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| Artist: | Timothy Pure |
| Title: | Blood Of The Berry |
| Label: | Isosceles Records CD102 |
| Length(s): | 58 minutes |
| Year(s) of release: | 1997 |
| Month of review: | 11/1998 |
Line up
Zog - guitars
Andre Neitzel - bass
Matthew Still - vocals, keyboards
Chris Wallace - drums, percussion
Tracks
| 1) | Thieves | 3.19
|
| 2) | The Aberration | 3.52
|
| 3) | Blood Of The Berry | 2.34
|
| 4) | Private Hedge | 5.28
|
| 5) | Slide | 5.27
|
| 6) | The Afterglow | 2.00
|
| 7) | The Interim | 1.12
|
| 8) | Without Words | 6.56
|
| 9) | Ornament | 4.18
|
| 10) | Magdalena Hell | 5.56
|
| 11) | Where Mercy Ends | 4.00
|
| 12) | Incineration Point | 4.15
|
| 13) | Through The Fountain's Eye | 4.38
|
| 14) | When Vices Collide | 4.29
|
Summary
After hearing so many good things about them I really wanted to hear
this disc. After informing it turned out they thought they had sent
me something already. That is why my review is a little late.
The music
The previous disc The Fabric Of Betrayal introduced three stories, one
of which is worked out in detail on the disc now under scrutiny. Two other
discs should follow working out the other stories. The story is actually
the storyline of a book Andre Neitzel was planning to write and the CDs
you might say are chapters in this book.
Thieves is a moody track with soft piano, nice keyobards in the back
and soft vocals. The melody is great. The Aberration opens with piano and
electric guitar, the vocals stay rather subdued, but later during this track
they become louder. The vocals might remind people of the Moody Blues, but
the music itself reminds more of Pink Floyd, also in its atmosphere. which
in some way subdued and laidback. But the music is certainly not from imitating
Floyd in any way, but in some sense there's a general likeness.
The titletrack opens with percussion, but is slightly psychedelic.
Private Hedge enjoys a terrific melody, a very intimate, moody atmosphere, but
also washes of hope. Slide continues the line of the album, a bit more up-beat
with some soaring guitars and varied percussion.
The Afterglow features some good female vocals by Johnnie Hooper and
afterwards we go right into the short The Interim, which has a church-like
peace to it. Without Words is with almost 7 minutes the longest track on the
album. By now I'm not just reminded of Pink Floyd, but more of the solo album
of Rick Wright: Broken China, although melodically it seems this album has
more to offer. Ornament is an intimately whispered introverted piano piece,
built on a great, subtle theme. Thereafter follows the great Magdalena Hell
that harkens back to Afterglow, but also adds some organ making for a sacral
atmosphere. Where Mercy Ends is more of a bubbling, mysterious track with
some rhythm guitar and lush keyboards in the back. Incineration Point is
more rocky and might remind some people of Echolyn at times, but not
as hectic. This song is somewhat "under the skin", somewhat menacing
and taking some of the slightly Arabic stylings from the previous track.
In some places even the music tends to go into the progmetal direction.,
but on this disc the music never becomes really loud. Through The Fountain's
Eye sounds quite hopeful and the album closes with When Vices Collide,
which even features some sitar and clavecimbel sounds.
Conclusion
This album brings this band in one sweep among the most interesting bands
around. This albums contains numerous beautiful themes, some, but not
a lot of, rock, intimate singing, interesting lyrics and a very agreeable
moody atmosphere. Musically Timothy Pure can be likened to Pink Floyd, vocally
to the Moody Blues, but as regards this work I would say Rick Wright solo
album Broken China comes closer, yet showing more variety and being on the
whole more melodic. A consistent album, that will not see anyone jumping
around as with a band like Spocks Beard, but an album to immerse oneself
into and experience.
© Jurriaan Hage