cortini (keyboards), Ilan Rubin (drums), Josh Eustis (keyboards, I believe), Pino Palladino (bass guitar), Lisa Fischer (backing vocals), and Sharlotte Gibson (backing vocals).

Trent Reznor. Photo taken by me.

The night began with the third single off of Hesitation Marks, "Copy Of A," which immediately drew the crowd in very close. Afterwards, the group launched into several older songs, mostly from 1989's Pretty Hate Machine and 1994's The Downward Spiral, which were met with a very raw energy from the crowd and loud singing along. The set also featured a healthy amount of the new album and mixed in several other big Nine Inch Nails hits from recent albums, including "The Hand That Feeds" (from 2005's With Teeth) and "Survivalism" (from 2007's Year Zero).

Perhaps the major highlight of the night for fans came during the encore with the live debut of "All the Love in the World" (also from With Teeth), which was met again with a fervent crowd. The instrumental ending note of Hesitation Marks, "Black Noise," was much drawn out and done extremely well in its array of layers and noises. The night ended with the classic track from The Downward Spiral, "Hurt."

Trent Reznor again, at the end during "Hurt." Photo taken by me.

Overall, Reznor still puts on a show with high intensity and flawless vocal performance. The members of his band, most of which are long time touring musicians for NIN, also deliver a strong performance full of raw energy and passion. Having Lisa Fischer and Sharlotte Gibson on backing vocals provided an immensely pleasurable and almost surreal experience that made the show that much greater. And, as is typical of any NIN show, the lighting displays used throughout the show added that extra element of greatness. This was a great show and a shame for anyone to have missed.

The Tension 2013 Tour is wrapping up its North America stint by the middle of November, but if you're near a city where they're playing and tickets are available, you should most definitely go. Don't miss this opportunity to see an engaging and exciting performance. Nine Inch Nails stop in El Paso, Texas, on Monday (November 11, 2013) to play the Don Haskins Center.

Complete Setlist:

I wasn't lucky enough to get a setlist, but here's a picture of the one that was on stage. The songs listed below were the ones actually played.

Copy Of A
Sanctified
Terrible Lie
March of the Pigs
Piggy
All Time Low
Disappointed
Came Back Haunted
Find My Way
Into the Void
The Frail
The Wretched
Echoplex
In Two
Survivalism
Running
A Warm Place
Somewhat Damaged
Wish
The Hand That Feeds
Head Like a Hole

ENCORE

All the Love in the World
Even Deeper
While I'm Still Here
Black Noise
Hurt


Ratings:

Explosions in the Sky: 4 out of 5

Nine Inch Nails: 5 out of 5

More Information: Official Site of Explosions in the Sky Official Site of Nine Inch Nails


Author's Note: Nine Inch Nails on their last tour was actually the first show I had ever been to. I was blown away by the show but my only regret was that if this were to be the end of NIN, I had seen them from way up in the nosebleed section. It was then that I determined I would get tickets early to shows and arrive as early as I could for great spots. When NIN announced this tour, I quickly got my GA ticket through the nin.com pre-sale, and made the drive down from Austin to San Antonio. It was worth every penny and then some. The emotional rush I felt as NIN closed with "Hurt" was beautiful and a moment that shows just how much music can touch a person's life (though that song is fairly dark). Support your favorite bands - go see them, buy their merch, and buy the music.