Ten Bright Spikes Album: Blueland Label: New Red Archives An excellent record. This reminds me of some late sixties broadway show music, except that it's not stupid enough. It rocks, but in a very slick way with touches of classical and jazz, using a variety of instruments, including piano, flute, sax and strings. It's mostly male lead vox, but with some very neat female "background" vox that often dominates. I really like the lyrics, though damned if I know what they mean. In general they may have achieved the unclassifiable, which puts this right in the KZSU zone. Slower cuts: 1 7:28 "pavian" - Dark and driving, progresses to a relaxed acceptance. 3 5:07 "v" - Sneering male vox, with female backup. Fully orchestrated, heavy piano chords set the beat. "all my colors retreating though language/or shall I say dying without God" 9 5:12 "villagers celebrate passing their exams" - Light, strummy guitar oriented piece. "all this and flower;/orange blossoms and ballons/on the inside of a gun./clutter of love" 11 3:31 "summer's end" (pavian reprise) - Dragging, but relaxed piece. Not much like the "pavian" it's a reprise of. "Let's move out/over a low hill/into the city/where summer ends/I'll meet you there/beneath all the..." Fast, rocking cuts: 4 2:43 "blue crayon" - Just a touch of evil. "who are you when the music hits/coming up from under the floorboards?" 8 3:22 "minneola" - With some heavy strings. "trying to ice this sister feeling at similar blood/immaculate pain, consumate drain,/ new tools for a rougher trade,/never always far." 6 2:00 "crush us out" - "hanging back in you is a hunger/too wide to save it' s own./flesh years and suicide wine;/a carnivore circle moving through lives/out here,/preciously useless" Contemplative Interludes with piano and strings: 10 1:29 "lovers theme three" -- best of the interludes 7 1:28 "lovers theme two" 2 0:53 "lovers theme" 5 1:00 "blueland" -- inconsequential piece -------- Track by track: 1 7:28 pavian Midtempo, dark, driving sound, which progresses to a more relaxed sound, a sense of acceptance. 2 0:53 lovers theme Contemplative piano & violin 3 5:07 v Slow to midtempo, sneering male vox, with female backup. Fully orchestrated, relying on driving monotonous piano to set the beat. "all my colors retreating though language/or shall I say dying without God" 4 2:43 blue crayon Faster, rocking piece with just a touch of evil. "who are you when the music hits/coming up from under the floorboards?" 5 1:00 blueland short, inconsequential piece. 6 2:00 crush us out Fast, rocking. "hanging back in you is a hunger/too wide to save it' s own./flesh years and suicide wine;/a carnivore circle moving through lives/out here,/preciously useless" 7 1:28 lovers theme two Another short contempletive thing. 8 3:22 minneola Another fast, rocking cut, with some heavy strings. "trying to ice this sister feeling at similar blood/immaculate pain, consumate drain,/ new tools for a rougher trade,/never always far." 9 5:12 villagers celebrate passing their exams Light, strummy guitar oriented piece. "all this and flower;/orange blossoms and ballons/on the inside of a gun./clutter of love" 10 1:29 lovers theme three Nice simple piano and string piece. best of the "themes" 11 3:31 summer's end (pavian reprise) Slower, dragging, relaxed piece. Not much like the "pavian" it's a reprise of. "Let's move out/over a low hill/into the city/where summer ends/I'll meet you there/beneath all the..." Contact Info: New Red Archives P.O. Box 210501 San Francisco, CA 94121